Stagecoach Festival Evacuated Amid High Winds

High winds swept through the Stagecoach country music festival in Indio, California, on Saturday evening, forcing organizers to evacuate tens of thousands of attendees and temporarily suspend performances before resuming operations about two hours later.

The disruption occurred during the festival's second day at the Empire Polo Club, where gusts intensified around 5 p.m., interrupting sets by artists including Teddy Swims on the Mane Stage and Marshmello at the Honkytonk tent. By 7:46 p.m., festival promoter Goldenvoice issued an alert via the Stagecoach app directing attendees to exit the site and seek shelter in vehicles or protected areas outside the grounds due to safety concerns. Screens across the venue, including at the Mane Stage, displayed an "Emergency Evacuation" message stating the event was postponed until further notice and urging crowds to move quickly and calmly to the nearest exits.

Thousands of festivalgoers complied, with some walking to the main entrance while others boarded shuttles bound for hotels or parking lots. Security staff guided the exodus, though reports indicated that certain emergency exits between the main stage and entrance remained closed,...