As the desert sand settles on another Coachella festival, music fans and festival-goers alike already look forward to what’s in store. Coachella 2026 will be another gem on the festival schedule, with the globe‘s most scorching musical acts united against the historic setting of the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. Regardless if you are an old-timer from Coachella or organizing your pilgrimage to this musical haven, this blog will reveal everything you need to know in regards to the next 2026 edition.

Festival Calendar and Dates

Take note of the date right away because Coachella 2026 will be happening across two straight weekends:

• Weekend One: April 10-12, 2026

• Weekend Two: April 17-19, 2026

As with previous years, both weekends will share the same lineups but the experience could differ. Weekend One will more likely to attract influencers and celebrities who want to be first to experience a little bit of the festival, whereas Weekend Two is typically more relaxed and potentially more polished performances as artists have already had the experience of playing a weekend before.

Location and Venue

Despite its name, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is not even staged in the city of Coachella. Rather, it is staged on the massive Empire Polo Club grounds in the city of Indio, California, in the larger Coachella Valley desert region.

Placed approximately 130 miles to the east of Los Angeles, Riverside County is transformed from a polo field to a musical heaven featuring various stages, artworks, food stalls, and campsites. The arid landscape forms an awe-inspiring scenery for the music festival that looks down onto the San Jacinto Mountains on the horizon.

Tickets and Prices

When Do Tickets Go on Sale

The presale for Coachella 2026 begins early: Friday, May 2, 2025, at 11 am Pacific Time. Coachella has developed this early presale into tradition, so loyal fans may book their spot nearly a full year in advance.

If you do miss the presale, don’t panic. There’s always another opportunity to purchase tickets when the lineup is announced (usually November through January). Also, in recent years, some passes have become available in the lead-up to the festival, though this isn’t always the case and is demand-led.

How Much Do Tickets Cost?

Coachella remains one of the premium festival experiences, and the ticket costs reflect that positioning. For 2026’s festival, expect to pay (all prices include fees):

Weekend One (April 10-12):

• General Admission: $599
• GA + Shuttle Combo: $729
• VIP: $1,299

Weekend Two (April 17-19):

• General Admission: $549
• GA + Shuttle Combo: $679
• VIP: $1,199

Remember that these are presale prices. After the lineup is announced, expect all levels of tickets to increase in price by about $50.

Camping and Accommodation Options

Coachella offers varying camping options for those who want to be a part of the festival life entirely:

• Car Camping: Having your car parked next to your campsite
• Tent Camping: Suitable for those without a vehicle
• Lake Eldorado: Pre-erected luxury tents and teepees with extra amenities
• Safari Camping: The best luxury camping experience with luxury air-conditioned tents

For group camping fees and sleeping arrangements, visit the official Coachella website. Some also like to sleep in adjacent hotels, vacation rentals, or home shares in Palm Springs, Palm Desert, and neighboring communities.

Payment Plans

In case paying the ticket price upfront is overwhelming, Coachella offers payment plans which you can pay in installments over a few months. It’s something that’s available during presale and typically has an initial payment plus regular monthly installments.

Lineup Expectations

While the official 2026 roster will not be announced until closer to the festival, Coachella’s previous booking calendar provides some indication of what can be anticipated. The 2025 roster was surprisingly announced in November, with headliners Lady Gaga, Green Day, Post Malone, and Travis Scott.

Coachella also has a reputation to book a mixture of the hottest artists, crowd favorites, and emerging artists from a wide range of genres.The festival tends to feature:

• A-list headliners across pop, rock, hip-hop, and electronic music
• Middle-level acts with strong critical backing or cultural buzz
• Emerging acts set to break out
• High-profile reunions or special shows
• International acts that only rarely tour North America
• Electronic and dance music prominently featured in the Sahara and Yuma tents

When the lineup comes out (mid-to-late November 2025 to early January 2026), we will be sure to refresh this guide with details. Organisers Goldenvoice have cultivated a pattern of challenging the musical status quo while remaining accessible, so we can expect a lineup that strikes a balance between commercial appeal and artistic integrity.

Festival Experience

Stages and Layout

Coachella features multiple stages, each with its own personality and typical musical emphasis:

• Coachella Stage: The biggest stage with the biggest acts and headliners
• Outdoor Theatre: Second biggest theater for big acts
• Sahara Tent: Where electronic dance music, EDM, and high-energy performances call home
• Mojave Tent: Usually contains alternative, indie, and experimental shows
• Gobi Tent: Similar to Mojave but normally with fewer people
• Sonora Tent: Offers punk, garage rock, and underground shows
• Yuma Tent: An air-conditioned tent for house and techno
• Do LaB: A participatory experience featuring emerging electronic artists and water features

Art Installations

Other than music, Coachella is well known for hosting enormous art sculptures that transform the festival grounds into an open-air art museum. The sculptures themselves become spontaneous meeting points and popular photo opportunities for the weekend. Artists from around the world create these immersive installations specifically for the event, with new ones unveiled each year.

Food and Drink

Coachella has brought festival food far beyond the usual concession stand. Festival food originates from many of Los Angeles’s top restaurants, as well as international food, including gourmet food trucks and pop-up versions of high-end restaurants. Special dietary requirements, vegetarian, and vegan are easily cateredfor around the grounds.

For adults aged 21 and above, the festival provides a number of bars and specialty drink stations, including craft beer gardens, cocktail bars, and wine bars.

Practical Information

What to Bring

Essentials for Coachella 2026 are:

• Valid ID and festival wristband
• Comfortable walking shoes (you’ll be walking miles daily)
• Sunscreen (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen)
• Reusable water bottle (free water refill points are available)
• Light jacket or sweater for cold temperatures at night
• Portable phone charger or battery pack
• Cash and cards for transactions
• Bandana or dust mask on windy days

What Not to Bring

Forbidden items include:

• Outside food and beverages
• Illicit substances and drugs
• Any weapon of any kind
• Professional cameras or audio recorders
• Drones
• Selfie sticks
• Totems or flags above 6 feet tall

Transportation Options

Getting to and from the festival grounds could be one of the most challenging aspects of the Coachella experience. Options are:

• Shuttle Service: Official Coachella shuttle transports festival attendees from assigned locations around the Coachella Valley and is free with shuttle combo tickets
• Rideshare: Uber and Lyft have assigned pickup and drop-off points
• Parking: Free but may require a long walk, or preferred parking for a fee
• Car Camping: Reduces need for daily transportation

Live Streaming Options

For those who couldn’t be physically present, Coachella typically features extensive live streaming. While details about the 2026 one are not concrete yet, the 2025 one featured YouTube streams for seven stages and even a multiview feature that allowed fans to view four simultaneously.

Streams typically broadcast live during the festival and are partially repeated between festival weekends. After the event concludes, short performance clips are typically uploaded to the official Coachella YouTube channel, but full sets are not typically stored for long-term streaming.

First-Time Attendee Tips

If 2026 is your first time at Coachella, take heed of these old-timer tips:

• Drink water: Desert weather can be subtly dehydrating
• Plan your schedule but be flexible: It is impossible to see each performance, so prioritize and still leave time to find out
• Take advantage of early entry: Arriving on the site ahead of the peak crowd gives you time to explore facilities and see opening performances without waiting
• Watch out for Weekend Two: Less crowded and has a more relaxed atmosphere
• Download the official app: Provides up-to-the-minute info, set times, and interactive maps
• Shield your skin: Sun and dust can be harsh
• Have a meeting point: Cell reception can be patchy, so have physical meeting points with your team
• Pace yourself: Festival is a long haul, not a sprint

International Visitors

For those traveling from outside the United States to attend Coachella 2026, visa planning is the way to go. Be sure to check requirements for entering your home country well before the festival. You may need to obtain a B-2 tourist visa depending on your home country.

Don’t let visa issues ruin your Coachella dream! Ensure you get a glimpse into how Alliance Visas can support you with visa requirements to be at Coachella 2026. Our skilled services can facilitate the application, secure documents needed, and give you peace of mind so you worry less about organizing intricate immigration requirements and more about organizing your fantasy festival event. 

Conclusion

Coachella 2026 will again deliver another weekend of memories made in music, art, style, and cultural immersion in the California desert. One might be going live or watching live, either way, the festival is still the apex of live concerts. Plan ahead, get your tickets in advance, and prepare for an experience that marries world-class performance to the unique magic of the desert landscape.

As more information becomes available for Coachella 2026, we‘ll keep updating this guide with lineup news, amenities, and festival best-bets. In the meantime, mark those calendar dates, start planning your festival budget, and get ready for what will no doubt be another flagship event in the Coachella Valley.