California’s famed Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival officially kicked-off this past weekend with impressive celebrity guests and performances — yet, for the first time ever, the second weekend has failed to sell out.
During the first weekend of Coachella, which ran from April 5 through 7, fans were met with headlining performances from Lana Del Rey, Tyler, The Creator, and Doja Cat, with appearances from Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, Rihanna and Asap Rocky, as well as surprise performances from Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, and Shakira.
However, amid the excitement, ticket sales have not been on-par with previous years’ editions. According to Billboard, the festival has sold approximately 80% of the 250,000 tickets available for this year. Sources close to the festival also told the publication that while there is a dip in sales — down 14% to 17% over the last year — they’re not as bad as many had predicted.
This year, it took nearly a month for tickets to sell out for the first weekend — marking the longest sellout for the first time in 10 years. According to data by SFGate, Coachella tickets for festivals from 2014 to 2022 were snatched-up incredibly fast, from anywhere between just 40 minutes to a little more than four hours. Fans would wait in virtual ticketing queues for hours to be able to score a spot at the Indio fest, yet this year, festivalgoers can still easily score tickets to either weekend directly from Coachella’s website.
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The once-coveted event seems to be lacking interest for the first time in history. While artists usually treasure a Coachella performance, this year’s lineup left many festivalgoers feeling overwhelmed. Plus, the lineup was very delayed, mainly due to Coachella’s 2012 radius clause — prohibiting acts from performing at any other festival in North America from December 15 to May 1 and barring artists from announcing other festival appearances before Coachella’s.
This year, the festival also faces some stark competition; Las Vegas’ Lovers & Friends inaugural event kicks-off this May, boasting an impressive lineup of R&B stars like Janet Jackson, Usher, and The Backstreet Boys. New York’s Governors Ball and Bonnaroo are also worthy contenders in the festival scene.
Nonetheless, Coachella isn’t alone; other festivals that once sold out just days after going on sale aren’t selling as fast as they once did. New Orleans’ JazzFest, Daytona’s Welcome to Rockville, Electric Forest in Michigan, and Chicago’s Lollapalooza all haven’t sold out yet. Part of the reason for low sales could be due to dynamic pricing and ticket price hikes; across the industry, fans are being priced-out of shows, with artists and promoters often dubbed the culprit.
Tickets to this year’s second weekend at Coachella, running from April 19 to 21, are still available. Find last-minute passes to the event below:
Coachella Tickets 2024
Coachella tickets at MEGASeats (use code TICKETNEWS for 10% off your order)
Coachella tickets at Official Festival Website
Coachella tickets at StubHub
Coachella tickets at Vivid Seats
Coachella tickets at Ticket Club | Free membership with code TICKETNEWS
