Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival — Empire Polo Club, Indio

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, has been the world's most influential music festival since the early 2000s. Founded in 1999 with an inaugural lineup that included Beck, Tool, and the Chemical Brothers, it grew into a cultural phenomenon that shapes fashion, social media, and the music industry. Landmark performances include Daft Punk's game-changing 2006 pyramid set, Beyoncé's 'Beychella' headline in 2018, and Radiohead's multiple appearances.

The festival takes place over two consecutive weekends each April on the manicured polo grounds of the Coachella Valley desert. Its combination of cutting-edge bookings, art installations, and the surreal desert setting has made it a template that festivals worldwide have tried to replicate. The lineup typically spans rock, hip-hop, electronic, pop, and experimental music.

The Empire Polo Club at 81-800 Avenue 51 is a private polo facility for most of the year, accessible only during the festival and the related Stagecoach country music festival. Temperatures in April regularly exceed 35°C (95°F), and the desert setting — with the San Jacinto Mountains as a backdrop — creates the festival's distinctive visual identity. Tickets sell out almost immediately upon release.