Sorry Festival Lovers, Coachella & Lollapalooza Are Officially Canceled This Year
Say it ain't so! Coachella and Lollapalooza have both been canceled due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The news is especially sad for fans seeing as, at first, it seemed the festivals were being rescheduled to later in the year. Though Coachella was initially planned for April 2020, it got pushed back to October, and festival-goers came to terms with waiting an extra six months. But now that Coachella and Lollapalooza 2020 are canceled entirely, it's a sad day for live music lovers.
The decision came from the public health officer of Riverside County, California. Dr. Cameron Kaiser signed an order to cancel Coachella's rescheduled October date due to fears of a rise in Covid-19 cases. Along with that, Coachella's sister festival Stagecoach was canceled as well.
Meanwhile, Lollapalooza has been waiting it out on making a decision, but organizers finally pulled the plug on June 9. They shared a statement about the cancelation to Twitter.
"We wish we could bring Lollapalooza to Grant Park again this year, but we understand why things can't move forward as planned. The health and safety of our fans, artists, partners, staff and community is always out highest priority," their statement began. "Rest assured, we will be working hard behind the scenes to deliver Chicago a spectacular celebration of Lollapalooza's 30th Anniversary in the summer of 2021, and we can't wait to celebrate with you," they said.
There was a silver ling in Lollapalooza's message. In place of the festival, Lollapalooza will hold a virtual event that same weekend, packed with content from festival performers past and present.
Coachella has yet to make an official statement on the cancellation. However, there have been rumors festival organizers are reaching out to 2020 performers to see if they're interested in playing in 2021. Originally, Frank Ocean, Travis Scott, and Rage Against the Machine were set to headline the festival this year.
It's hard to imagine a year without Coachella hitting California or Lolllapalooza invading Chicago, but funky fashion and live music will have to wait for the greater good. Health and public safety comes first.
If you think you’re showing symptoms of coronavirus, which include fever, shortness of breath, and cough, call your doctor before going to get tested. If you’re anxious about the virus’s spread in your community, visit the CDC for up-to-date information and resources, or seek out mental health support. You can find all Elite Daily's coverage of coronavirus here.
