Most people who attend the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival are there for the performances, and this year’s lineup with Harry Styles, Billie Eilish and Swedish mafia house with The Weeknd is definitely one you won’t want to miss. But scattered all over the grounds of the Empire Polo Club, there are some interesting activities that also deserve your attention.
There’s a little bit of everything for everyone this year, including funky lounges to hang out in, meet artists or designers, and take a magical ride on the iconic Coachella Ferris wheel at sunset.
Here are some of the activities, experiences, shopping and more you can find during both Coachella weekends.
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Activities and experiences
Absolut.Land
This immersive experience blends virtual reality with real life to connect people on the festival grounds and across the Metaverse over cocktails, music, style and more. The experience is open to people 21 years and older and is open throughout the festival. Even those who do not participate in the festival can “teleport: to Absolut.Land by visiting https://www.absolut.com/us/absolutland/. The Absolut tent will be located on the festival grounds.
American Express x Coachella
Unwind in the Amex Lounge (with up to three guests) in the general admission area and recharge with free Wi-Fi, wellness services, exclusive artist products, food, drinks and more. American Express cardholders with eligible cards can sign up for an offer to receive a one-time $10 statement credit after spending $50 or more at Coachella. Cardholders can also enjoy a free ride on the Ferris wheel, a gift with a purchase at the campground’s general store, and other perks. For more information, visit https://www.americanexpress.com/us/campaigns/festivals/coachella/frequently-asked-questions.html?intlink=coachellaquestionslp.
Camping
The motorhome area offers many fun activities for festival-goers. An activity tent will house plenty of games and goodies, and the adjacent camp lounge has computers available for departure and free Wi-Fi. Food trucks and vendors will also serve quick bites. The camping area will also offer:
- Art workshops: The day’s art workshops will give participants the opportunity to create new clothes, create their own perfumes and work with clay. Studio hours during the day are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday through Sunday. At night, people can learn about NFTs, and digital art is on display all night. NFT (Nighttime Fun in the Tent) show hours are 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
- Silent Disco: If you still want to get in the groove after the headliners are over, head to The Dome for a night of silent dancing. The silent disco starts at 1am. If you’re at Coachella on Thursday, stop by before 6 p.m. to pick up some vintage merchandise.
- Salon: Dancing and dealing with Coachella dust could ruin a few looks. The camping area will have a dedicated lounge area where people can get ready for a night of fun.
Energy playground
The Global Inheritance Energy SeeSaws will give festival-goers the opportunity to act like a kid again while learning about energy. It’s also a place where they can charge their phones. The Energy Playground is located on the festival grounds and is open to everyone.
big Wheel
It’s not Coachella without the iconic Ferris wheel. If you haven’t had a chance to take in the view of the Coachella Valley from the top, be prepared for a breathtaking ride (but don’t even think about going at sunset if you don’t). don’t have the patience for long queues).
Dating with HP
Technology company HP offers many activities for festival-goers that focus on its sustainability efforts. While the near triple-digit heat in Indio might not remind you much of the South Pole, Antarctica, an immersive 360° experience located on the festival grounds, certainly will. Attendees will embark on an “emotional journey that reflects ongoing progress toward an open and sustainable future,” according to the Coachella website. The experience is marked by the duo ODESZA and designed by renowned digital artists from around the world. Antarctica is open to anyone with a Coachella festival pass. An HP lounge will also be available for people to relax and unwind.
Lay’s Fresh4D
If you love the smell when you open a bag of Lay’s potato chips, this might be the experience for you. In this exclusive reservation-only experience, customers can enjoy a four-course tasting experience where they will be the first consumers to experience Lay’s potato chips in their freshest form. Registration is closed, but if there are any cancellations, visits will be allowed and places will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. The experience will take place at the Coachella Campgrounds.
Posted Studio
Participants have the opportunity to create concept art for posters that advocate solutions to environmental challenges at the POSTed Studio. Subsequently, their creations will be entrusted to professional artists who will redraw the ideas. Global Inheritance will be giving out daily prizes for the most creative posters. The design sessions will also be linked to a series of lectures, where artists and conservationists will hold talks in a variety of formats and participate in interactive workshops. The party starts Thursday in the camping area.
Resources
COVID-19 testing
While there is no COVID-19 testing, vaccination or masking requirement at Coachella, the festival will still offer on-site testing services by Guardian Testing available at Indian Wells Tennis Garden and Camping Hub. For opening days and hours, visit https://www.coachella.com/rules.
‘everyone’
“everyone” supports mental health and harassment prevention at the festival. Trained counselors will be available at each tent on the festival grounds for anyone who needs someone to talk to or just needs a break from the Coachella madness. Members of the team will also be deployed throughout the field to help anyone in distress.
Shopping
The shop
The boutique powered by Goldenvoice BLACK – a resource that expands Goldenvoice’s racial justice mission – will feature six black designers and brands from Southern California. Each designer will create an exclusive capsule collection for Coachella that will be available for purchase. Brands include Bricks & Wood (designed by Kacey Lynch), BWNSTNE (designed by BWNSTNE), Diana Boardley (designed by Boardley), Nicholas Mayfield Over Everything (designed by Mayfield), Skid Row Fashion Week (designed by Skid Row Fashion Week) and Supervsn (designed by Gavin Mathieu). For more information, visit https://gvblack.coachella.com/. The GV BLACK store will be located near the main entrance.
Browse over 25,000 new and used records, from oldies to some of the Coachella artists. April 23 is also Record Store Day, so you have even more reason to spend weekend 2. The Record Store is located on the festival grounds.
Recycle for free
Redeem your empty bottles, cans, cups and other recyclables for free water and a number of different prizes. Attendees earn points for recycling throughout the weekend which can then be redeemed for festival merchandise, experiences and possibly VIP passes. Prizes include t-shirts, bags, refillable bottles, food stamps, posters, sweatshirts and Ferris wheel tickets. Pick up scorecards and bags at the Global Inheritance tent on the festival grounds. To visit https://www.coachella.com/recycling-store for more information.
Music away from the main stage
Make LaB
Do LaB returns again this year with electronic numbers and its colorful stage. Familiar favorites return, such as The Glitch Mob, Skream, Vintage Culture, a DJ set from Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs and house project SIDEPIECE from Nitti Gritti & Party Favor. Rising stars of the mix include New Jersey sensation UNIIQU3, influential electronic prodigy Moore Kismet, house and techno producer HoneyLuv and more. The Do LaB scene on the festival grounds will also feature a number of artists who appreciate the avant-garde and experimental sides of electronic music.
Heineken House
This year Heineken House The lineup includes performances from Flying Lotus and Thundercat, Vegyn, Ms Nina, Shlohmo, Jacques Green, DBN Gogo and more. While you listen to the music, you can try one of the many beers on offer and snap a shot or two. You can find the Heineken House south of the Central Indian Market.
Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Contact her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic.
