Though some were cautiously optimistic that music festivals would resume this summer, it would appear that the Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival is opting to play it safe. A new report from Variety indicates that the massive U.S. Festival will be delayed once again, moving from its original projected date of October 2021 and slating a tentative new one for April 2022.
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It should be noted that this delay would not be the first, but the fourth time Coachella's date has been changed. Originally slated for April 2020, it was later delayed to October of that same year. Next came a shift to April 2021, as well as a subsequent (albeit unconfirmed) shift to October 2021. Now, it would appear that Coachella is looking to skip out on 2021 entirely, though the festival's official page has yet to confirm this new development.
It's not entirely surprising to see the chips fall in this direction. In January of this year, Coachella announced that they would be canceling the festival's upcoming April dates, with a statement shining a light on the decision. "[Coachella attracts] hundreds of thousands of attendees from many countries, including several disproportionately afflicted by the worldwide COVID-19 epidemic," reads their official explanation. "If COVID-19 were detected at these festivals, the scope and number of attendees and the nature of the venue would make it infeasible, if not impossible, to track those who may be placed at risk."
Given that vaccination efforts are in full swing in many countries, it should be interesting to see how music festivals begin to reintegrate into the fold. Some states with limited COVID-19 restrictions are already looking to speed up the process, but from the sound of it, Coachella is opting to take it slow. Stay tuned for further news on the festival's future plans.
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