by: Arnav Singhal
Sports Editor

Over the last few weeks, Indio, California, held one of the most recognizable music festivals of the year, Coachella. Empire Polo Club hosted the event over the course of three days. Known for blending music, fashion, and pop culture, the festival occurred twice, from April 10 to 12 and April 19 to 27, attracting thousands of fans from across the globe.

The first weekend boasted artists like Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber, and Anmya. For the first time since its inauguration, it promoted a Latina artist as a headline performer, Karol G. Beyond the headliners, the event hosted rap sensation Young Thug, K-pop girl group Katseye, and contemporary Brooklyn-based rock band Geese.

The second weekend incorporated intense collaborations between Bieber and SZA. As well as Bieber’s heartfelt serenading of pop idol Billie Eilish. Overall, both Coachella 2026 featured 160 artists throughout both weekends.

Paul Tollet and Rick Van Santen of Goldenvoice first started the concert in 1999 as a two-day rock festival. Over two decades later, Coachella has evolved into one of the most influential celebrations of music across the globe, now welcoming over 100,000 visitors each day and showcasing nearly every genre imaginable.

This year, base tickets for the event started at 649 dollars and rose to over 7,000 for an artist pass. The pass gives attendees access to exclusive artist lounges, meet-and-greets, and fantastically decorated golf carts. Despite these high prices, after the line-up was introduced in September of 2025, weekend passes sold out in under three days.

When going to the event, most attendees commit to camping out on the course grounds for over 72 hours, with the full desert experience. Artists and viewers alike are provided with temporary porta-potties for sanitation and other camping facilities. While the conditions are challenging, the shared atmosphere and community built behind the music make the experience truly unique.

For many visitors, Coachella is much more than a festival; it is a chance for them to express themselves through fashion. Attendees arrive at each concert decked out in bold outfits, ranging from vintage streetwear to homemade looks.

While the event was truly memorable, Bieber took the world by storm. In the first week, his performance of his hit song, Beauty and the Beat, left the audience stunned as he delivered a performance that echoed his early rise. News outlets are remarking that these past few weeks have been revived with Bieber-Fever, a term for his intense fandom at the height of his fame.

Although initially going better than expected, the Indio police department reported hundreds of arrests for drug possession and false identification across both weekends. No matter the case, fans are excited and awaiting the next big event of the year, Stage Coach, another massive festival with attendance expected at over 80,000.

(Sources: Billboard, Los Angeles Times, Rolling Stone, Variety, and Vogue)