Stagecoach Festival Canceled Due to High Winds and Safety Concerns
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The Stagecoach Festival experienced a temporary evacuation Saturday night due to high winds, prompting organizers to halt performances and clear the grounds.
An “emergency evacuation” message flashed on screens throughout the venue, instructing attendees to “move quickly and calmly to the nearest exit.” Additionally, alerts from the festival’s official app urged festivalgoers to leave the area and relocate their vehicles outside the venue.
The disruption impacted several stages at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. At the time of the evacuation, activities at the Mane Stage—the festival’s main stage—had just paused between sets, while other performances were similarly halted as crowds began to exit.
Winds had escalated throughout the day, with advisories in place as conditions worsened following earlier shows on the Mane Stage.
Billboard correspondent Jessica Nicholson, present at the Palomino Stage during the incident, recounted the scene when Gavin Adcock’s performance was interrupted. “I was at the Palomino Stage when they stopped Gavin Adcock’s show,” Nicholson said. “The screens on either side of the Palomino stage lit up red and had a message that said ‘Stage Area Closed, please keep away from this area,’ then it later said to evacuate the area.”
Videos from festivalgoers showed thousands moving toward the exits, with the atmosphere remaining predominantly calm as attendees filtered out of the venue.
Stagecoach later confirmed via social media that the festival intended to resume shortly, stating it was “working to open doors and prep the site for your safety.” The gates reopened later that evening.
— Stagecoach Festival (@Stagecoach) April 26, 2026
The shutdown lasted approximately 30 minutes before the festival resumed its operations.
Stagecoach, one of the largest country music festivals in the United States, takes place annually at the same location as the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and typically draws tens of thousands of attendees.
