when was the first coachella

The first Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival was held on October 9–10, 1999, at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California.

Quick Scoop: First Coachella

• Date: October 9–10, 1999.

• Location: Empire Polo Club, Indio, California.

• Official festival name: Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

• Notable headliners: Beck, Tool, and Rage Against the Machine helped define the festival’s early alt/rock edge.

• Vibe back then: Much smaller, more niche, and far less influencer-driven than the modern “desert mega–festival” people know today.

Over time, Coachella has grown from that two‑day October 1999 experiment in the desert into a global pop‑culture event that now live‑streams to millions and shapes festival trends worldwide.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.