Coachella has officially cancelled its 2020 edition.
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The festival in California was initially due to take place in April this year, before postponing to October due to the coronavirus pandemic. Reports last month stated that Coachella was trying to reschedule again.
Now it has been revealed that the festival has been cancelled, meaning that 2020 will be the first year without a Coachella since 2000.
Coachella’s sister festival Stagecoach has also been cancelled.
Riverside County public health officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser made the announcement on Wednesday, June 10, saying: “I am concerned as indications grow that COVID-19 could worsen in the fall. In addition, events like Coachella and Stagecoach would fall under Governor Newsom’s Stage 4, which he has previously stated would require treatments or a vaccine to enter. Given the projected circumstances and potential, I would not be comfortable moving forward.
“These decisions are not taken lightly with the knowledge that many people will be impacted. My first priority is the health of the community.”
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Coachella first took place in 1999, and following a break in 2000, has taken place every year since.
The festival is promoted by Goldenvoice, a subsidiary of Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG). The company’s live promotion group AEG Presents has recently been revealed to laying off and furloughing a significant number of employees in a report by Billboard.
A memo obtained by Billboard and sent to staff from AEG Presents chairman and chief executive Jay Marciano reads: "We did not come to today's decisions lightly. During the last few months we kept our company intact to ensure that those of you who would be the most affected would have the best safety net we could provide. While it's small solace, I see this as a testament to the culture that exists at AEG and the important role you have played in building this environment."
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Patrick Hinton is Mixmag's Digital Features Editor, follow him on Twitter
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