Coachella 2020 Updates: Will it Be Cancelled From Coronavirus?

Is Coachella going to be cancelled because of coronavirus? Coachella-goers are wondering what the fate of the music festival in 2020 will be, after Ultra Music Festival announced it was pulling the plug.

Coachella has not yet indicated that it intends to cancel or alter its two-weekend festival schedule, as of March 4. If all goes to plan, it will take place on April 10-11, and April 17-18, with headliners like Rage Against the Machine and Travis Scott. None of the performers have pulled out due to coronavirus fears, either.

It’s worth noting that several smaller musical events in southern California have been cancelled. Rolling Stone reports that the following events have been cancelled: the The Korea Times Music Festival in Los Angeles, a number of philharmonic performances, and numerous individual shows.

This post will be updated if Coachella does make any changes or even announce the cancellation of that festival. You can also keep an eye on Coachella’s Twitter account and website for any updates from the festival itself. It’s also possible that Golden Voice, the company that runs Coachella, will make a statement in the coming days. It hasn’t made any comment about the coronavirus fears for Coachella thus far.

Over 100,000 people are expected to attend Coachella this year. Here’s what you need to know:

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Coachella Cancelled? Not Yet, But Many Other Tours & Festivals Have Been Cancelled Because of Coronavirus

Ultra Music Festival was set to take place on March 20-22 in Miami, Florida. However, on March 4, news spread that the concert was going to be “postponed indefinitely.”

Mayor Francis Suarez and Commissioner Joe Carollo explained the decision at a press conference. “We’re saying suspend it to a later date when we’ll have a better idea of where we’re heading with the coronavirus.” Some noted that the postponement could just mean waiting another year for the lineup to perform in 2021.

The news was first released by the Twitter account Festive Owl, which tweets about festival happenings. The account tweeted, “I’ve just received confirmation that #Ultra WILL be cancelled due to #coronavirus concerns with an official announcement to come. I do NOT have further details on refunds, possible postponement etc but the festival’s construction has been stopped.”

Per The Miami Herald, the festival has technically been “delayed,” and not flat-out cancelled, because “attorneys are ironing out the legal issues tied to the decision, including the length of the delay.”

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Will Flights, Tickets, or Accommodations Be Refunded, if Coachella Is Cancelled?

The cancellation of Ultra Music Festival might have sent shockwaves through the music community, but a bunch of details still aren’t clear — including whether ticket-holders will be refunded for their passes, let alone their flights or accommodations, many of which are non-refundable.

Mayor Suarez and Commissioner Carollo indicated that the city was still working on a plan, regarding Ultra, and would reveal it in the coming days. Still, many fans are worried that they won’t be refunded, and will be out thousands of dollars.

For those who are concerned about how Coachella is going to play out, you might be wise to keep an eye on what happens with Ultra in the coming days. For example, if it’s announced that no refunds will be made, it might be time to take precautions with Coachella before you get even closer to the event.

Many Ultra ticket-owners took to Twitter on Wednesday to complain about the way the situation was handled, in particular to respond to the uncertainties around how this would shake out financially. One person tweeted to American Airlines directly, writing, “ultra musical festival in Miami cancelled due to the Coronavirus. Will you please help and issue a refund on flights or waive the change fee to rebook at a later time?”

Another person wrote, “Welp Ultra’s cancelled, time go to buy an ounce of weed and cry because I booked a non-refundable flight HAHA lesson learned”

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