Coachella returning without mask requirement

The outdoor music festival Coachella will be returning after a two-year hiatus this April without a mask requirement.

Organizers said on Tuesday that festivalgoers will not be required to be tested for COVID-19, provide proof of vaccination or wear masks. 

“There is no guarantee, express or implied, that those attending the festival will not be exposed to Covid-19,” they wrote on the Coachella website.

The guidance notes that people who are at a higher risk of suffering severe illness if they contract COVID-19 should consider that when they decide whether to attend the festival.

“All attendees agree to follow festival policies (including health and safety policies) and posted instructions while at the festival. According to the CDC, older adults and people of all ages with serious underlying medical conditions may be at higher risk of death or severe illness from COVID-19. All attendees should evaluate their risk in determining whether to attend the festival,” the guidance states.

Organizers also noted that current COVID-19 rules could change “in accordance with applicable public health conditions.”

Similar guidance was released for the Stagecoach country music festival, which is set to run in April and May of this year, suggesting that masks and other COVID-19 precautions such as vaccines and testing would not be required.

In the past, Coachella has attracted nearly 125,000 fans a day, according to The New York Times.