"The festival has been postponed until further notice. Please move quickly and calmly to the nearest exit."
Stagecoach Festival Evacuated Due to High Winds; Operations Resume After Two Hours
The Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, temporarily suspended operations on Saturday night due to high wind gusts. Attendees were evacuated from the festival grounds before the event resumed approximately two hours later.
Incident and Timeline
The evacuation occurred during the evening of Saturday, which was the second day of the three-day festival. Festival screens displayed a message stating: "The festival has been postponed until further notice. Please move quickly and calmly to the nearest exit." According to the festival promoter Goldenvoice, the evacuation was ordered due to extreme high wind gusts.
Reports indicate the evacuation began after 5 p.m., with winds increasing during a performance by Teddy Swims. Some attendees reported that certain emergency exits between the main stage and main entrance were initially closed by security personnel.
The festival's mobile app advised at 8:42 p.m. that operations would resume momentarily, stating gates were being prepared for safety. Gates reopened just before 9 p.m., and the festival resumed around 9:30 p.m. with updated set times shared on social media.
Schedule Changes
- The performances by Journey (scheduled for the Mustang Stage) and Riley Green (Mane Stage) were canceled and did not take place.
- Headliner Lainey Wilson's set on the Mane Stage was delayed to 10:30 p.m. Wilson confirmed her performance would proceed at that time.
Weather Context
The National Weather Service had issued a strong wind advisory for the Indio area until 11 a.m. Sunday. The advisory was in effect from 2 p.m., with conditions including sustained winds of 25-35 mph and gusts up to 65 mph. One attendee observed palm trees bending significantly during the event.
Festival Background
The festival is a three-day event running through Sunday at the Empire Polo Club. Saturday's lineup included Journey, Little Big Town, Bush, Teddy Swims, and others. Post Malone is scheduled to close the festival on Sunday. Official set times are available at the festival's website. Attendees reported that the crowd remained calm during the evacuation.