Full Breakdown
Stagecoach Country Music Festival Evacuated Amid High Winds
4/27/2026, 2:00:51 AM
Evacuation and Immediate Resumption
At approximately 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 25, 2026, the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, issued an emergency evacuation after high winds threatened safety. The venue reopened about an hour later, and revised set times were posted.
Weather Advisory and Festival Lineup
The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory for the Coachella Valley, forecasting sustained winds of 25-35 mph with gusts up to 65 mph and peaks of 55-65 mph in mountain passes. Stagecoach, a three-day, all-ages country music event, featured headliners Cody Johnson, Lainey Wilson and Post Malone, with acts such as Journey, Little Big Town and Riley Green.
Timeline of the Night
- 8:00 p.m.: Evacuation announced; screens displayed “The festival has been postponed until further notice. Please move quickly and calmly to the nearest exit.”
- 9:00 p.m.: Stagecoach posted “the show will resume momentarily” and began reopening gates.
- 9:30 p.m.: Updated set times released with “Back in the saddle.”
- 10:30 p.m.: Lainey Wilson performed; subsequent acts (Gavin Adcock, Pitbull, Diplo) followed the revised schedule.
Official Statements & Responses
Stagecoach’s official communications emphasized safety, noting staff were securing the site and that the festival would resume once conditions allowed. The organization posted revised set times and confirmed that remaining performances would continue under the updated schedule. Lainey Wilson publicly affirmed her intent to perform despite the winds.
Impact on Performers and Attendees
The wind-related disruption affected multiple artists and the audience. Journey and Riley Green’s sets were cancelled, while other acts were delayed. Attendees experienced a brief evacuation but were allowed to re-enter, and the headlining performance proceeded, preserving the festival’s overall schedule.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Wind figures differ: one source cites sustained 25-35 mph with gusts up to 65 mph, another mentions peaks of 55-65 mph in passes. Journey’s status is unclear—listed in the original lineup by one report but noted as canceled by another. Attendance numbers for the evacuation were not disclosed.
Verbatim Quotes
"the show will resume momentarily" — Stagecoach
"The festival has been postponed until further notice. Please move quickly and calmly to the nearest exit." — Stagecoach screen
"These crazy winds ain't gonna stop us. I'll see you on stage at 10:30pm. Let's get fired up!!" — Lainey Wilson, headliner
"Hopefully you sat in y’alls cars for a bit and drank some tequila," — Lainey Wilson, onstage
"We came to Stagecoach to have a damn good time and that’s what we gonna do," — Lainey Wilson, onstage
What's Next
The festival will continue through Sunday, with remaining scheduled acts including Gavin Adcock + Whiskey Jam (11:00-11:45 p.m. Palomino Stage), Pitbull, Diplo’s HonkyTonk (until 1:00 a.m.) and Post Malone closing the event. Organizers will monitor wind conditions and adjust future performances as needed.
