‘Best thing ever’: Residents welcome Coachella festival-goers back to town

Coachella music festival is making its weekend one return for the first time since 2019 and locals are welcoming the visitors back to town.

"I love all the young people in the area and I think it's great," said Deanna Benson.

"The more the merrier," said Maryann Lowen. "It's great because most of the time we see our blue-haired set!"

Traffic started to build mid-valley Thursday ahead of the first of three festival weekends in the valley, but for many, it's become routine.

"I think the roads are more crowded; that's about all I've seen," said Sandy Loftin.

Charles McBrayer noticed festival-goers crowding into his usual grocery store, the Ralph's on Jefferson Street at Avenue 50 in Indio, which is just a block from the festival grounds. He and his wife instead changed course to another nearby store.

"Couldn't get into Ralphs parking lot on Jefferson so we came here," McBrayer said.

As for noise from the festival – for some, it's an expected impact that doesn't bother them much.

"We’re used to it and we’re only a couple of miles away so we hear Coachella at night," MacBrayer said.

"We hear it but it just seems like it's far away and it's not a big deal," Lowen said.

No one we spoke to Thursday was worried about unruly party people or vacation rentals.

"I think that everybody's been pretty respectful too coming for the concert," said Bill Lane. "Everybody gets a bad rap."

"I think that Airbnb's should be allowed in Coachella Valley; I think it's fantastic," Deanna Benson said.

"Everybody having fun – that's the best thing ever," said Maryann Lowen. "Can't complain at all."