While getting into the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival’s campgrounds was a nightmare during weekend one, with many campers waiting hours to get in, things went much smoother as campers arrived Thursday, April 17, for weekend two.
“The wait time was not bad for us. We got here at 8 p.m. last night and we got right in,” said Sacramento resident Barric Morris Friday, who was camping on the grounds with three friends.
Some festivalgoers who arrived on Friday however were delayed after a big rig overturned and caught fire near Washington Street, just west of the Empire Polo Club in Indio where the festival is held.
Once inside the vast campground, festivalgoers began to bond in what has essentially become a village of its own. Offers inside include lounge areas, a general store, ping-pong tables, a pickleball court and even a place where people can take a dip in inflatable pools.
And the actual camps have evolved to setups that go beyond just simple tents. Here’s how some people are camping at Coachella.
The Zen zone
Bay Area resident Crysta Vlasak wanted her campground at Coachella to be all about Zen, relaxation and getting stylish for the festival while still staying cozy.
To accomplish this Vlasak and her three friends set up a canopy and lined the inside with colorful tapestries that were emblazoned with images of things like the sun, flowers and geometric shapes while the ground was covered with an oriental-style rug.
“We definitely like a lot of open space and we like tapestry up for color and shade too, and we even snuck in a full length mirror,” she said.
Her friend Barric Morris was doing stretches on the carpet to get ready for the day.
“We wanted something chill and simple and something nice to come back to after a day at the festival,” he said.
The classic van
Long Beach resident Curtis Robinett brought a classic hippie vibe for his first year at Coachella with his 1969 VW Westfalia. The classic red van, which the 33-year-old has owned since he was 18, stood out amongst the mostly newer model cars in the campground.
But the bus wasn’t there just for looks since it’s equipped with the original camping interior including two beds inside and a third sleeping area on the roof once the pop-top tent is lifted. He also added a solar panel to plug in electronics and an outdoor solar shower that he made himself.
“It just makes camping easier, you can run the fridge and radio. And you can pump the shower with air pressure and it works pretty good” he said. “And it’s really comfy.”
Behind the bus he had set up a colorful curtain for privacy in front of a hangout area that was under a canopy. The area was decorated with rugs, chairs and a small tent for yet another sleeping space.
Rattlesnake mansion
It would be hard to find a bigger campground than the one put together by Las Vegas resident Dolan Anderson-Klingenberg, who was sharing a 15-car space with 40 of his closest friends. The group of friends call themselves “The Rattlesnakes” and for the past three years Anderson-Klingenberg has been using a spreadsheet to design the space and accommodate his large crew, who all park side-by-side for the weekend.
“I like seeing everyone happy and comfortable,” he said.
On one side of the communal space is the sleeping area, where several tents were erected close together. Then there’s the hangout area that’s decked out with about 15 large inflatable chairs and couches and several carpets laid out throughout the space.
The campers also share the same “Grandma,” which is what the group calls its communal beer bong.
“We just have so much fun, so comfortable and you’re safe with your people,” he said.
Queer+ Q+ Camp
As part of Coachella’s Queer+ initiative, a group of about 25 people who applied were set up at Q+ Camp,decked out with about 20 mostly pink tents that surrounded a central hub.
The hub is a large circus-style tent where campers can hang out on couches, go to a pop-up beauty salon, chill in an outdoor lounge area and even barbecue.
“For me it’s the communal aspect that I love,” said Jaron Ramos, one of the camp leaders. “This morning my job was to wake everyone up and making sure we all get set and get ready for the day. We all get ready together and we enjoy silent disco at night,” he said.