The annual music and arts festivals have been pushed back several months due to coronavirus concerns.
The annual Coachella Valley Music and Arts festival and the Stagecoach Festival are the latest major events to be affected as worldwide concerns over COVID-19, commonly known as coronavirus, continue to grow.
It was announced on Tuesday that Coachella and Stagecoach -- which were set to take place in Indio, California, in April -- will be postponed to October due to concerns over the coronavirus.
"At the direction of the County of Riverside and local health authorities, we must sadly confirm the rescheduling of Coachella and Stagecoach due to COVID-19 concerns. While this decision comes at a time of universal uncertainty, we take the safety and health of our guests, staff and community very seriously. We urge everyone to follow the guidelines and protocols put forth by public health officials," explained Goldenvoice -- the company that produces both festivals -- in a statement released on Tuesday.
"Coachella will now take place on October 9, 10 and 11 and October 16, 17 and 18, 2020. Stagecoach will take place on October 23, 24 and 25, 2020," the statement continued. "All purchases for the April dates will be honored for the rescheduled October dates. Purchasers will be notified by Friday, March 13 on how to obtain a refund if they are unable to attend."
The lineup for Coachella was set to feature performances from headliners like Travis Scott, Frank Ocean, Rage Against the Machine, Lana Del Rey, Megan Thee Stallion, DaBaby and more.
Coachella's postponement comes amid the cancellation of numerous festivals like South by Southwest, Miami's Ultra Music Festival and France's Tomorrowland Winter 2020 as other major events begin to cancel proactively over fears that attendees could possibly spread the potentially fatal flu-like virus.
Musical acts like BTS and Avril Lavigne have also canceled tour dates in countries with high levels of coronavirus cases, film and television projects like Mission: Impossible 7 and The Amazing Race have shut down production and movies like the upcoming James Bond epic, No Time to Die, have cancelled premieres and pushed release dates over the public health concerns.
Infectious disease researcher Dr. Ravina Kullar spoke with ET last week about the threat of the virus, saying she's "very concerned" about the growing numbers of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and around the world, but cautioning that there are currently greater threats to American public health -- the flu, for example.
However, Dr. Kullar was supportive of organizations canceling public events like festivals and conventions, especially in areas with higher concentrations of confirmed coronavirus cases. "I think that's a good idea. Until we get a handle and grasp on this virus, I think we need to take precautionary measures."
See more on how artists are handling coronavirus cancellations in the video below.
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