Thousands head to desert for Coachella festival opening weekend

Thousands of festival campers made their way to the Empire Polo Club Thursday in advance of the weekend’s Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, which will be headlined by Bad Bunny, Frank Ocean and Blackpink.

Campers checked in as early at 9 a.m. Thursday and were expected to check out by 10 a.m. Monday after the festival concludes, according to festival officials. Road closures will be in effect in Indio from Friday to Monday.

Performances were set to begin as early as noon Friday on two of seven stages — Coachella Stage, Outdoor Theatre, Sonora, Gobi, Mojave, Sahara and Yuma, according to festival officials. Juliet Mendoza and Jim Smith will get the festival underway at Sonora and Yuma.

Jim Smith’s performance on Sonora was scheduled to be followed by The Murder Capital, Lava La Rue, DannyLux and others on Sonora, while Juliet Mendoza’s performance on Yuma was to be followed by Chris Stussy, Oliver Koletzki, Maceo Plex and others.

Bad Bunny was set to perform both Fridays of the two-weekend event, April 14 and April 21. Other acts set to perform Fridays include Gorillaz, Burna Boy, Becky G, Pusha T, Doechii, Chemical Brothers, Metro Boomin, SG Lewis, YUNGBLUD, Malaa, Dombresky and Blondie.

Blackpink is the headliner on Saturdays, April 15 and April 22. Other acts scheduled to perform those days are Rosalia, $uicideboy$, Labrinth, Earthgang, boygenius, Yung Lean, 070 Shake and Eric Prydz. 

Frank Ocean was scheduled to close out each weekend on Sundays, April 16 and April 23. Other acts set to perform before him were Bjork, Kali Uchis, Porter Robinson, Dominic Fike, Queens, Willow and Alex G.

Attendees are able to personalize their festival schedule for the weekend through the Coachella App with their favorite artists in advance of Friday and the rest of the weekend.

“Approximately 40,000 guests will be shuttled into and out of the concert venue from various locations throughout the Coachella Valley to help ease traffic conditions,” Indio city officials said in a statement. “Noise from the festival site could begin on each Thursday prior to the festival dates, due to sound checks and on-site camping guests.”

Full closures are in effect from Friday to Monday at the following locations:

— Avenue 49 between Hjorth Street and Monroe Street;

— Avenue 50 between Madison Street and Jackson Street;

— Hjorth Street between Avenue 49 and Avenue 50;

— Madison Street between Avenue 49 and Avenue 52;

Residents are encouraged to take alternate routes through Washington Street, Jackson Street, Calhoun Street and Golf Center Parkway for north and south travel and through Highway 111, Dr. Carreon Boulevard, Avenue 54, Miles Avenue and Fred Waring Drive for east and west travel.

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