Feb 16, 2022 - Health

Coachella to return with no pandemic restrictions

Fans attend the concert of Los Tucanes de Tijuana at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 12

Fans at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif., in 2019. Photo: Valerie Macon/AFP via Getty Images

There will be "no vaccination, testing or masking requirements" at Coachella 2022 when the event returns to Southern California's desert this April, according to an update on the festival website Tuesday.

Why it matters: The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival was one of the biggest of its kind before the pandemic. The festival has been canceled three times due to the coronavirus.

Meanwhile, organizers of the Stagecoach country music festival in Southern California similarly announced Tuesday there would be no pandemic requirements for attendees when that event begins in late April.

The big picture: Both festivals cite local guidelines in their announcements.

  • The California Department of Public Health has lifted the statewide indoor mask mandate, citing a 65% drop in COVID-19 case rates since the state's peak during the Omicron surge.
  • The CDPH has also dropped proof of coronavirus vaccination requirements for large outdoor events.

Go deeper: America is removing its masks ... again

Editor's note: This article has been updated with further details on California health guidelines.

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