Cultivora

The Coachella Music and Arts Festival is one of the most visually stunning festivals in North America. Tucked away in a valley in Indio, California, Coachella is held on the Empire Polo Fields, known for their impeccably-kept grass and picturesque mountainous backdrop. Coachella’s headlining acts come from around the world, and span all musical genres – rock and roll, rap, electro, indie – it all exists at Coachella.

Hollywood’s glitz and glamour carries over into Coachella’s top-notch amenities, which include full restaurants on the grounds, beer gardens, misting tents, and a VIP bar set in a beautiful rose garden.

In 2011, Vice and Intel’s Creators Project teamed up with Coachella to reimagine the main stage and create an array of large-scale, interactive art installations. This partnership is one of the many ways that Coachella goes above and beyond to create the best possible festival experience. For the first time, in 2012, Coachella will hold identical festivals over two consecutive weekends, doubling its capacity.

Festival Line Up

Friday, April 13 and 20:
The Black Keys, Swedish House Mafia, Pulp, Refused, Arctic Monkeys, Mazzy Star, Afrojack, Explosions in the Sky, M83, Amon Tobin, Cat Power, Madness, Jimmy Cliff & Tim Armstrong, GIRLS, The Rapture, Madeon, M. Ward, The Horrors, Frank Ocean, Horrors, James Alesso, Sebastien, Yuck, Neon Indian, Dawes, Black Angels, Deathgrips, Wu Lyf, Breakbot, Atari Teenage Riot, Feed Me, Givers, Other Lives, Band of Skulls, R3hab, Wolfgang, Midnight Beast, EMA, Ximena Sarinana, Kendrick Lamar, The Dear Hunter, Honeyhoney, Hello Seahorse!, Sheepdogs, LA Riots

Saturday, April 14 and 21:
Radiohead, Bon Iver, The Shins, David Guetta, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, Kaskade, Miike Snow, Jeff Mangum, Sebastian Ingrosso, Andrew Bird, Feist, Firehose, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, St. Vincent, Martin Solveig, Subfocus, Sbtrkt, Flying Lotus, Manchester Orchestra, Kasabian, AWOL Nation, Azealia Banks, Squeeze, A$AP Rocky, Buzzcocks, Kaiser Chiefs, Destroyer, The Head and the Heart, Laura Marling, Tuneyards, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Black Lips, The Big Pink, Childish Gambino, The Vaccines, Zed's Dead, Grouplove, Jacques Lu Cont, We Were Promised, Jetpacks, Gary Clark Jr., Borgore, Dragonette, We Are Augustines, Mt. Eden, Destructo, Suedehead, Keep Shelley in Athens, Pure Filth Sound

Sunday, April 15 and 22:
Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, At the Drive-In, Justice, Florence and the Machine, AVICII, La Roux, Beirut, The Weeknd, Girl Talk, The Hives, DJ Shadow, Calvin Harris, Nero, Wild Flag, Modeselektor, Dada Life, Porter Robinson, Santigold, Flux Pavilion, Dr. P, Gotye, Seun Keti, Egypt 80, Beats Antique, Fitz and the Tantrums, Araabmuzik, Company Flow, Real Estate, Zed, Le Bucherettes, Greg Ginn, The Growlers, Noisia, Morgan Page, Gaslamp Killer, First Aid Kit, Oberhofer, Lissie, Thundercat, Metronomy, Wild Beasts, Housse de Racket, Fanfarlo, Spector, Gardens & Villa, Airplane Boys, Sleeper Agent

Photo: Marjana Jaidi

• How do I get to and from the festival?
• How do I get around during the event?
• What time does it start and end?
• Is reentry allowed?
• Are there any prohibited items?
• Can I bring outside food and/or drink?
• Will there be food sold at the event?
• Will there be alcohol sold at the event?
• What do I need to know about money?
• What will the weather be like?
• What should I wear?
• What should I bring?
• Anything else I need to know?

• How do I get to and from the festival?

  If you are flying, the closest airport is Palm Springs International Airport (PSP), about 20 miles from Indio. It's not a huge airport hub, so if you are traveling from far away, you may want to look into Ontario International Airport (ONT), 100 miles from Indio, or Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), 145 miles from Indio. You can also check San Diego International Airport (SAN), which is only 85 miles from Indio. As one of the largest airports in the country, Los Angeles will likely have more flight options and the lowest fares.
  
  Even if you fly into Palm Springs, you'll have to rent a car or find a ride into Coachella. Look into carpooling, known as Carpoolchella - many festivalgoers are in the same situation, so whether you're looking for a ride or have room in your car, Coachella makes it easy for you to connect. Day parking at Coachella is free.
  
  If you're on a budget, or if you don't want to ride with strangers, you're in luck: Greyhound has a bus station in Indio, just six miles from the festival site.

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• How do I get around during the event?

  You’ll be getting around the festival grounds with your feet (unless you purchased the Safari Tent option, in which case you'll be shuttled to the stages in a golf cart).
  
  If you are staying off-site and driving to the festival, there will be plenty of free day parking adjacent to the festival grounds. In order to be admitted into festival parking, everyone in your vehicle must be wearing their festival wristband. There is no overnight parking allowed, except for onsite campers. There is no day parking for RVs.
  
  If you don’t have a car, Coachella runs a shuttle to and from various area hotels. Shuttle passes can be purchased in advance online, either bundled with your ticket, or seperately. CLICK HERE to view the shuttle map.
  

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• What time does it start and end?

  For both weekends, the campgrounds open at 8am on Thursday, and close at noon on Monday. Doors to the festival grounds open at 11am, and the festival generally ends at around midnight.

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• Is reentry allowed?

  Reentry is allowed from the campsite to the festival grounds, but you can’t leave the area altogether and reenter.

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• Are there any prohibited items?

  Like most festivals, you are not allowed to bring any illegal drugs, alcohol, weapons, glass containers, pets, or professional camera equipment. Medical marijuana cards are not valid at Coachella.

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• Can I bring outside food and/or drink?

  You can and are encouraged to bring food if you are camping, which will help you save some money. However, you cannot bring your food from the campsite into the event. The only thing you can bring into the festival is a sealed water bottle, and remember, no glass.

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• Will there be food sold at the event?

  The food options at Coachella are plentiful, both on the campgrounds and at the festival, with options for vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diets. Inside the venue, a giant space called “The Terrace” houses full-scale restaurants like Jackelope Ranch, Las Casuelas Quinta, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, Fisherman’s Market and Grill, and La Quinta Baking Company. There is also a separate sit-down restaurant, “The Cantina Restaurant”, and various food trucks scattered throughout the grounds. In the campgrounds, there is a main food row, a farmers market, a full-service restaurant and clubhouse breakfast buffet.

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• Will there be alcohol sold at the event?

  There are full bars, a beer garden, and the Rose Garden VIP section that offers beer, wine, and cocktails.

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• What do I need to know about money?

  You won’t be able to use credit cards, and while there are plenty ATMs on the campgrounds and at the festival, the lines can get crazy, so plan on bringing a fair amount of cash.

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• What will the weather be like?

  During the day, expect nothing less than perfect California weather. Bring rain gear to be safe, but the chance of rain is minimal. The average temperature ranges from around 88°‐ 61°F (31°‐ 16°C).

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• What should I wear?

  During the day, sport your regular festival garb: tank tops, shorts, swim suits and comfortable shoes or sandals. It’s an anything-goes atmosphere, so you’ll see anything from fashionistas playing dress-up, to campers wearing what they slept in. Be prepared for the weather to cool down in the evening ‐ a light jacket or sweater will serve you well.

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• What should I bring?

  Advance preparation will save you the trouble of running back and forth to your campsite or paying for expensive festival items. Bring enough clothing to get you through the weekend, keeping in mind the temperature change and the possibility of rain. The stigma of fanny packs is gone; they are perfect for carrying your phone, cash etc., leaving your hands free for dancing.
  
  Make sure you have plenty of sunscreen and a pair of sunglasses. If you are camping, bring the usual camp gear and a flashlight to find your way around at night. Bringing unopened water bottles will save some money, as they are at least $2 at the festival.
  
  If you can, bring enough cash to get you through the weekend; the festival ATMs charge hefty withdrawal fees, and lines can get long.

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• Anything else I need to know?

  If you have a smartphone with Google Maps (or something similar) drop a pin for where you park or camp. It's not fun searching for your car or tent at night. There's also an official iPhone app..
  
  Cell phone service in the grounds isn't the best, so if you are with friends, make sure you designate a meeting spot in case you get split up.
  
  If you have the extra cash, and want to avoid the inevitable traffic when leaving the festival, you can pay $15-$40 to park in one of the side lots.

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