Saddle up for Stagecoach, the country cousin of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
What Is Stagecoach?
Since its impressive inaugural event in 2007, when George Strait headlined while Willie Nelson and Emmylou Harris played on the Palomino Stage, Stagecoach has exploded in popularity to become the largest country music festival in the world.
Who’s Playing Stagecoach This Year?
Each year’s lineup for this event—which takes place over the course of three days in late April or early May—offers a balance of big contemporary stars, classic-country legends, and a few genre-transcending crowd-pleasers. For 2026, the headliners include Cody Johnson, Lainey Wilson, and Post Malone. In addition to the headliners, the festival always includes a deep roster of support acts; for 2026, these include Brooks & Dunn, Bailey Zimmerman, and Riley Green, as well as not-so-traditional-country acts such as Pitbull, Journey, and Diplo.
How to Get Tickets to Stagecoach
Passes typically go on sale in the fall each year, primarily through the festival’s official website and authorized ticketing partners such as Ticketmaster and AXS. Options range from basic general admission to reserved seating; there are also premium offerings available, like access to the Corral Standing Pit (right in front of the primary “Mane” stage) and the Rhinestone Saloon Hotel Package, which includes access to the standing-room-only area adjacent to the Mane stage as well as the expansive Rhinestone Saloon and lodging. Single-day tickets are not offered.
Where to Stay While Attending Stagecoach
In addition to the above-mentioned Rhinestone Saloon Hotel Package, a range of Palm Springs–area resorts—like La Quinta Resort & Club, JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa, and Fairfield Inn & Suites, right in Indio—participate in hotel-plus-pass packages. Or simply book a stay at one of the dozens of area hotels, resorts, or RV campgrounds.
Are There Campgrounds or RV Spots at Stagecoach?
Festivalgoers can stay onsite in a safari tent or campsite at the Safari Campgrounds, where air-conditioned glamping accommodations and RV spots with power hookups are scattered amidst palm trees. You’ll travel to and from the festival in golf carts, and have access to the Safari Saloon, where breakfast and late-night snacks are served. To go all-out, book a yurt or residence to take advanted of maxed-out amenities such as personalized concierge services, access to the Diamond Saloon, and more. (Keep in mind that all of the above sell out fast.)
Where to Eat at Stagecoach
Thanks to a head-spinning amount of variety, slaying an appetite at Stagecoach Country Music Festival is a big part of the fun. Attendees can graze their way through a wide lineup of vendors serving everything from barbecue, burgers, and tacos to Nashville hot chicken, hearty breakfast bites, and plant-based dishes. Dessert options—from mini donuts to ice cream—offer sweet-tooth fixes. Craft beer, cocktails, and nonalcoholic drinks are widely available, and shaded seating areas make it easy to imbibe without missing the music.
Is Stagecoach Kid- and Family-Friendly?
A widely appreciated policy at this festival is that all ages are welcome—kids 10 and under are admitted free with a ticketed adult (general admission only), and the Indio Polo Grounds’ open, grassy layout makes it easy to spread out with strollers, wagons, or picnic blankets. There’s even a kid-friendly play area called the Half-Pint Hootenanny.
What Is There to Do at Stagecoach Besides Music?
No matter which pass you purchase, the many attractions guarantee that before, between, and after the live sets, the fun will never let up. Be sure to two-step at the festival’s HonkyTonk Dance Hall, visit the Compton Cowboys Corral, shop for vintage finds at the Stagecoach Trading Post, attend a Guy Fieri cooking demo, and enjoy a cold beer—it tastes better in the desert than anyplace on the planet.
Address
81-800 51st Ave
Indio, CA 92201
United States