Coachella and Stagecoach festivals cancelled due to coronavirus fears

The Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals will not take place this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, a health official in California has said.

The festivals had already been postponed from April to October in a bid to escape the worst of the health crisis. Coachella, one of the world’s biggest music festivals, was due to be headlined by Rage Against the Machine, Frank Ocean and Travis Scott. Stagecoach is a country music festival that is held annually at Indio’s Empire Polo Club.

However Cameron Kaiser, a public health official in Riverside County where the events would have taken place, said he would not feel “comfortable” with them going ahead amid fears the pandemic could worsen later in the year. According to John Hopkins University, the United States has now recorded more than 2m positive tests for Covid-19.

“I am concerned as indications grow that Covid-19 could worsen in the fall,” Kaiser sais. “Given the projected circumstances and potential, I would not be comfortable moving forward.

“These decisions are not taken lightly with the knowledge that many people will be impacted. My first priority is the health of the community.”