Navigating Coachella: EventPermits’ Guide to Hosting an Unforgettable Brand Experience

April McCarty

January 16, 2024

 

 

The Coachella Music and Arts Festival, or Coachella for short, takes place every spring for two consecutive weekends at the Empire Polo Grounds in the Coachella Valley (Indio, California).  Brands that want their products to be seen and perceived as “must-have” by the throngs of attendees that descend upon the California desert every April, are eager participants at the most exclusive music performances and curated art experiences of the year.  Each year, the festival brings in roughly $115 million over the six days the festival is live. 

Coachella Sponsorships are category based and sell-out quickly, therefore brands and their agencies tend to look at holding private events off-site.  And as you might (correctly) imagine, private space site selection is incredibly limited. The permitting jurisdictions are also not inherently clear – not to mention the different address dependent permitting application deadlines. All this adds up to make an already difficult permitting process, that much more challenging. But that’s where our experienced team at eventpermits comes to the rescue! 

If you or your brand client is seeking to engage with and entertain a subset of brand evangelists (and entice new converts with glitzy, glamorous, over the top, one-of-a-kind memorable parties) before concert goers head to the festival grounds, we are the permitting experts that most brand marketers and their agencies have turned to for over a decade. 

While you can “google” and admire photos of the many large, private estates that historically have hosted brand-centric events during the festival in years gone by, it will not surprise you to know that these prime pieces of rentable real-estate are pre-reserved at least a year or more in advance. So now what? 

Let’s say, you were determined to find a great space, and let’s say, you got lucky. You found that needle in the haystack – a great venue that is miraculously available. Great news as a starting point, but now the fun begins with the permitting process. And YES, even private property, including private residences, require close adherence to local codes.  

If you’re not careful, and if you forget that not all properties are permitted in the same manner, you may find that the event you want to have at your new-found location, is not the type of event that will ultimately be allowed at that location. And trust us, you will want to know the answer to that question PRIOR to signing any brand budget away on any property rental agreements – NOT afterwards. 

We are proud to say that since 1997 our EventPermits team has permitted many different types of Coachella brand experiences over the years, from luxury test drives around the valley to pop up shops and many other “surprise and delight” events. 

Since the festival’s return post-COVID, having a presence at Coachella has become even more important for many brands and advertisers. Due to the high demand, the many and multiple jurisdictions within the Valley now all strictly enforce their different permitting submission deadlines.  If you are considering activating at or around the festival this year, we can help you not only with the permitting process but also in the preplanning phase to ensure your venue activation plan is logistically sound and viable. 

When is Coachella 2024? 

Coachella Weekend One will kick off on Friday, April 12-14, and Weekend Two will start on Friday, April 19-21. 

Where is Coachella? 

The Coachella festival is held in Indio, California at the Empire Polo Club. 

What acts are performing at Coachella 2024? 

We are hearing that the Coachella 2024 will include headliners Lana Del Rey and Tyler, The Creator, though an official announcement has not been made yet. 

How do I get Permits for Coachella-related events? 

Event Permits?  Generator Permits?  Building or Structural Permits?  Public Assembly Permits?  Amplified Sound Permits?  Food Truck & Health Permits?  Pop-Up Store Permits?  Film Permits? ….. Why not call or email the Coachella permitting experts at Event Permits?  One call, and help will be on the way in a flash.  But don’t delay!  Permitting deadlines are always very strict and tight for Coachella. Don’t be left out. Call us today!