Why does Coachella have a curfew? Reasons behind $117,000 fine explored 

Coachella made history this year with an impressive lineup of highly anticipated artists. One of the biggest highlights was BLACKPINK, who became the first K-Pop group to grace the Coachella stage. Diljit Dosanjh also made history as the first Indian artist to perform at the festival. Frank Ocean, on the other hand, made a comeback after a hiatus in 2017.

However, the festival landed in controversy as the organizers were hit with a hefty fine of $117,000 from city representatives as they broke curfew on all three nights.

Due to this, Frank Ocean’s set ended before the scheduled time. The singer stated during his performance that he would be cutting his set short as he mentioned:

“Guys, I’m being told it’s a curfew, so that’s the show’s end”

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Coachella surpassed the curfew on all three days of the event

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, one of the largest music festivals in the United States, was issued a curfew by the city council after violating their agreed-upon festival schedule. The festival, which is known for its star-studded lineup and enthusiastic crowds, was forced to end at a designated time to avoid further violations.

The Indio City Council, which is responsible for overseeing the festival, issued a warning to festival organizers after learning that the event was running overtime. Festival organizer Goldenvoice failed to comply with the city's regulations. Despite knowing the rules, the festival organizers continued to run the event overtime, which resulted in multiple violations and hefty fines.

The organizers of Coachella signed a contract with Indio, accepting the city's curfew rules, which have been in place for many years.

Vulture has reported that Goldenvoice, the organizer of the festival, has been slapped with a hefty $117K fine for violating the curfew set by the City of Indio. According to a representative for the city, the fine was imposed because the festival ran over the allotted time on all three days of the event.

The festival reportedly surpassed the 1 am curfew by 25 minutes on Friday (April 14) and 22 minutes on Saturday (April 15). The event also surpassed the midnight curfew by 25 minutes on Sunday (April 16) during Frank Ocean's performance.

Coachella organizers have had a contract with Indio since 2013 regarding curfew violations. The fine was imposed as per the contract, which specified a daily fine of $20,000 for every 5 minutes past curfew, along with an additional $1,000 for every minute after that.

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Coachella's controversies in the past

One of the world's most well-known music and arts festivals has had its share of controversies over the years. Here are some notable controversies associated with the festival in the past:

Anti-LGBTQIA+ Donations: In 2019, it was revealed the owner of the festival, Philip Anschutz, had donated large sums of money to anti-LGBTQIA+ organizations. This caused an uproar among festival-goers and resulted in a boycott of the event.

Labor Issues: In 2016, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters accused Coachella of union-busting tactics and poor treatment of workers. This included allegations of low pay and poor working conditions.

Environmental Impact: In 2016 the festival's heavy use of resources and location in the arid California desert raised concerns about its environmental impact, including water usage and waste management.

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Overall, these controversies have sparked debates about the festival's ethics and values, and have led to calls for change from both attendees and activists. Despite this, the festival remains one of the most anticipated events in the world, with millions of attendees gathering every year to watch electrifying performances by their favorite artists.