Coachella and Stagecoach will not require proof of vaccination against COVID-19 for attendees, going against an earlier policy put in place by the festivals’ parent company.
On Tuesday, both music festivals announced that patrons attending their 2022 events can forgo showing proof of vaccination by instead presenting a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of arrival.
“After seeing first-hand the low transmission data and successful implementation of safety protocols at our festivals recently, alongside the rising vaccination rate of eligible Americans, we feel confident that we can safely update our policy for Coachella that allows for negative covid test taken within 72 hours of the event OR proof of full vaccination,” a statement on the Coachella website reads.
A similar statement was posted to the official Stagecoach social media on Tuesday. “Thanks for coming along for the ride as we continue to navigate these unprecedented times so that we can get back to having ourselves a good time,” the festival tweeted.
In August, music company AEG Presents shared that attendees will be required to show full proof of vaccination before entering events they host starting Oct. 1.
“Goldenvoice (AEG Presents) will require proof of full vaccination for concertgoers and event staff at all of our venues and festivals,” the statement read. “The vaccination policy, limited only as required by law, will be in full effect nationwide no later than October 1, 2021.”
Among the venues are the El Rey Theater, Terminal 5, The Fonda Theatre, The Regency Ballroom, Webster Hall and The Roxy. AEG is also charged with festivals such as Stagecoach, the Buckeye Country Superfest, Camp Flog Gnaw, Day N Vegas, Firefly Music Festival, Hangout Music Festival and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.
“Just a few weeks ago, we were optimistic about where our business, and country, were heading,” AEG Presents CEO Jay Marciano said in a release announcing the changes. “The Delta variant, combined with vaccine hesitancy, is pushing us in the wrong direction again.”
