By Angel Efe-Nogo

You never really know when it’s happening but somehow it happens and right now the time is here. Every year over 250,000 fans show up across two weekends with millions more watching online to make one of the biggest music events in the world come alive.

The festival officially known as the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival takes place at the Empire Polo Club in the Southern California desert. 

The originality of Coachella occurred in 1999 as just a two-day festival designed to showcase diverse musical acts and art in a unique desert setting. However, the idea nearly failed as founder, Paul Tollett of Goldenvoice, lost almost $850,000 dollars due to a low attendance rate.

Discouraged, Tollet cancelled the festival in 2000, only for it to return in 2001 as a one-day event before evolving into what it is now– a multiple day, two-weekend event.

The real turning point for Coachella was when the late singer, Amy Winehouse, was listed on the bottom line of the advertisement poster. It was huge because, at that time, Winehouse was a small creator, influencing fans to start coming not just the big headliners but also for the smaller acts that they may not have known as well.

 Coachella is also known not only for its music but for setting new standards and making history. In fact, Beyoncé made history in 2018 as the first African-American woman to headline Coachella. Raising the bar for production and performance around the world, her performance still stands as the highest attended Coachella performance.

While a fun experience, there can be some negative effects from attending Coachella. First on the list falls on the high pricing of the event and if you don’t notice, your bank account definitely will. 

General admission tickets can cost several hundred dollars and once you travel to California, get food from expensive vendors, and find a roof to place over your head, the money totals up real fast.

A lot of people plan ahead to make it more manageable by buying stickers early, using brand deals or splitting costs with friends. It is also common to find campers outside the festival due to a lack of housing.

One thing to also keep in mind is the hot temperatures oozing during the concerts. As the event is held in California, there is always a threat of heat strokes. However, with proper preparation and advice from influencers, anyone can be ready to go.

On the bright side, this year you can expect to see all artists from small to huge to even new returning favorites like Justin Bieber. Bieber will be the headliner for Weekend one performing on Saturday, April 11. There is also news of this being his last tour ever, so enjoy the big performance before it’s too late!

Now that you are caught up on everything at Coachella, remember you don’t have to spend an arm or a leg to buy tickets…which are probably sold out anyway. You can always tune in to watch Coachella live for free of charge on Youtube. So I hope to see you all there even if it is through the comments at least!

Courtesy of ABC News