The Stagecoach Country Music Festival and the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival are annual traditions at the Empire Polo Club in Indio. While the festivals share the month of April and happen on consecutive weekends, they usually have some similarities and differences.
One of the most significant differences this year was that Stagecoach sold out, which is rare. Coachella ticket sales usually go within a couple of hours, but it took a month for weekend one to sell out, and weekend two sales stalled. Aside from that, the music, food, activations and more give each festival its identity.
Here are more comparisons between the two festivals:
Diplo performs on the Quasar stage during the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio on Sunday, April 21, 2024. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)
The music
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Coachella: The sounds at the festival have increasingly become international with acts such as Peso Pluma, Cimafunk and Suki Waterhouse, but few rock band headliners have been at the Coachella Stage in a while. This year, Lana Del Rey, Tyler, The Creator and Doja Cat topped the bill, and there was a definite ’90s nostalgia incorporated with the re-emergence of No Doubt and Sublime. More artists perform at the festival each day than at Stagecoach, and Coachella’s last performance usually goes well past midnight while Stagecoach begins and ends earlier.
Stagecoach: As a country-focused event, it’s no surprise to see major industry names topping the bill, such as Eric Church, Miranda Lambert and Morgan Wallen. Country music is experiencing a huge resurgence on the charts, with everyone trying to tap into the market, including Beyoncé, whose fans are speculating about a surprise appearance. She could show up with Willie Nelson or Post Malone, both performing this weekend and featured on her latest album “Cowboy Carter.” In addition to Post Malone, rapper Jelly Roll has also ventured into country and is part of a new generation of performers at the festival that stands in contrast to the more traditional performers such as Clint Black and Pam Tills.
Both festivals incorporate a variety of EDM at their official and unofficial stages. Coachella hosted DJs such as Bizzrap at the Sahara Tent, guest DJs such as Fat Joe at the Heineken House, and the new Quasar Stage. At Stagecoach, Diplo curates a lineup of DJs at the Honkytonk, which this year includes performances by Cheat Codes, Ship Wrek and James Kennedy.
Diplo is one of the few acts to perform at both events, along with Mexican singer and balladeer Carin León, who is the first to perform in Spanish at both festivals back-to-back. León is a big country music fan and has collaborated with Kane Brown and Walker Hayes.
A couple dances as the sun sets on the final day of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Sunday, Apr. 30, 2023. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
The art
Coachella: It’s not called the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival for nothing. The event often includes tall and bright-colored interactive structures, and this year was no different. Festivalgoers were treated to a rainbow plaza-like structure, a series of makeshift concrete-looking blocks with internal light projections and another art piece that added color and seating for fans to enjoy.
Stagecoach: The art is less central and more spread out throughout the grounds, but it’s still on brand for the festival. It features a giant horse statue and giant cowboy boots.
The festivals share the massive rainbow observation tower, “Spectra,” which gives people going through the it a view of the festival in various color hues and a nice air-conditioned break.
Sarah Mack, of Mesa, Ariz., poses for a photo during the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Friday, April 19, 2024. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Contributing Photographer)
The fashion
Coachella: All the colors at the festival aren’t exclusive to the art. Many of the fans at the festival flex bright colors with their make-up, two-piece sets, button-ups and different-length skirts. This year’s festival also featured lots of mesh dresses and shirts, while some fans thrifted or chose more comfortable options.
Stagecoach: If festivalgoers lose a friend, it’s best to avoid trying to locate them by searching for an American Flag, as plenty of clothing items boast the colors. It’s also much more denim-heavy. The festival even planned an activity for Saturday, April 27, where they’ll attempt to break a Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people wearing double denim (tops and bottoms).
While it is more common to see cowboy hats and boots at Stagecoach, this year’s Coachella had a heavy cowboy/cowgirl aesthetic. Another present fashion accessory is the bandanas, which help keep dust out of your face no matter which festival you attend and don’t go out of style.
Ryan Bingham performs on the Palomino Stage during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Sunday, April 30, 2023. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Contributing Photographer)
The booze
Coachella: Along with the return of the Heineken House as the festival’s official beer sponsor, the Craft Beer Barn also returned with plenty of local and regional craft beers, including IPAs, Sours, and hard Kombucha.
Stagecoach: The festival is big on its alcohol offerings, hosting big-name brands with pop-ups, including Angry Orchard, Bud Light, Malibu, Golden Road and Twisted Tea. Some niche bars include The Cabin, which serves whiskey by the makeshift fireplace, and Hendrick’s Botanical Garden Bar, which combines cocktails and blooming flowers.
Both festivals also teamed up with the New Bar, which serves mocktails and shares hidden speakeasy bars. As of this year, festivalgoers can walk around with their alcoholic beverages after Coachella quietly relaxed its policy.
Country singer and Yellowstone actress Lainey Wilson reacts to a slab of grilled tomahawk steaks during a cooking demonstration in the Guy Fieri’s Smokehouse on the final day of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Sunday, Apr. 30, 2023. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
The food
Coachella: The menu options here showcase the L.A. food scene and include a variety of Asian and Latin-inspired bites, along with some vegan and vegetarian stands. If guests want to splurge, the event offers dinners that cost about $350 per person for a four-course farm-to-table dinner created by different chefs daily. Some fans need more time and funds for that so that they might opt for the more classic and affordable options.
Stagecoach: Eateries at the country festival are BBQ-focused with some southern flavors. It also features celebrity chef Guy Fieri’s Stagecoach Smokehouse, a 40,000-square-foot tent of smoked and seasoned meats, where he passes out free BBQ samples to those hanging out by the smokehouse. Although Stagecoach leans heavier on meats, it also offers vegan and vegetarian options, similar to Coachella.
Festivalgoers shop for records inside Record Safari during the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Saturday, April 13, 2024. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)
The activations
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Coachella: The activities here are more art-focused, with a pop-up tattoo studio, a record store and arts and crafts tents that let fans customize their wardrobe with beads and other jewelry. This year, the festival also had some interactive merch sites, including Tyler, The Creator’s Golf Wang store.
Stagecoach: The country festival’s activities are focused on creating a Western atmosphere. Festivalgoers can shop at the flea market for boots, hats and belt buckles. If fans want to take their fit a step further, they can customize their boots at the Tecovas Boot Bar or pick other custom accessories at the Shein Saloon, which hosts cowboy karaoke and a mirrored bull. The fest also features the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch from the “Yellowstone” T.V. series that offers meet and greets with cast members, and Stagecoach and “Yellowstone” crossover merch.
Both festivals share a Ferris wheel, a recycling station and energy seesaws that give fans a chance to charge their phones.
The Stagecoach Country Music Festival returns for three-days April 29-May 1 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio. (Photo by Matt Masin, contributing photographer)
The camping
Coachella: The festival usually offers tent or car camping and has exclusive on-site activities such as morning yoga sessions, pilates, board games, temporary tattoos and DJ sets.
Stagecoach: Instead of cars and tent camping, there is recreational vehicle camping, which sells out fairly quickly every year. The traffic to get in and check every RV to ensure they’re up to the festival’s code can take hours. By the time campers make it in, they’re ready to partake in the party, often socializing and playing cornhole and other drinking games.
