In the Californian desert, the era of sanitary restrictions will soon be over.
After two years of absence due to the pandemic, Coachella intends to make the lawn full and welcome, without gauge, some 125,000 festival-goers per day.
During the weekends of April 15 and 22, the artists will therefore find the crowd as it was left for its last edition in 2020, that is to say unmasked.
On the QR code side, only tickets will be scanned to access the festivities, the health pass no longer being the norm.
The lifting of restrictions extends to the country branch of Coachella, the Stagecoach Festival, scheduled for April 29 through May 1.
No vaccination, test or mask obligation
The decision was announced by Goldenvoice, the festival's organizing company since 1999.
"In accordance with local guidelines, there will be no vaccination, test or mask obligation
", is it mentioned on the site of the two festivals.
The organizers, however, take great care to cover themselves by explaining that
"there is an inherent and high risk of exposure to covid-19 in any public place or place where people are present and there is no guarantee, express or implicit, that those who attend the festival will not be exposed to covid-19”
.
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And to overcome any future difficulties, the festival announces that
“changes in capacity, attendance procedures and entry conditions”
will be possible, if the situation were to deteriorate.
While Covid cases have dropped by more than -60% in two weeks, California is recording more than 200 deaths per day, 8% more than a fortnight ago.
Since Wednesday, wearing a mask is no longer mandatory indoors for vaccinated Californians, but the rest in schools and for unvaccinated people.
By lifting its health restrictions, Coachella wants to attract as many spectators as possible.
The festival has invited Harry Styles, Billie Eilish and regular Kanye West as headliners.
On the French-speaking side, Stromae, Mika and L'Impératrice answer the call for this 2022 edition, which will be sold out.