Large-scale festivals like Coachella and Stagecoach had to be postponed due to coronavirus concerns, however, a California senator believes that the festivals still might not be able to take place this fall.
Local Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz spoke with KESQ News Channel 3‘s Peter Daut for their daily “Coronavirus: Questions Answered” show on Fox and CBS. Ruiz answered questions on air including when businesses should reopen in Coachella Valley and said that he believes “science should dictate when we should start opening up and we should also make sure we have all the protective measures in place before we do.”
“If we open up too early, then we run the risk of another flare up which would only delay our economic return,” Ruiz said. “And that would only hurt us more economically.”
Ruiz said that right now should be a time to provide ample testing and create a safeguard in the community, calling for a plan to protect workers on industry frontlines like TSA, concerts, and grocery.
“That’s a unique problem here in the Coachella Valley when we’re one of the more vulnerable locations for people dying given our demographics,” Ruiz said. “So, right now is the time to create that plan and I’d like to be able to learn from the county what they’re doing in that regard.”
Coachella and Stagecoach, slated to take place in April, have been rescheduled to October, taking place from October 9-11 and 16-18, along with 23-25, respectively. The postponements are having a huge impact on the community — bringing a $700 million hit to the local economy.
If the California festivals do not end up going on as planned this fall, they wouldn’t be alone. Fests like Firefly, Voodoo, and Essence have completely called-off 2020 events. See our full, updating list of festivals postponed or cancelled due to coronavirus here.
