Festival changes its 4+ parking rule, relocates Sahara Tent – Orange County Register

Promoters for the 2024 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival have updated its festival parking vehicle occupancy policy.

Originally it was mandated that there be a minimum of four occupants per vehicle, including the driver. However, in a recent revision, this requirement has been lifted.

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The three-day, two-weekend festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on April 12-14 and April 19-21 had initially introduced several parking changes in January. With this latest adjustment, attendees can now breathe a sigh of relief knowing that there is no longer a minimum occupancy requirement per vehicle. They’re also now offering a preferred parking pass for $249 plus fees to enter through the north entrance off Ave. 49 and Monroe Street.

Despite the removal of the occupancy mandate, Coachella continues to encourage attendees to carpool. Notably, those traveling in vehicles with four or more occupants still stand a chance to win VIP passes for life, emphasizing the festival’s commitment to promoting sustainable transportation options.

Additionally, Coachella posted a video on its Instagram account on Tuesday, Feb. 6 sharing some news and changes for the iconic Sahara Tent, known to host predominantly big-name EDM and hip-hop acts.

“We are going into a whole new area of the venue that we have never been into before,” Jason Brown from Goldenvoice said in the video.

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Brown also shared that construction on the new Sahara stage began in December. Construction crews have been putting underground footings measuring up to 320 feet long. The new Sahara Tent will consist of steel, as the old tent was made mostly of aluminum. Brown notes that the new structure will allow for bigger capacity and better stage production for artists such “Peggy Gou, who brings whatever she wants to bring to the show,” Brown added.

Last year, as producer Metro Boomin’s guest-filled set was letting out of the Sahara Tent, concertgoers were met with the fans trying to get over to see headliner Bad Bunny on the main Coachella Stage. This caused quite a bit of congestion between the two areas, leaving fans frustrated as some were caught in the crossfire simply trying to stand in food, beverage and merchandise lines. Relocating the Sahara Tent will certainly make for better traffic flow in these areas and possibly make viewing acts in the packed Sahara Tent more enjoyable and accessible.

Passes for Coachella are still available, with general admission passes for both weekends starting at $499-$599 and VIP weekend passes starting at $1,069-$1,269. Car camping passes are $149-$375; Tent camping is $149; various on-site lodging options are $3,198-$9,000 for the weekend. All passes, parking and camping options can be found at coachella.com.