Coachella 2026: The Complete Festival Guide You Actually Need

Coachella 2026 Weekend 1: Thousands unite under electric lights and desert stars

Coachella 2026 is the festival's 25th edition, running April 10-12 (Weekend 1) and April 17-19 (Weekend 2) at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. Headlined by Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber, and Karol G, the lineup broke records: Karol G became the first Latina artist to headline Coachella, and original passes sold out in under a week after the September 2026 announcement. If you're heading to Indio, watching from home, or planning a Palm Springs base camp, here is everything worth knowing before the gates open.

• Dates: Weekend 1 runs April 10-12, 2026; Weekend 2 runs April 17-19, 2026. Both weekends are held at the Empire Polo Club, 81-800 Ave. 51, Indio, CA.

• Headliners: Sabrina Carpenter (Friday), Justin Bieber (Saturday), and Karol G (Sunday) headline both weekends. Anyma presents the world premiere of the "Aeden" project as a special set.

• Historic firsts: Karol G is the first Latina headliner in Coachella's history. Bini is the first Filipino group ever to perform at the festival, per reporting by Rappler and Rolling Stone Philippines.

• Tickets: Original passes are sold out. Resale Weekend 1 GA wristbands were running approximately $1,000 as of April 1, 2026, via AXS Official Resale. Weekend 2 GA started at around $815.

• Watch at home: YouTube livestreams 7 stages simultaneously beginning April 10 at 4 PM PT. For the first time in 2026, the Coachella Stage, Outdoor Theatre, and Sahara stage will stream in 4K.

• Where to stay: Palm Springs sits roughly 25-30 minutes from the Empire Polo Club and offers boutique hotels, including adults-only options like The Muse Hotel Palm Springs, that fill up quickly once the lineup drops.

Who Is Playing Coachella 2026?

The 2026 lineup combines mainstream pop headliners with a deep roster of rock, electronic, indie, and K-pop acts that collectively make this one of the most genre-diverse festivals in recent memory. The three headliners anchor each night across both weekends, with Sabrina Carpenter opening the festival Friday, Justin Bieber commanding Saturday, and Karol G closing out the weekend Sunday. According to a September 2026 Rolling Stone interview, Karol G described her slot as a "responsibility to represent" Latinos on the world's most-watched festival stage.

Below the headliner tier, the 2026 bill rewards patient scrollers. Nine Inch Nails and Boys Noize are performing together as Nine Inch Noize, an extended version of the Peel It Back Tour's third act that Rolling Stone confirmed represents a genuinely new collaborative experience rather than a simple back-to-back set. FKA Twigs, who was unable to appear at Coachella 2026 due to ongoing visa issues (as reported by CNN in April 2026), is finally scheduled to perform this year.

Additional notable acts include the XX, Disclosure, the Strokes, David Byrne, Iggy Pop, Laufey, Turnstile, Interpol, Wet Leg, Clipse, Armin van Buuren paired with Adam Beyer, BIGBANG, Major Lazer, Little Simz, Devo, Moby, Röyksopp, Groove Armada, Solomun, Labrinth, PinkPantheress, Fujii Kaze, Creepy Nuts, REZZ, Subtronics, Addison Rae, Young Thug, Swae Lee, and Ethel Cain, among many others. Bini and Katseye to Perform at Coachella 2026, as covered by Rappler, confirms the historic Filipino group milestone that generated significant coverage across Southeast Asian media. For more on the broader desert festival scene, see our Your Complete Guide To The Joshua Tree Music Festival 2026.

Poolside luxury near Coachella 2026 venue offers perfect pre-festival relaxation for festival

Can You Still Get Coachella 2026 Tickets?

Original Coachella 2026 passes are sold out. The festival sold out in less than one week after the lineup was announced on September 15, 2026, per Rolling Stone's reporting. AXS Official Resale is the only platform the festival officially endorses for buying and selling wristbands after the initial sale. As of April 1, 2026, resale prices had risen substantially: Weekend 1 GA wristbands were averaging around $1,000, and Weekend 1 VIP wristbands started at approximately $1,630. Weekend 2 is more affordable on the resale market, with GA wristbands starting at around $815 and VIP from approximately $1,130.

For Weekend 1, purchase through Coachella 2026 Weekend 1 Official Resale Tickets on AXS. Weekend 2 passes are available at the Coachella 2026 Weekend 2 Official Resale Tickets page on AXS. Stick to AXS and avoid third-party platforms: Coachella wristbands are non-transferable through unofficial channels, and counterfeit sales are a recurring problem in this market.

Original ticket prices from the September 2026 sale were $649 (Weekend 1 GA) and $549 (Weekend 2 GA), with VIP at $1,299 and $1,199 respectively. Those prices are no longer available. If you want a bundled hotel-plus-pass package, Coachella 2026 Hotel and Pass Packages via Valley Music Travel offer curated lodging near the venue combined with official access, though availability at this stage of the cycle is limited.

What Are the Festival Hours and Daily Schedule?

Coachella 2026 gates open around 1 PM each day, with parking lots accessible from 11 AM. The festival runs until a 1 AM curfew on Friday and Saturday nights and a midnight curfew on Sunday. Set times are typically announced a few days before Weekend 1 opens. In past years, the schedule dropped around April 5 for a festival opening April 10. The Official Coachella 2026 FAQ is the definitive source for any last-minute schedule updates.

One layout note worth knowing before you plan your day: the Sahara Tent was relocated to the far south end of the festival grounds in 2026, making it roughly a 15-minute walk from the main Coachella Stage. If you are toggling between electronic acts in the Sahara and headliners on the main stage, build that transit time into your schedule. Treating it as a quick two-minute detour will leave you in the wrong place when a set starts.

What Should You Pack for Coachella 2026?

The official allowed-items policy from Goldenvoice covers several specifics worth memorizing before you pack. Bags must be 18 inches x 13 inches x 8.5 inches or smaller. Refillable water containers are allowed but must not be metal or glass and must hold 64 oz or less. Non-aerosol sunscreen only: aerosol cans are prohibited. Empty hydration backpacks and electrolyte packets are allowed, as are handheld fans (paper or battery-powered) and plastic personal-sized misters, provided they are empty at entry.

Water at Coachella has been priced at $2 since the festival launched in 1999, and multiple refill stations are positioned throughout the grounds. Bring a compliant refillable bottle and use them. Electrolit will also have a hydration station near the main stage handing out free cups of electrolyte drink, which is worth stopping at during the hotter afternoon hours. Charging lockers were sold out as of early April 2026, so plan your phone battery strategy accordingly. Regular lockers start at $89 for the weekend and are worth it for groups who want to store items between sets.

The Indio, CA 10-Day Weather Forecast on Accuweather showed highs in the mid-to-upper 70s Friday and Saturday of Weekend 1, jumping to 86 degrees Fahrenheit Sunday, with a 55% chance of rain on Friday. That last point deserves attention: the only prior rain in Coachella's history occurred during Weekend 1 in 2012. Pack a small, packable poncho and check the forecast again as your weekend approaches.

Cool off between festival sets at The Muse Hotel's vibrant pool scene

What About Camping, Parking, and Getting There?

General parking at Coachella is free, which is genuinely unusual for a major festival and worth factoring into your transportation math. Parking lots open at 11 AM daily. Rideshare pickup and drop-off has a dedicated area near the yellow lot, which VIP ticket holders can access via a dedicated entrance that avoids general crowd flow.

Car camping passes cost $180 (price includes local transient occupancy tax). Powered car camping, which comes with an electrical outlet and access to upgraded showers and bathrooms, runs $700 including tax. Shuttle passes for Weekend 2 were available as of April 1, 2026 at $150 each. Shuttles are useful if you are staying in Palm Springs or Rancho Mirage and want to avoid driving and parking logistics entirely.

If you are driving from Palm Springs, the festival grounds at Empire Polo Club are roughly 25-30 minutes east via Interstate 10 and Highway 111. The Coachella Valley does experience surge rideshare pricing during peak festival hours, particularly after headliners end around 12:30-1 AM. Budget significantly more than the standard fare if you plan to use rideshare for late-night returns. For a full breakdown of the drive and transit options, see our Palm Springs To Coachella Your Guide To The Festival Commute.

How to Watch Coachella 2026 at Home on YouTube

YouTube livestreams Coachella across 7 stages simultaneously, beginning Friday April 10 at 4 PM PT and resuming for Weekend 2 on April 17 at the same time. For the first time in Coachella's history, the Coachella Stage, Outdoor Theatre, and Sahara will stream in 4K resolution in 2026. The remaining four stages stream in standard resolution. All streams are free on Coachella's official YouTube channel.

The Multiview feature lets you watch up to four stages simultaneously on a TV screen, which is useful for friends arguing over which act to catch. More than half of Coachella's total YouTube livestream watch time in prior years came from living room viewing, which should give you a sense of how well Multiview works for groups. The Coachella 2026 Official Livestream App is available on both Android and iOS, with a schedule synced to your local timezone and a Google Gemini artist discovery feature that helps you find acts you may not know yet.

"Coachella TV" returns in 2026 as a 24/7 interactive channel featuring archival performances and highlights from the current year, updated after each weekend. The "Watch With" interactive series is also back for Weekend 2: Valkyrae will watch alongside KATSEYE's set, Terry and Kaniyia will provide commentary for Karol G, and Daniel Wall joins for Fujii Kaze. Weekend 1 US stream sponsors include NYX Professional Makeup, T-Mobile, SONIC, and 20th Century Studios' "The Devil Wears Prada 2."

What Else Happens at Coachella Beyond the Music?

Art installations are a foundational pillar of what separates Coachella from a standard music festival, yet they remain the most consistently undercovered part of the experience in editorial guides. Past editions have featured monumental sculptures, immersive lit environments, and large-scale interactive works commissioned specifically for the festival grounds. The official Coachella site and Goldenvoice's social channels typically reveal installation details in the weeks leading up to Weekend 1. If you are attending and have not explored the art side of the grounds before, budget two to three hours specifically for it during daylight hours: the scale of the work is best appreciated before dusk, and afternoon crowds at the main stage are thinner during early set times, giving you room to move.

Food and dining at Coachella has expanded well beyond basic festival concessions. The Rose Garden food area, accessible to VIP ticket holders, offers a quieter dining experience near the Mojave Tent. Outstanding in the Field has historically brought chef-driven, farm-table dining to the festival grounds. For general admission attendees, the vendor lineup spans cuisines across multiple food areas throughout the grounds. Specific 2026 vendor announcements are not yet confirmed in available sources, but the official site and the Official Coachella 2026 FAQ are updated regularly as the festival approaches. For dining options in the broader Coachella Valley, see our guide to restaurants in the Coachella Valley.

Sustainability and waste reduction have become a more active conversation at large-scale festivals in 2026 and 2026. The non-aerosol sunscreen policy, refillable water container program, and the $2 water price (unchanged since 1999) are all part of how Goldenvoice manages environmental impact at the scale of a 100,000-plus daily attendance event. If you are bringing a water bottle and electrolyte packets, you are already aligned with the festival's sustainability approach.

Accessibility accommodations at Coachella include an Accessible+ community referenced on the official site, which provides ADA-specific information for attendees with disabilities. The official FAQ covers mobility accommodations, accessible viewing areas, and companion ticket options. If accessibility is a planning priority for your group, review the official Coachella ADA section directly rather than relying on third-party summaries, as specific accommodations can change year to year.

Where Should You Stay for Coachella 2026?

Accommodation near Indio fills up fast once the lineup drops, and it filled up even faster for 2026 given the strength of the headliners. Your realistic options fall into three categories: on-site camping, official hotel packages bundled with passes through Valley Music Travel, and independent hotels in the Palm Springs area.

Palm Springs sits roughly 25-30 minutes west of the Empire Polo Club via Interstate 10 and makes a strong base camp choice, particularly if your group wants to decompress at a hotel pool between weekends or arrive the day before with time to recover. The city's mid-century modern architecture, well-developed restaurant scene on Palm Canyon Drive, and boutique hotel Palm Springs landscape distinguish it from a purely logistical overnight stop.

For groups attending Coachella 2026 together, a Full Hotel Buyout Group Rental at The Muse Hotel Palm Springs offers private use of all nine suites across 10 bedrooms and 9 bathrooms, accommodating up to 21 guests. The property includes a private pool, outdoor hot tub, and outdoor dining area: exactly what you want after a day of standing in desert heat. The Muse sits approximately 6.3 miles from the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival grounds, roughly a 12-minute drive per the property's verified location data, and about 2.1 miles from downtown Palm Springs for pre-festival nights out. Full buyout is ideal for large friend groups or Bachelorette Party Palm Springs groups who want a private home base the entire weekend without the logistics of separate hotel rooms across a sprawling resort property.

Couples or pairs in the group should look at the individual suites for smaller-party bookings. The Duo Suite offers two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a full kitchen, and a private back patio for up to four guests. The Coachella Valley festival grounds appear on The Duo Suite's verified nearby attractions list at 6.3 miles, roughly a 12-minute drive. For a solo romantic retreat or two-person escape, the Bowie Suite delivers a full kitchen, private patio, and direct courtyard pool access, with the festival grounds about 25 minutes east.

For groups of four building a Coachella 2026 weekend around the Palm Springs boutique hotel experience, the Kate Suite accommodates four guests across two queen beds with pool access and a vibrant courtyard setting. The adults-only property means you will not share the pool deck with families, which matters when you are recovering from a late Sahara Tent set and need genuine quiet time before the next day's gates open.

If your priority is a smaller group who wants genuine pre- and post-festival pampering, The Muse also offers in-room massage and spa services that you can book alongside your suite, and fridge stocking so your suite is provisioned the moment you arrive. Looking to unwind further between festival days, a Spa Massage is a popular add-on for festival-goers recovering from long days on their feet. You can also treat yourself and your crew to a Private Hibachi Dinner at the property for a memorable group dining experience between festival days. For festival snacking back at the hotel, stock up on Savory Snacks and Candy Chocolate from the Poolside Pantry to keep your energy up between sets. For groups planning a bachelorette celebration alongside Coachella, consider adding a Custom Bachelorette Party Setup or booking the Mobile Bar With A Twist to keep the festival energy going back at the hotel. For a fun group experience between festival days, a Yoga Bachelorette Experience is a popular way to recharge before heading back to the grounds.

The Muse Hotel pool offers the perfect Coachella 2026 base camp gathering spot with vibrant party

What Are the Art Installations and Off-Site Events Around Coachella 2026?

Pre-festival brand activations, pop-up experiences, and public events in the Coachella Valley represent one of the biggest undercovered areas in festival guides. In past years, multiple brands have hosted free or ticketed off-site activations in Palm Springs, Palm Desert, and the surrounding valley during the two festival weekends. These range from poolside pop-ups and sample performances to curated brand experiences open to the general public regardless of festival wristband status.

YouTube Shopping merchandise drops are confirmed for 2026 from several artists on the lineup, including BINI, Ethel Cain, Foster The People, KATSEYE, Laufey, The xx, Turnstile, and Young Thug. These drops happen through the YouTube livestream interface during or around each artist's set, adding a live-commerce layer to the virtual viewing experience that is easy to miss if you are not watching with the YouTube app open. Festival-inspired Muse Merch is also available for guests looking to commemorate their Palm Springs festival stay in style.

For attendees treating Palm Springs as a base, the city itself offers a dense schedule of dining, gallery visits, and architectural tours that can fill the hours between festival afternoons. The Palm Springs Art Museum on Museum Drive and the mid-century modern neighborhoods in areas reachable on The Muse's curated bike tours are worth half a day each. Start your morning with Yoga At The Muse to stretch out before a long day at the festival. The Moorten Botanical Garden, about 1.2 miles from the Duo Suite and 1.5 miles from The Barbie Suite, opens at 9 AM and closes by early afternoon: a good stop before the drive east to Indio. For more inspiration on exploring the desert between festival days, see our guide to Top Spring Festivals Near Joshua Tree You Need To Experience. If you plan to explore Palm Springs by bike between festival days, Bike Rentals Explore Palm Springs On Two Wheels makes getting around the city effortless and fun. For groups who want a lively evening back at the hotel, explore the Drinks menu and consider a Room Makeover to give your suite a festive Coachella-inspired atmosphere for the weekend.

Frequently Asked Questions About Coachella 2026

When exactly is Coachella 2026?

Coachella 2026 takes place over two consecutive weekends: Weekend 1 is April 10-12, 2026 and Weekend 2 is April 17-19, 2026. Both weekends are held at the Empire Polo Club, located at 81-800 Ave. 51 in Indio, California. Gates open around 1 PM each day, with parking lots accessible from 11 AM.

Who are the Coachella 2026 headliners?

The three headliners for Coachella 2026 are Sabrina Carpenter (Friday), Justin Bieber (Saturday), and Karol G (Sunday). Karol G is the first Latina artist to headline Coachella in the festival's 25-year history, per BBC News and Rolling Stone coverage from September 2026. Anyma will also present the world premiere of the "Aeden" project as a special featured set.

Are Coachella 2026 tickets still available?

Original passes sold out in under a week after the lineup announcement on September 15, 2026. Resale wristbands are available through AXS Official Resale, which is the only platform officially endorsed by the festival. As of April 1, 2026, Weekend 1 GA resale prices were running approximately $1,000 and Weekend 2 GA started around $815. Avoid unofficial resale platforms, as Coachella wristbands cannot be transferred through those channels.

How can I watch Coachella 2026 without attending?

YouTube livestreams 7 stages simultaneously for free on Coachella's official YouTube channel. The stream begins on April 10 at 4 PM PT. For 2026, the Coachella Stage, Outdoor Theatre, and Sahara stage will stream in 4K for the first time. The Coachella livestream app (available on Android and iOS) lets you sync the schedule to your timezone and explore artists using Google Gemini. Multiview on YouTube TV allows watching up to four stages at once.

What is the weather like at Coachella in April?

The Indio, CA desert climate in mid-April typically brings warm afternoons and cool nights. Accuweather's Weekend 1 forecast showed highs in the mid-to-upper 70s Fahrenheit Friday and Saturday, rising to 86°F on Sunday, with a 55% chance of rain Friday. Rain at Coachella is historically rare: the only prior rainfall in the festival's history occurred on Friday of Weekend 1 in 2012. Pack layers for evenings, non-aerosol sunscreen, and a compact poncho.

Where is the best place to stay for Coachella in Palm Springs?

Palm Springs is roughly 25-30 minutes from the Empire Polo Club, making it a practical base for festival-goers who want a comfortable, amenity-rich home base. Boutique hotels with private pools are in high demand during festival weekends and should be booked well in advance. The Muse Hotel Palm Springs, an adults-only mid-century modern property in the Warm Sands neighborhood, is approximately 6.3 miles from the festival grounds and offers private pool access, individual suites, and a full hotel buyout option for groups. Browse our Coachella Hotel Palm Springs The Muse Your Ultimate Festival Stay guide for more details.

What is the significance of Coachella 2026 being the 25th edition?

Coachella 2026 marks the festival's 25th anniversary. Coachella was co-founded by Paul Tollett and Rick Van Santen in 1999 and is organized by Goldenvoice, a subsidiary of AEG Presents. The 25th edition features multiple historic milestones: Karol G as the first Latina headliner, Bini as the first Filipino group to perform at the festival, and the first 4K YouTube livestream of the main stages. The lineup announcement on September 15, 2026 generated the fastest sellout in recent festival history.

Planning Your Coachella 2026 Weekend: Final Recommendations

Coachella 2026 is genuinely the most historically significant edition of the festival in years. The 25th anniversary lineup, the milestone headliners, and the first 4K YouTube broadcast make it worth planning carefully whether you have a wristband or not. If you are attending in person, the practical priorities are clear: secure resale tickets through AXS only, book Palm Springs accommodation now if you have not already, review the packing rules against the Official Coachella FAQ before you pack, and build the Sahara-to-main-stage walk time into every evening's schedule. If you are watching from home, download the Coachella livestream app, set your stage preferences before April 10, and have Multiview open on your TV for the headliner sets.

For those using Palm Springs as a home base, the city rewards early evenings before the festival gates open and late mornings after they close. The mid-century architecture and the Warm Sands neighborhood specifically offer a texture that pure festival accommodations near Indio cannot match. Read the local business spotlight on The Muse's blog for current Palm Springs dining and experience recommendations that go beyond what any festival guide covers. Planning a Stagecoach 2026 trip the following weekend? The Muse makes an equally ideal base for both desert festivals. Need a pre-festival refresh, our Glam Squad Services can have your group looking festival-ready before you even leave the property. For groups planning a memorable Coachella California desert getaway, Palm Springs offers far more than just a place to sleep between sets. For a complete look at Stagecoach 2026 lineup, tickets, and dates, our dedicated guide covers everything you need to plan the perfect back-to-back festival weekend. For Palm Springs Adventures beyond the festival, the desert offers incredible experiences to explore between sets.

If your Coachella 2026 group needs a Palm Springs home base with a private pool, the Hotel Buyout at The Muse Hotel Palm Springs puts up to 21 guests across nine individually designed suites, including The Audrey Suite, The Marilyn Suite, The Brigitte Suite, The Sofia Suite, The Edie Suite, and The Taylor Suite, all facing a heated pool courtyard that earns its keep at the end of a long festival day. The festival grounds are about 12 minutes east on a clear afternoon. Check availability for your weekend before the remaining rooms are gone.