Coachella weekend has come to a wrap for many, and as the second weekend is right around the corner, I decided to take the time to browse through the history of the festival’s innovation and the cultivation of today’s atmosphere. We’ll touch on the headliners, the fashion, the experience and the role social media has played in the culture of Coachella.
Founded in 1999, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival has evolved into one of the biggest festivals of the year, becoming a quintessential moment in people’s concert experience. In 2004, the festival sold out for its first time, and since then, the record has been reaching higher peaks every year.
Its massive guest population has proliferated over the years, and the type of audience has changed as the festival scene has incorporated more than just artists’ stage presence. The Coachella festival has adapted to the wide variety of celebrities, influencers and social media characters who have attended, popularizing the event in mainstream media.
Starting in the 2010s, Vanessa Hudgens and other big names like Kendall Jenner began attending, and as years followed, it became the “it event” of the season, with flower crowns and fringe tanks with turquoise mini shorts taking over the valley. There are celeb brands’ pop-up booths, popular food and drink stands, and of course, the Revolve Festival, an exclusive invite-only event for elite names.
The dynamic space offers opportunities for performers of all varieties; from the young yodeler, Mason Ramsey, in 2018, to Zendaya’s surprise performance after years of no stage presence, joining Labrinth in 2023. The headliners vary in genre styles, allowing for a diverse community of concertgoers. This year, Karol G made history as the first Latina headliner, demonstrating the festival’s fusion of all international music cultures.
In the early years of the festival, you could attend for the low price of $50 per day. Now, the cost of attending has totaled into a month’s worth of rent for just the ticket price, with transportation and accommodation prices also significantly rising as popularity has grown. A weekend ticket costs $500-$1,000 for GA, and that’s before presale prices, minimizing accessibility to the event.
The unique feeling of nostalgia is a reason why people return every year, but it is unfortunate how the expenses have decreased this opportunity for many. With rising company and brand partnerships, the environment of live music performances has become a saturated and sometimes superficial experience. The special feeling of being present in the sound of a band or music artist has disintegrated with the necessity to capture picture-perfect content. Don’t get me wrong – I’m not judging, since I too would strut down Coachella Valley in a fit for a flick. But ultimately, the overwhelming takeover of the aesthetic of Coachella has decreased the value of attending for the sake of the music. Buying a ticket feels like a sacrifice and an investment rather than a spontaneous trip.
Coachella is great in many ways – it brings people together to celebrate their favorite artists, it emphasizes borderless sound and it uplifts the intersection of communities coming together to dance and sing freely. In the end, Coachella Festival is a lively event worth attending – celebrating music, dancing expressively, and rocking a cute fit that belongs in the desert, regardless of how much it takes to get there. I will be out there next year in my cowgirl boots and camera.