Coachella is CANCELLED: Music festival 'is postponed to 2022' after already being pushed back to October
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival's highly-anticipated return in 2021 'has been cancelled', after it was pushed back to October due to coronavirus concerns.
The annual event, which is the largest music festival in the United States, will not return until 2022, according to a report published by Variety on Wednesday.
Once the move is officially confirmed, it would be the fourth time the dates have been rescheduled amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Canceled: The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival's highly-anticipated return in 2021 'has been cancelled', after it was pushed back to October due to coronavirus concerns
The two-weekend festival, which is held in Indio, California, is attended by around 250,000 and previously announced Travis Scott, Frank Ocean and Rage Against the Machine as the headliners.
Coachella 2020 was initially set to be held on two separate weekends in mid-April, before it was pushed back to October, then for a third time to April 2021.
It was then rescheduled for October 2021, but the dates were not officially confirmed by promoters and there have been no dates posted on the official website for several months.
Sources speaking to Variety said the reason for the latest postponement is 'ongoing uncertainty' over the coronavirus pandemic.
Another year: The annual event, which is the largest music festival in the United States, will not return until 2022, according to a report published by Variety on Wednesday
Representatives for Goldenvoice, the event's promoter, and AEG Presents, its parent company, did not immediately respond to Variety's request for comment.
It is expected that the Stagecoach Country Music festival, which takes place the weekend after Coachella, will also be moved.
Rage Against the Machine, Travis Scott and Frank Ocean were set to headline Coachella, while Lil Nas X, Carrie Underwood, Alan Jackson and ZZ Top were scheduled to headline Stagecoach.
On hold: Once the move is officially confirmed, it would be the fourth time the dates of Coachella have been rescheduled (pictured: The complete lineup for Coachella 2020)
The twin music festivals' spring dates were among the first major events cancelled last year, and would've occurred for three consecutive weekends at Indio's Empire Polo Club.
In January, health officials in Riverside County signed a public health order calling for both festivals to be cancelled for April once again due to COVID-19 concerns.
Each year, Coachella generates a whopping $100 million for Goldenvoice and its parent company AEG.
However, the company - like many other live music operators - is suffering amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Two years ago: Kanye West performs Sunday Service during the 2019 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival on April 21, 2019 in Indio, California
The postponement of the Coachella Valley's festival season last year was a major blow to the local economy, losing out on more than $700 million, according to the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership.
In the UK, Glastonbury Festival announced in January that it would not take place for a second year in a row because of the pandemic.
The music festival's co-organiser, Michael Eavis - who curates the lineup with his daughter Emily, said he was 'so sorry' to have to cancel the event for the second year.
Major blow: Sources speaking to Variety said the reason for the latest postponement is 'ongoing uncertainty' over the coronavirus pandemic. (Kacey Musgraves performing in 2019)
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