Stagecoach And Coachella Festivals Canceled For 2020 Due To COVID-19
Even though they were rescheduled to play out on October of 2020, both Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and Stagecoach have now officially been canceled.
The Los Angeles Times reports that Riverside County public health officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser announced that, because of the risks of the ongoing pandemic, both festivals will be canceled until next year at the earliest.
Kaiser said, “I am concerned as indications grow that COVID-19 could worsen in the fall. In addition, events like Coachella and Stagecoach would fall under Governor Newsom’s Stage 4, which he has previously stated would require treatments or a vaccine to enter. Given the projected circumstances and potential, I would not be comfortable moving forward.”
He added, “These decisions are not taken lightly with the knowledge that many people will be impacted. My first priority is the health of the community.”
Stagecoach’s 2020 lineup, which was originally set for April, then postponed to October, was set to headline Carrie Underwood, Thomas Rhett and Eric Church.
Coachella, also initially planned for April, featured headliners Rage Against the Machine, Frank Ocean and Travis Scott.
2020 will be the first year without a Coachella since 2000, a gap year after the fest’s 1999 debut and its 2001 return.
The Los Angeles Times reports that the cancellation follows the release of California Governor Gavin Newsom’s four-step outline for re-opening the state, in which businesses in certain sectors were allowed to offer modified services. Music festivals, like conventions and live sports, are last in line to resume and will not be permitted until an effective therapeutic treatment for the novel coronavirus is widely available.
