Stagecoach 2026: Festivalgoers welcomed back following temporary evacuation due to winds

The Stagecoach Country Music Festival was abruptly postponed and evacuated on Saturday, April 25, after high winds disrupted the festival. But the show must go on and organizers rallied within an hour to get performers back up on the stages.

As festivalgoers made their way onto the Empire Polo Club field in Indio Saturday night after being temporarily evacuated, they were welcomed by signs thanking them for sticking around.

“Thanks for hanging with us y’all,” the sign proclaimed. “Welcome back, let’s do this!”

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It was a sharp turnaround from the previous messaging on the screens. Shortly before 8 p.m. the same screens flashed red and a voice over the loud speaker notified festivalgoers to immediately evacuate the area due to safety concerns.

"Emergency evacuation. The festival has been postponed until further notice. Please move quickly and calmly to the nearest exit.”

A severe weather alert also went out on the official Stagecoach app at 7:46 p.m. notifying attendees to exit the festival grounds. “Due to severe weather, please exit the event site and move to your vehicles or protected areas outside of the event site for safety,” the notification read.

As winds abruptly died down, Stagecoach organizers sent out another alert at 8:37 p.m. saying the festival would be restarted. Festivalgoers who had been in the midst of leaving the event site were confused about the sudden turn of events.

@beckypluseli

Literally Stagecoach what the helly – #stagecoach2026#stagecoach#emergencyevacuation#musicfestival#coachella

♬ original sound – Becky plus Eli

“The show will resume momentarily. We are working to open doors and prep the site for your safety,” the alert said. An organizer with Stagecoach said to check the app for the latest updates about set changes due to the weather.

A wind advisory was put in place by the National Weather Service and will remain in effect until 11 a.m. Sunday, April 26. According to the NWS, winds were expected to be between 25 to 35 mph with gusts possibly reaching up to 50 mph with additional isolated gusts of up to 65 mph through the passes.

Wind significantly picked up in the early evening. As bands fought to continue performing, fans began to run for shelter. Cowboy hats flew through the air along with dust and debris.

Artists such as Teddy Swims and Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale spoke about the powerful gusts during their sets. The music was also cut during Gavin Adcock’s performance and the screen changed to notify viewers that the show had been suspended and to move calmly to the exits.

Security officers and workers around the grounds began ushering people as quickly as they could away from equipment and structures in case they fell in the wind, directing people to leave the area.

Attendees were confused and unsure of what to do. Many desperately called friends they had been with, trying to find each other in the sea of moving people.

As crowds made their way through exits, people began to hop fences and shove each other trying to get out. Others kept the party going, downing miniature bottles of alcohol or starting singalongs.

@country.night

Wow what a crazy moment. Shout out @GavinAdcockMusic for giving a hell of a show until this #stagecoach

♬ original sound – Country Night

Once into the parking lot, crowds began dispersing to find their vehicles and meet up with friends - some dodging vehicles trying to leave the parking lot.

Festivalgoers in the parking lots changed course once the alert about doors reopening came, and began walking back to the festival.

Cars crowded into the streets around the festival with police officers attempting to maintain traffic safety. Many cars were trying to turn around and get back into the parking lots.

Some people yelled from their windows trying to let others know the show was still on.

Festivalgoers posted online about the situation, many expressing their disappointment with the weather conditions that “ruined their Stagecoach experience.” Some also called out Stagecoach for acting like nothing had happened once they changed course on the evacuation.

The official festival schedule was updated at 9:30 p.m. with an attitude that the show must go on. The latest lineup showed that Riley Green and Journey’s sets had been canceled, with headliner Lainey Wilson moved to 10:30 p.m. and Pitbull to midnight. Gavin Adcock, who was performing when the evacuation took place, will now perform with the Whiskey Jam All Star Sing-Along at 11 p.m.

The festival lineup is expected to stay the same on Sunday with Post Malone set to headline.

Reporters Charlie Vargas and Carolyn Burt contributed to this report.

Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.

This story was originally published April 26, 2026 at 12:02 AM.