Coachella 2021 April event canceled by public health order

The Coachella music festival planned for April has been canceled by a public health order, Riverside County public health officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser announced on Friday. As you've probably guessed, the reason is the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the fact that things in the US won't be back to normal by April.

The January 29 order also cancels the Stagecoach Country Music Festival that was also scheduled to take place in April. The newly-published decision states, 'This Order is intended to reduce the likelihood of exposure to COVID-19, thereby slowing the spread of COVID-19 in communities worldwide.'

Due to the pandemic, Public Health Officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser today (Jan. 29) signed a public health order canceling Coachella Valley Music and Arts, Stagecoach Country Music festivals planned for April 2021. We look forward to when the events may return. https://t.co/YAIn8uTea9

— Dr. Geoffrey Leung (@RivCoDoc) January 29, 2021

Both Coachella and Stagecoach attract huge crowds, including many international travelers — some, the order notes, who may come from countries that are 'disproportionately afflicted' by the pandemic. This is the third time Coachella has been canceled due to the pandemic — the April 2020 event was first postponed to October 2020, which was then bumped to April 2021.

The event may end up rescheduled for October 2021, but that hasn't yet been confirmed — and, possibly, such an event may likewise be canceled depending on vaccination rates and the global pandemic status.

Scheduling new events has proven tricky for companies and organizations; this isn't the first big gathering to be canceled due to the pandemic and it is unlikely to be the last. It's clear at this point in time that the pandemic will not be resolved in early 2021 as some had hoped, and, in fact, it may extend late into the year.