‘People were crazy.’ Fast sell-out for ‘locals-only’ Coachella tickets
Coachella Valley residents who didn’t have tickets for the upcoming Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival had a second chance to snag passes Wednesday during the second of two locals-only sales. Sales started at 9 a.m. and ended at around 11:45 a.m.
(Video courtesy of Vianey González)
Thousands of people lined up at the Indian Wells Tennis Gardens, with some in line for more than six hours before the box office opened for a chance to buy a pass. People brought lawn chairs, and blankets as they waited.
According to a statement from Goldenvoice, crowds were larger than expected and larger than the first weekend of local sales. There were some minor crowd control issues which were handled quickly. Not everyone was able to get a ticket.
Some people who got their tickets said the process was chaotic. Yazmin Castillo of Cathedral City said she saw people mobbing to get tickets.
“Everyone said that last year was organized, simple, clean, single file line,” Castillo said. “This year, people were crazy, probably because the line-up is so good this year that everyone wants to go. People were throwing down fences…and there was already a fight at 7 a.m.”
Music promoter Goldenvoice confirmed around the first thousand people in line received white wristbands and began selling to those people. A few hundred people after that were also sold tickets. Security cut the line at 10:45 a.m.
A Goldenvoice spokesperson sent KESQ and CBS Local 2 this statement:
“Crowds were larger than expected (and larger than weekend 1 resident sale). There were some minor crowd control issues which were handled quickly. Not everyone was able to get a ticket.”
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Wednesday’s second locals-only event was held at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden Box Office, 78200 Miles Ave., from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., or while supplies last.
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While passes for the festivals sold out months ago, Goldenvoice has regularly held the annual locals-only sale for those in the Coachella Valley still hoping to attend.
In order to obtain tickets, ticket buyers must provide proof of Coachella Valley residency via a California driver’s license or ID card. The offer extends to residents living within the following ZIP codes:
92201, 92202, 92203, 92210, 92211, 92230, 92234, 92236, 92240, 92241, 92253, 92254, 92255, 92258, 92260, 92261, 92262, 92263, 92264, 92270, 92274, 92275, 92276 and 92292.
General admission passes are $399 each and are limited to two passes per resident.
The second weekend of the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival will be held April 21-23 at the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio. Radiohead, Lady Gaga and Kendrick Lamar are the headliners.
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