Coachella is probably the most famous and known music festival around the world. Headliners over the years have included artists such as Harry Styles, Kanye West, Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Ariana Grande, Eminem, and many other huge names in the music industry. This blog will be outlining Coachella 2022, from the negatives to the positives of attending this yearly music festival. We will be discussing why Coachella is as popular as its became and how its differed from other music festivals, not only in America but around the world.
Coachella is an annual festival that takes place in April in the California desert of America, at Indio’s Empire Polo Club, in Coachella Valley making it one of the earliest music festivals in the season (Gunn, 2022). Each day, 125,000 people are set to enter the festival and enjoy the live performances. These attendees come from across the world, with many people staying in Palm Springs, nearby, or camping on Coachella’s site. Coachella spreads across two weekends in April with the same artists playing both weekends in the same time slots. Coachella was held in 2022 from the 15th of April to the 24th with the headliners of the event being Harry Styles, Billie Eilish and The Weekend and Swedish House Mafia (Lee, 2025). The first Coachella music festival was held in 1999, with tickets only costing attendants $75 AUD a day (Trujillo, 2022). Today, a three-day general admission festival pass, cost’s almost $800 in AUD. Attendants must pay extra for accommodation, parking, food, and transportation. The festival became so popular that the event managers came up with another festival the following two weekends after Coachella. This festival a country music festival named ‘Stagecoach’, that takes place on the same grounds that Coachella previously was.
Coachella is known for ‘its vibrant and eclectic fashion scene’ (Juvakka, 2023). Many see it as the perfect opportunity to showcase their fashion sense or wear something trendy and out of their comfort zone. Often, the outfits worn by influencers and celebrities can be seen as more memorable than the performances that occurred. Many brands rent villas in the Coachella area to invite influencers and celebrities to and give them a free festival pass, in return they promote the brand to their followers by wearing or using their products over the festival weekend. #REVOLVEFestival and Neon Carnival are two festival parties, outside of Coachella, for celebrities and influencers that take place before and after Coachella with the headliners in 2022 being Jack Harlow, Ty Dolla Sign and Willow (Navarro, 2022). Coachella is one of the largest and most profitable music and arts festivals in the world, displaying musical artists from many genres of music, including, an ‘eclectic mix of indie, alternative, rap/hip hop, electronic, dance/house, rock, punk, pop, and several other genres’ (Lipshutz, 2015).
An event can be described as a planned public assembly or social occasion with the intent of celebration, education, networking, or marketing. They are ‘carefully crafted to weave narratives into places through processes of experience design’ (Richards, Marques, Mein, 2014, pg. 1). The audience is the reason for an event taking place and without an audience, there’s no event. Event design ‘refers to the mental creation of an event before it takes place, first in the mind of the designer and then as it is communicated to those responsible for its production’ (Bladen, Kennell, Abson, Wilde, 2017, pg. 51). Brown (2005, pg. 2) also describes event design as ‘the creation, conceptual development, and design of an event to maximise the positive and meaningful impact for the events audience and/or participants’.
Events academics and practitioners have varying opinions on how event design should be approached. Malouf (1999) exhibits a ‘traditional graphic design view of how design creativity is used at events’ (Berridge, 2007, pg. 96). Décor, themes, table settings, flowers, posters, and colours are examples of the traditional measures that Malouf believes should occur in event design. Edward De Bono (1974) believes that our analytical, logical, and lateral thinking interact through our need to practise and perfect specifically in creative work. To facilitate this process, De Bono introduced the four types of thinking tools: idea generating, focus, harvest, and treatment tools. These tools were made to help us with our artists endeavours, as it uses different skills than traditional education.
Berridge (2006) distinguished ‘The three-stage event design model’ which has recently gained attention among events academics and practitioners. This model was established when Berridge discovered the success of production driven artistic events associated with the design ‘component’ of the traditional processes of management. Goldbatt (2005) established the event concepted of the ‘5W’s’. He suggested that they ‘are five key questions that should be asked and answered’ (Allen, 2002, pg. 41) in accordance with the event design process. The ‘5W’s is made up of the questions ‘why, who, when, where and what’ whilst focusing on the attendees experience.
A theme gives meaning to an event or is the purpose of an event taking place. Goldblatt (2005) and Monroe (2005) apply this event design model to a more traditional concept by coordinating food, décor, or entertainment to an event. Bowdin et al (2001) views theming as the centre of organising the event demonstrating that the coordination of the event should occur around a theme, instead of vis versa. Brown and James (2004) discuss how events are notably deviating away from its age-old roots to what we recognise events as today. Events used to be cultural experiences with ‘authentic expressions of social community gathering’ (Bladen, Kennell, Abson, Wild, 2017, pg. 61) whilst nowadays brands have events from product launches and protests.
The popularity of customer services, helping or doing work for someone, began in the 1980’s which directly affected the events industry. Zeithaml et al (2006) created a measurement model using the SERVQUAL questionnaire tool to measure customers satisfaction of the service that took place at an event. An example could be how they were treated by employees, how long the service took and if it was satisfactory, all whilst attending the event. Organisations now measure this by doing interviews or surveys with those who attended their event, to ensure that the consumers feel satisfied and would potentially attend again.
Pine and Gilmores (1999) ‘the event experience realm’ adds four realms of experiences to an event. This model identifies four the realms, education, escapism, esthetics, and entertainment. The four realms are set out on two axes where it measures the active and passive participation alongside the absorption and immersion of the consumers. These factors depend on whether the event attendees are directly influenced and if they are physically part of the events experience. Pine and Gilmour believe that it’s important for the level of participation of attendees to be carefully designed to ensure the correct levels of engagement.
Sensory stimulation is the basis of an event attendees experience. Event academics previously mentioned, Goldblatt (2005), Monroe (2005) and Getz (2007) all recognise how necessary it is, within the events environment, to appeal to attendees sense of sight, hearing, taste, touch, speech, and emotions. The EMBOK (EMBOK 2010) model was established to create a list of sensory categories that an event would benefit in following. This list is made up of content, theme, program, environment, production, entertainment, and catering design, which helps a variety of different events.
As attendees leave events and return back to their homes, it’s important that the event leaves a positive effect on the individual’s mind. Events can leave long lasting memories in a consumers mind. Graham Berridge (2007) displays that ‘wow’ factors created at events are important to ensure that the event stays significant to all participants. These ‘wow’ moments release affects the sense of time, mood, ambience, and emotions of an attendee who will forever remember the particular moment that caused this.
When organising the possibility of Coachella, the events team would’ve researched event design theory to discover the best way to make this festival successful. The past few Coachella’s has demonstrated a step up in the décor around the festival. Coachella 2022 demonstrated interesting geographic shapes were used in the décor behind DJ booths with dramatic lighting and bright projections (Hoffman, 2022). Neon lighting was also one of the more notable features of the festival with creative neon patterns are lighting in the artwork of the festival and surrounding the stages. Bright colours were also used everywhere in the VIP lounges, sculptures, signs, food vendors and alongside SPECTRA, the rainbow cylinder tower in the middle of Coachella. This makes for good photo opportunities for attendees around the festival, who post on their social medias and promote the festival. This exhibits Malouf’s (1999) theory where he believes ‘traditional graphic design view of how design creativity is used at events’ (Berridge, 2007, pg. 96).
Every year Coachella’s art installations are all themed to create a coherent event. Coachella 2022’s theme displayed international artists exploring ‘global themes such as connectedness, environmental sustainability, immigration, social behaviour and architecture, pop culture, and the community’ (Stouhi, 2022). Coachella includes art into the festival that explores shared global interests, the same way that music is a global language. Some of the artwork included ‘Mutts’, a recyclable dog sculptures filled with flowers and greenery, ‘La Guardiana, a sculptured woman that is linked to protecting immigrants from Mexico and ‘Circular Dimensions x Microscape’, which displays 25,000 feet of PVC tubes visually representing water and the desert. The artwork is demonstrated through event design theory by Goldblatt (2005) and Monroe’s (2005) belifs that a cohesive theme for an event, including a cohesive theme for the artwork displayed, is important to ensure an events success.
A festival appeals to all of the attendees sensory stimulation as it’s a physical experience where they are listening to music, meeting new people, having a good time and eating vendors food. Goldblatt (2005), Monroe (2005) and Getz (2007) all believe is necessary for events to reach attendees sensory stimulation. The more sense one uses at an event, the more likely they are to remember the event after it has occurred through actions, smell, taste, hearing emotions sight and speech. Coachella also is proud of the valley of Coachella that the event is taken place on. Displayed around the festival is cactuses and flowers, which takes inspiration from the surrounding Coachella valley and applies to the theme.
Coachella is known for its surprise guest appearances. In 2022, Harry Styles surprised the audience with Shania Twain, performing her songs ‘Man! I feel like a woman’ and ‘You’re still the one’ (Bowenbank, 2023). This moment wow’s the audience and ensures that the event leaves a positive impact on the attendees minds. Graham Berridge (2007) demonstrates how important it is for events, such as Coachella, to have wow factors that keeps the crowd coming back for more as the event stays significant on their minds.
What makes Coachella have the ‘wow’ factor over other music festivals?
Many celebrity non-performers attend the festival so much that ‘street style photographers media and paparazzi’ (Jem, 2021) want to get exclusives as fast as possible for the media. Fans also want to catch a glimpse of their favourite celebrities and get to physically see what they are wearing. However, the stage acts are the most appealing part of attending a music festival. Coachella always has a stellar line up of music for those of all ages and all genres. Music festivals appeal often appeal to individual’s how know songs from many artists and want to see them all in the same place, instead of individually purchasing tickets for each show.
One of the biggest differentiations that Coachella has from other festivals is the fashion. Retailers ‘now use Coachella in product descriptions to stoke buying impulses’ (Battan, 2016) and have even introduced ‘Coachella collections’ that is marketed at attendees of the event. These pieces include fringe, sparkles, sequins, flower crowns, bum bags, glitter, jewels, head pieces, brightly coloured outfits, denim shots, flowy dresses and many more that fits the Coachella theme. A flower crown filter was even introduced on snapchat, inspired by the festival. Every aspect at Coachella, including the people, is art.
Surrounding Coachella is many pool parties and private parties hosted by brands at close by hotels and Airbnb’s. This isn’t too unusual as this is happening more and more today, but Coachella has the biggest outside parties before and after the festival over any other music festival in the world. Many who have attended Coachella say it has an ‘impact on your heart, body, and soul that will never be forgotten’ (Burka, 2015). The combination of the music, place and people create a moving experience for youthful culture. Coachella establishes a ‘wow’ factor has everybody walks out of the festival grounds feeling blown away with what the just experienced, with many returnees appearing the following year to experience it again.
Coachella is notably one of the most popular and known music festivals around the world with around 125,000 people in attendance every day. The 2022 edition displayed the musical acts of Harry Styles, Billy Eilish and Swedish House Mafia with the Weeknd. Alongside the musical side, the artistic side of the festival displayed many different art pieces around the Empire Polo Club that was environmentally sustainable and reused. When creating an event, event academics and practitioners have different ideas and beliefs on how event design should take place to make an event the most successful. Some use traditional approaches such as décor and design to boost the event whilst others believe it’s more important to create ‘wow’ factors and attribute to attendees sensory stimulation in order for them to be more likely to remember an event. Coachella uses event design in order for it to be as successful as it is by using different event design strategies from different event academics and practitioners to make the most of their attendees as happy before, after and during the festival as they can. To also do this, Coachella utilizes ‘wow’ factors to amaze the audience and leave them memorized by the event and wanting to return the following year. All together Coachella is a successful event that has many attendees from regular everyday people to big A list celebrities. No matter if the attendees purchased the most expensive or cheapest tickets, everyone still has a great experience enjoying the music and artwork that surrounds them.
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