The coronavirus may stymie another major event.
Coronavirus concerns have already postponed or outright cancelled several major multimedia events, including the South by Southwest music festival and the Game Developers Conference. As the viral outbreak continues to worm its way around the world, nobody is quite sure how long it’ll last. More than that, though, nobody is sure whether it will affect one of the biggest entertainment events of the year: Coachella.
The Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in Indio, California is currently scheduled for next month, April 9 to April 19. However, as the viral scare continues to take down major events, both participants in the event and concert-goers have been concerned about the safety of such a large gathering. The event’s promoter, Goldenvoice, is currently in talks with Riverside County officials, who are considering pulling the show’s permit. Three more cases of coronavirus were confirmed within Riverside County over the last couple of days, which has not helped the show’s chances.
Organizers are hoping that, in lieu of outright cancellation, they may be able to postpone the event to the weekends of October 9 and October 16. Unfortunately, this may prove difficult, as many musicians are often touring during the fall season, and may not be able to make time to attend the show. The organizers believe that if they can secure enough of the headlining acts, including Frank Ocean, Rage Against the Machine and Travis Scott, they can justify postponing the show rather than cancelling it.
Talks are supposed to conclude by the end of today. If the organizers and Riverside County officials cannot reach a consensus, then Coachella will be cancelled.
