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From A Small Desert Town to a Music Juggernaut
When people hear the word Coachella, they often think of flower crowns, desert sunsets, and unforgettable music performances. But before it became a global cultural phenomenon, Coachella was simply the name of a small city in California’s Inland Empire — and that’s where the festival gets its name.
A Misspelling, Fossilized Shells, and Indigenous Roots
The name Coachella is believed to be a misspelling of the word “Conchilla,” which comes from a Spanish word meaning “little shell.” Early Spanish settlers reportedly found fossilized shells in the region’s dry lake beds, but long before that, the area was — and still is — home to the Cahuilla people. The Cahuilla have lived in the Coachella Valley for thousands of years, maintaining a deep cultural and spiritual connection to the land. Today, tribes like the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians continue to reside in the region.
The Birth of the Festival: Coachella’s Rocky Start in 1999
Fast forward to the late 1990s, and the Coachella Valley was about to become the epicenter of a new kind of music celebration. In 1999, concert promoters Paul Tollett and Rick Van Santen launched the first Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. Despite a rocky start — the debut festival lost money and didn’t return until 2001 — it quickly gained momentum thanks to its adventurous lineups, art installations, and laid-back desert vibe.
From Indie Gathering to Global Phenomenon
Over the years, Coachella has grown into a multi-weekend, genre-blending juggernaut that attracts music fans from around the world. It has helped launch careers, hosted major artist reunions, and defined what it means to experience live music in the 21st century.
From a quiet desert town to a global brand, Coachella’s name now stands for much more than a location — it represents a cultural moment, year after year.
