Following months of speculation and a string of delays, it seems Coachella has ultimately decided that 2021 isn’t happening. It looks like the legendary music and arts festival is now targeting an April 2022 return instead, after talk late last month that the festival could return as soon as October 2021, according to a report from Variety. While this may be disappointing for festival attendees across the globe, this is probably the safest and most sensible decision considering the continued uncertainty about large gatherings of people.
It is the fourth time Coachella has had to reschedule its dates. Scheduled to take place in April 2020, the festival was initially delayed to October 2020 and then to April 2021 before being suggested for return in October 2021. It seems that organizers have decided to postpone it until next year, although the festival’s official channels have not confirmed this latest timeline.
In January, Coachella had already announced that it would cancel its April 2021, citing its concerns about international travel and the public health risks of the pandemic. With hundreds of thousands traveling in from across the globe, many from countries still dealing with COVID-19, the risk is significant.
Some fans of the festival scene might’ve been wishing for an extravagant return this summer or fall, but it sounds as if Coachella organizers plan on putting safety first before any hopes for an early comeback. The logistical challenges behind a massive event aside, we need a full-blown experience, not a scaled-down one, so the best way to preserve magic is to wait until 2022.
