Stagecoach Festival
Stagecoach Festival | |
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![]() Entrance to the 2011 festival. | |
Genre | Country, country rock, Southern rock, bluegrass, heartland rock, alternative country |
Location(s) | Empire Polo Club Indio, California, United States |
Years active | 2007–2019, 2022–present |
Website | stagecoachfestival |
The Stagecoach Festival is an annual country music festival held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Coachella Valley in the Colorado Desert. Organized by Goldenvoice, a subsidiary of AEG Presents, it is a sister event to the Coachella festival, and held on the weekend immediately following the conclusion of Coachella.
First held in 2007, the event has attracted country musicians ranging from mainstream and pop, to folk, bluegrass, roots rock, americana, and alternative country, with a focus on veteran performers and up and coming acts.[1][2] It is the largest and highest-grossing country music festival in the world.[3][4]
History
[edit]Stagecoach was held for the first time in 2007, as a sister event to the Coachella festival.[3] In 2012, the festival's 55,000 attendees marked its first sell-out crowd.[1] In 2018, Stagecoach set a new attendance record with 75,000 attendees;[5] this was surpassed the following year with a peak of 80,000.[4] Stagecoach was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19.[6][7][8]
Notable performers have included Brad Paisley, Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Brooks and Dunn, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton, Sugarland, The Charlie Daniels Band, Alabama.[9] George Strait, Alan Jackson, Willie Nelson, Eagles, Roger McGuinn, Rascal Flatts, Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Martina McBride, Don Williams, Jerry Lee Lewis, Shania Twain, Luke Bryan, Garth Brooks, Eric Church, and Post Malone.
In recent years, Stagecoach has become a hotspot for fans and contestants of the reality dating show The Bachelor, with numerous contestants from Bachelor Nation being invited to attend the festival and post pictures on Instagram. It was revealed that initial drama on Season 6 of the Bachelor spinoff Bachelor in Paradise resulted from romantic relationships that took place at the music festival earlier in the year.[10] Sections of the 2018 film A Star Is Born, starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, were filmed at Stagecoach.[11]
Camping
[edit]The facilities provide on-site camping for some festival-goers. The Desert Sun published an article on the camping, reporting that some attendees think that it, as a standalone event, is almost on par with the concerts.[12] The 2013 festival's tent/car camping policy was eliminated and the RV camping rules altered due to the overwhelming 55,000 person sellout crowd at the 2012 festival. The new rules were to stand until Goldenvoice decided on a different approach.[13]
Festival cuisine
[edit]The festival showcases a variety of food and beverages to enjoy over the course of the weekend. Some of the restaurants expected for the 2013 festival were Jackelope Ranch, Las Casuelas,[14] Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, Fisherman's Market & Grill, and vendors like Spicy Pie, Pink's Hot Dogs, and Waffleman Ice Cream Sandwiches. There are also full bars, a Cantina Restaurant, BBQ contest, and a pancake breakfast supporting the local Lions Club.[15]
Kansas City BBQ Society (KCBS) sanctioned the Stagecoach Invitational BBQ Championship encompassing teams from across the nation competing for the KCBS California State championship.[16]
Grand champions
[edit]- 2008 - Sug's Shack BBQ & BLQUE Cuttin Edge Que[17]
- 2009 - Rhythm N' Que & Lotta Bull[18]
- 2010 - Lotta Bull West[19]
- 2011 - All Sauced Up[20]
- 2012 - El Fuego Fiasco[21]
Lineups by year
[edit]See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Fessier, Bruce. "Stagecoach attracts big names, crowds as country music festival grows". My Desert. Retrieved May 2, 2012.
- ^ Willman, Chris. "Stagecoach Festival Ends on High Note With Brad Paisley, The Band Perry, Martina McBride". CMT. Archived from the original on July 6, 2012. Retrieved May 2, 2012.
- ^ a b Lewis, Randy (April 28, 2016). "How Stagecoach became world's largest country fest". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
- ^ a b Fessier, Bruce. "Record-breaking Stagecoach crowd estimated at 80,000, embraces family in all of its forms". The Desert Sun. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
- ^ "Mix 100.5". Retrieved September 13, 2018.
- ^ "Coachella and Stagecoach festivals canceled for 2021, after being postponed in 2020, because of COVID-19". San Diego Union-Tribune. January 30, 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
- ^ Wilkinson, Alissa (July 24, 2020). "How the coronavirus outbreak is roiling the film and entertainment industries". Vox. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
- ^ Bucksbaumm, Sydney (June 1, 2021). "Coachella and Stagecoach festivals set April 2022 return dates". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
- ^ "News Updates". Stagecoach Music Festival. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
- ^ Lindsay, Kathryn. "Stagecoach Music Festival & Do They Put Love Potion In Their Beer?". Refinery 29. VICE media group. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
- ^ Pena, Xochitl. "'A Star is Born' with Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga in scenes shot on Coachella, Stagecoach stages". The Desert Sun. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
- ^ Peña, Xochitl (April 29, 2012). "Stagecoach country festival a camp-out — plus music". The Desert Sun. Retrieved May 18, 2012.
- ^ Franko, Vanessa (October 13, 2012). "Stagecoach 2013: All those rowdy friends must settle down". The Press Enterprise. Retrieved January 24, 2013.
- ^ Brown, Renee (August 3, 2024). "Many locals and tourists eat and drink there, but do you know the history of Las Casuelas? (2018)". The Desert Sun. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
- ^ "Food & Beverage". Stagecoachfestival.com. 2012. Retrieved January 24, 2013.
- ^ Grossweiner, Bob; Cohen, Jane (November 11, 2008). "Country music's Stagecoach Festival announces lineup for April 25–26". Ticket News. Retrieved January 24, 2013.
- ^ "May 2008". Kansas City Barbeque Society. Retrieved January 25, 2013.
- ^ "April 2009". Kansas City Barbeque Society. Retrieved January 25, 2013.
- ^ "April 2010". Kansas City Barbeque Society. Retrieved January 25, 2013.
- ^ "April 2011". Kansas City Barbeque Society. Retrieved January 25, 2013.
- ^ "April 2012". Kansas City Barbeque Society. Retrieved January 25, 2013.
- ^ "Stagecoach 2007 | Country music festival, Willie nelson, Sara evans". Pinterest.com. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
- ^ https://ccnewspaper.com/2008/02/stagecoach-country-music-festival-in-indio-ca-may-2-4-2008/ [dead link]
- ^ "Stagecoach 2009 Line Up Announced". Celebrityaccess.com. November 9, 2008. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
- ^ "2010 Stagecoach Festival Lineup". Acountry.com. October 8, 2009. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
- ^ "Stagecoach Confirms Lineup". Relix Media. October 27, 2010. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
- ^ "2012 Stagecoach Festival Lineup Announced". Socialmusictoday.com. October 21, 2011. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
- ^ "Stagecoach 2013 Lineup". Inlandempire.com. February 7, 2013. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
- ^ "Stagecoach Festival 2014 Lineup: Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Jason Aldean, and More". Spin.com. October 10, 2013. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
- ^ "Stagecoach Festival Announces 2015 Lineup Featuring Tim McGraw, Miranda Lambert And Blake Shelton". Music.mxdwn.com. October 6, 2014. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
- ^ Fessier, Hannah Weiner, and Bruce. "Stagecoach 2016 lineup announced". The Desert Sun. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Stagecoach 2017 Lineup". Inlandempire.com. March 21, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
- ^ Simon, Daniel Simon and Daniel. "Full lineup for Stagecoach 2018 is in. Florida Georgia Line, Keith Urban and Garth Brooks headline". The Desert Sun. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
- ^ Dolan, Casey (March 15, 2019). "The 2019 Stagecoach set times are here". Cactus Hugs. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
- ^ "Stagecoach Announce 2020 Lineup and On-sale Dates - Festicket Magazine". Festicket.com. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
- ^ Zaremba, Melissa (July 12, 2021). "Stagecoach 2022 lineup announced". Kesq.com. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
- ^ "Stagecoach festival announces lineup for 2023". Los Angeles Times. September 12, 2022.
- ^ "Stagecoach 2024 Lineup to Feature Morgan Wallen, Eric Church, Miranda Lambert, Post Malone, Willie Nelson, Jelly Roll". Variety. September 7, 2023.
External links
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