Coachella is an annual music and arts festival held in the California desert, in the city of Indio, at the Empire Polo Club grounds. The festival was launched in 1999, founded by promoters Paul Tollett and Rick Van Santen. The first Coachella festival was held in October 1999, organized by Goldenvoice and the company AEG. At that time, organizing a large multi-day festival in the desert heat seemed like a bad idea. Performers included acts like Beck, Tool, and Rage Against the Machine, and the festival attracted about 25,000 people per day. Despite good reviews, the festival incurred a financial loss, so it was not held in 2000. It returned in 2001 as a smaller, one-day event and slowly began to recover. In the early 2000s, Coachella began to evolve and define itself. It became a multi-day festival again and introduced elements that would become its hallmark—camping, art installations, and the blending of different music genres. One of the key moments was Daft Punk's performance in 2006 with the legendary "pyramid," which many consider one of the best live electronic music performances ever. By the end of the decade, the festival had grown significantly—both in attendance and cultural influence. The 2010s were a golden age for Coachella, and in 2012, a second weekend was introduced due to enormous demand. Over the years, Coachella has featured stars such as Prince, Paul McCartney, Beyoncé, Madonna, Kanye West, Radiohead, Bad Bunny, Drake, Billie Eilish, and many others. Over more than two decades, Coachella has grown from an alternative music event into a global cultural phenomenon that unites various genres—from rock and indie music to hip-hop and the electronic scene—along with large art installations and spectacular production. This year's edition, which is also the milestone 25th in a row, is being held from April 10 to 12 and then from April 17 to 19, 2026. Interest in the festival has grown over the years, and in recent years it has been enormous—tickets sell out very quickly, confirming Coachella's status as one of the most prestigious music events in the world. From humble beginnings in the late '90s to its status as a world spectacle, Coachella has become a symbol of modern festival culture. When it comes to prices, the basic ticket (General Admission – GA), which provides entry for all three days of the festival, ranged from $549 to $699. VIP tickets cost from $1,199 to $1,399. As official tickets sold out very quickly, prices on resale platforms can exceed $1,500. The festival attracts over 250,000 visitors each year and is estimated to generate revenue of $800 million.