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Stagecoach: 101


Heidi is wearing a Peter Grimm Hat, Sunnies from Foster Grant, Top from Forever21, Shorts from True Religion, Fanny Pack from Zadig & Voltaire & Boots from Giddy Up Boots.

History & Event Info


Welcome to Stagecoach Country Music Festival Loves!! Stagecoach started back in 2007 and immediately follows Coachella Music Festival. Stagecoach is also held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, and is known as a “sister” or “cousin” event to Coachella. Some of the amazing art installations seen at Coachella can also be found at Stagecoach. Did you know #Stagecoach is the highest-grossing and one of the largest country music festivals in the world? In 2018, Stagecoach broke a new attendance record with 75,000 attendees. Below are all the details you need to know when planning for Stagecoach with my Heidiisms Tips and ending with my 2019 Stagecoach Experience!!


Photo Courtesy of Stagecoach.

Ticket Sales


Tickets normally go on sale in September, although there have been some years Stagecoach has done a pre-sale offering tickets before the line up in July. There are four options of tickets to buy, starting with the closest to the Main Stage:


Corral Standing Pit: No seats but right in front of the Main Stage

C1 Corral Reserved Seating: Provided Commemorative Folding Chair (you can keep after the festival) seating right behind the Corral Standing Pit

C2 Corral Reserved Seating: Provided Commemorative Folding Chair (you can keep after the festival) seating right behind the C1 Reserved Seating

GA: Which has a standing pit and areas for blankets & chairs (you bring these) behind the VIP/ Corral fence and all the Corral Standing & Seating


Map Courtesy of Stagecoach.

💋Heidiisms Tip: GA is great if you're going for the experience. During the headliners and sunset performances, GA standing will become very busy and seating with room to dance should be claimed early by laying your blanket or chairs down. Don’t worry if you can’t make it early, you will be able to watch on the giant TVs and the music still fills the air & your soul the same from every area. If you want to see the artists perform then I recommend at minimum C2 seating. There are also more shaded areas in VIP/Corral areas, which if temps break the triple digits you will be thanking yourself. 💋


Photo Courtesy of Stagecoach.

Tickets can be ordered online and mailed to the house (shipped around mid-February) or you can opt for Will Call.


💋Heidiisms Tip: If you can avoid Will Call, avoid it. It is an outdoor Will Call in the desert (over 100 on this Friday) about 15 min away from the festival grounds and lines can get pretty long. Book early & have tickets shipped. If you have to go to will call, arrive early.💋


Map Courtesy of Stagecoach.

Housing


The Resort at Stagecoach has Car Camping & an RV Park perfect for onsite lodging. Also, by staying onsite you can re-enter the festival multiple times throughout the day (off-site lodging you can only enter & exit once per day). An overnight parking pass is also available for an extra charge (apx. $60) for additional vehicles. Don’t park in the free car parking (yes, there is free car day parking!!) if you are staying overnight as you will be towed after 2am.


💋Heidiisms Tip: I’m not a camping in hot temperatures type of person, so Car Camping is definitely not for me, although I know a lot of people who love this experience. The RV Resort is very cute with street signs and they get some great festival gating going on, so I could be down for this if it’s a luxury RV with AC otherwise there are so many gorgeous houses with private pools & hot tubs. If you are going to do the RV Resort make sure to plan ahead of time as these typically sell out fast!! Also, if you're going in a group of multiple RVs arrive together so you can RV together.💋


If you are opting for a house or hotel, usually Stagecoach will have recommendations for hotels when booking passes and Airbnb will have many options. This year there were still houses available at reasonable rates right up until a week before Stagecoach, but it’s best to book early.


Photo Courtesy of Stagecoach.

Transportation


Coming from the LA area there are two main options for arriving at the festival, Driving or Flying. Driving is normally around 2 hours and 30 min although during peak times (before & after the festival) it can take you over 4 hours to and from LA. If you plan on using Uber or a ride share service most of the time to get to and from the festival, check out BlackBird or JetSmarter to fly you down and beat the traffic. Once in Coachella Valley, you can drive to the festival, purchase a Shuttle Pass (apx. $75) or use a ride share service to get to the festival.


💋Heidiisms Tip: If you rent a house close enough, biking in and out of the festival is a great way to avoid the long path walking in & out of the festival grounds. Make sure to bring a bike lock as you can’t bring bikes onto the festivals grounds but they will get you right up to the entrance. 💋


Photo Courtesy of Stagecoach.

Stagecoach Layout & Festival Planning


Festival Lockers at Stagecoach are a great way to store your folding chairs, blankets, sweaters or night clothes, and anything you buy throughout the day at the shops. They come in three sizes and are for all three days. Prices vary but you can usually get a Three Day XL locker for under $100 total. Lockers are located near the entrance. This year they were next to the yellow path. More on the paths in and out below.


💋Heidiisms Tip: Go Big. Have at least one person in your group get the XL Locker especially if you're staying off-site. Your friends will thank you too when they are dancing hands free!! Buy your locker ahead of time, through the Stagecoach App or Website, to ensure they don't sell out.💋


Filled water bottles must be dumped out before entering the festival and all bags are subject to search. There are plenty of free watering stations if you bring your own reusable bottle.


💋Heidiisms Tip: The least crowded watering station is usually all the way to the right when walking in just before the Market Place. Also, if you forget your water bottle, water bottles were the least expensive at the drink vendors. *Bonus* If you collect 10 water bottles off the ground and bring them to be recycled, you can get a free water!! Loved this Option!💋


Photo Courtesy of Stagecoach.

There are Three Stages at the festival and the Honkey Tonk Dance Hall, which has AC. There were two Pop-Ups this year, also with AC, the Estèe Lauder & Pantene experiences where you could get your hair & makeup done! Estèe Lauder also had games where you could win some fabulous full-sized makeup and had a photo experience.


Stagecoach had plenty of Food & Drink vendors and also a Postmates experience for quick pick up (Lines during peak festival hours can get busy, especially for drinks). The Guy Fieri’s Stagecoach Smokehouse BBQ tent was packed with BBQ deliciousness and interactive experiences.


Photo Courtesy of Stagecoach.

There is also a Marketplace for all your Cowboy or Cowgirl needs. Looking to get social? Head over to the Budweiser Country Club, Bumble BFF experience or the Malibu Beach House on the festival grounds.


💋Heidiisms Tip: Download the Stagecoach App for Maps, Lineups and all your Stagecoach needs before getting to the festival grounds. Also, plan set places to meet your friends incase you get separated. 💋


Photo Courtesy of Stagecoach.

Extracurricular Activities


Looking to attend some parties outside of the festival? Just like Coachella Weekend One, more and more parties are being added, off festival grounds . This year I knew about these extra curricular activities that could be added to your calendar with the right connections.


Zenyara

Boots & BBQ Luncheon

Boots on Stage


I’m sure as Stagecoach grows, more parties, brunches, and events will be added into the lineup. Okay, now onto my experience below!!


Heidi is wearing a Hat by Peter Grimm, Styled by Shiekh Stylist and Hair by Insert Name Here.

Stagecoach: The Heidiisms Experience


Dreams can come true Loves! When I created my first Blog & Company, LoveLustLA, it was my dream to be approved as Press/Media to cover one of the epic festivals by Goldenvoice. Goldenvoice puts on the legendary Coachella and Stagecoach Music Festivals. Each year, I would apply for both Coachella & Stagecoach and each year I would get my decline emails. For those of you that don’t know me too well, I don’t let no’s get me down and do a minimum of 30 reach outs per week since I started blogging/influencing back in Feb 2017. Being that one of my first jobs was as a telemarketer, I learned the value of no and how many no’s it actually takes to get a yes. This was my third year applying and since then growing two successful social media accounts and writing almost a hundred blog posts, I finally received the dream email. First came my Coachella no and I knew within about a week I would be receiving my Stagecoach decision. Fully prepared for the “not this year” email to be coming, I opened it and it said congratulations on being approved for a media pass {insert childish screaming and dancing here}!!


Heidi is wearing a Top and Skirt Set by White Crow Brand, Boots by Giddy Up Boots, Hair Styled by Pantene and Makeup by Estee Lauder.

Now it was time for me to get things planned. I received my decision with only about a month to plan. If you have ever tried booking for Coachella or Stagecoach, you know things start booking up the day ticket sales open!! The RV Resort was already sold out by the time I got my approval and it had a long, long waitlist of about 500 people through the Stagecoach Online Ticket Exchange (definitely book these early if you are planning to stay onsite) so I opted for a house. I was lucky to be able to find one about 10 minutes out from the festival on the Indio/La Quinta line for a fairly decent price last minute. It consisted of 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms with a pool & hot tub, which was clutch since it was topping triple digits this year. It was also pet friendly so my partner in crime, Miss Molly could join the fun. Also note, service animals are allowed at Stagecoach, although emotional support animals are not. Driving down I experienced almost no traffic at all, leaving Friday morning at about 8:30 am from Los Angeles. I got all checked into the “Casa de Heidi”, picked up some groceries for the house at the nearby Ralph’s (located only a couple blocks from the festival), and then unpacked the majorly overpacked car. Does anyone else bring 27 outfits for 3 days?!


Photo Courtesy of Stagecoach.

Next, I proceeded to drive back north to pick up my media pass & neon bracelets (probably should have grabbed them on the way down but I had Molly 🐶with me at that point and wasn’t sure on the rules with puppies and bracelet pick-up). It was now early afternoon on Friday. Media/Press will have a separate checkin line from GA although it was hot 🥵(like sweat dripping down your back hot, and not the good kind like in a rap song) even just waiting for 2 people in front of me. If you do get approved for media, make sure to apply for photo credentials if you plan on taking in any type of semi professional camera equipment into the festival as cameras with detachable lenses are prohibited otherwise. I didn’t realize this, being my first year, and had a little panic attack but ended up making it work with the equipment I had. Also, remember to activate your wristband prior to entering the festival (this can be done through the Stagecoach app). Picking up Neon Bracelets & the Neon VIP Parking was a breeze literally, as it was air conditioned. Now I was all excited and ready to start documenting and covering my experience!!


Photo Courtesy of Stagecoach.

Day One of the festival I arrived around 3:30pm by Uber which is on the green path. Make note of what path you're on, as I learned there are multiple paths for entering and exiting, that bring you to much different places 🤦🏼‍♀️(More on this on Day Two)!! Walking in takes about 15-20 minutes so definitely plan on wearing comfortable shoes and I stress again making sure it’s the right path. You can also opt to have a customized decked out pedi-cab take you right from Ride Share drop off to the entrance for $10 per person / per ride which I didn’t do as I wanted to time the walk and experience it. After walking which felt to be an eternity, it was over 100 degrees at this point, and already regretting my walking decision, I got to the wristband scan and first entrance (this is where you can lock your bikes) then just a short 2-3 min walk to the second scan point & bag check. This is where you will need to dispose of all liquids. Finally, I was through the bag check and inside the festival grounds.


Photo Courtesy of Stagecoach.

I spent the first day walking all over catching music at the three stages and dancing it up at the Honkey Tonk Hall. I loved the art piece by NEW SUBSTANCE and was shocked to find out it had AC- which was perfect for walking to the top!! I had GA bracelets and even during the headliners you could find places to lay your blankets and dance around (more towards the back of GA unless you got there early to get your spot). Walking back at night can be quite dusty and windy, so make sure you have your scarves handy. Getting back home was pretty easy and I ended my night with a little hot tub & wine.


Heidi is wearing a Peter Grimm Hat, Sunnies from Foster Grant, Top from Forever21, Shorts from True Religion, Fanny Pack from Zadig & Voltaire & Boots from Giddy Up Boots.

Day Two started with me waking up brutally, with nightmares, which happens when I travel sometimes. So 5am, I was wide-eyed and bushy-tailed, all ready to start my day. I set the morning aside for shooting and working which I did from about 6 am until 1 pm. I took a quick dip in the pool before heading into the festival around 2 pm. Today I drove and parked in one of the free parking lots, 2A. This lot has a red sign that I made note of for at night when walking back. The route was a 5 min shorter walk than the Green Ride Share path I took yesterday. Pedi-cabs are also available on all paths for the same $10 per person. I picked up my locker today as well, after carrying my bag around all day on Friday, it was time to be hands-free to enjoy the music.


Photo Courtesy of Stagecoach.

I started my day with getting my hair done at the Pantene Pop-Up as I left it after swimming and it was in need of some Country Hair Love. I loved how they had seven different braids to choose from and they accessorized the braids with glitter and jewels all in AC. 🙌🏼 Next it was over to Estèe Lauder for some games, photo experience & a makeup touch-up!! They used technology to shade match you and then gave you a free foundation after touching up your makeup!! After makeup touchups came the fun & games. Each person got 4 gold coins to try and win tickets for beauty products!! I earned 12 tickets which got me a full sized lip gloss, highlighter & the wonderful Estèe Lauder ladies threw in a face mask to try since my skin was so dry!! 💕 I ended my tour at Estèe Lauder on the rooftop with the cutest photo booth !! P.S. Estèe Lauder also has AC. Saturday was hot with temps almost reaching triple digits, so staying hydrated and taking moments to relax in air conditioning was necessary.


Photo Courtesy of Stagecoach.

Next on the agenda was catching some music. During the day, GA standing area has plenty of room to move and has some places with a little shade although most of the shade is in the VIP Corral Section for the Main Stage. At nighttime, it got much busier and I stayed at the GA Lawn after sunset. Food was amazing inside the festival. I never found the Legendary Lobster Tacos but I kept hearing of them. Did anyone else find these?! Walking back at night, I had made the mistake and followed the red path back (since the sign was a red 2A 🙈) although I walked in on the yellow path (definitely pay attention when walking in which path they are using for each parking lot for the day). After a minor freakout, thinking I walked 15 minutes in the wrong direction and my feet ready for a little break, I finally found my way through an exit and got back on track. Next was a quick detour home to drop off the car and get changed for Neon Carnival 🎡


Heidi is wearing a Hat by Peter Grimm, Styled by Shiekh Stylist, Hair by Insert Name Here and Backpack by Amazon.

Neon Carnival is located in Thermal about 10 minutes from Stagecoach. Neon brings carnival games, rides and some of the best music by legendary DJs, all while being surrounded by some of the most famous models, reality stars, actors, musicians and influencers out there. I was beyond excited to be invited and have VIP access by WB Pictures and The Detective Pikachu Movie 🍿!! VIP gives you private access to parking, a separate bar & restrooms (with lighted bathrooms & a touch-up section), and table service with elevated views of the stage. Here we danced until the early hours of the morning.


Boots & BBQ Luncheon By @DineandDishwithDawn at the @LemonTwistPS House. Photo Courtesy of @AndrewCabral_Photography for @AcmeHouseCo

Day Three started with an amazing brunch in Palm Springs with @IamDawnMcCoy and @dineanddishwithdawn at one of the @acmehouseco properties, the @lemontwistPS house!! We had such a beautiful ladies' luncheon with BBQ and Bloody Marys. After lunch, I made my way back home for a little swim & sun before heading in to the festival for the final night of exploring. Tonight I drove in and parked in the same 2A parking and walked the yellow path. I started my night by exploring the Marketplace & Beer Barn. The Market Place is filled with country inspired vendors and has all the essentials in case you forgot anything at home or wanted to "up" your festival fashion. After exploring, I took a ride on the air-conditioned, music playing Ferris Wheel before heading over to the Stages to dance the night away. I did leave a little early to beat traffic, as I normally do, which worked out perfectly and got me home before the rain shower at midnight. I giggled as it rained thinking Mother Nature was as sad as I was that Stagecoach was over 😭🎡🤠


Photo Courtesy of Stagecoach.

On Monday Morning, I scheduled a massage 💆 to the house, which was the best decision I ever made. Palm Springs Spa Massage soothed my tired body and got me all relaxed before the four and half hour ride back to LA (leaving at 12:30 pm from Indio).


Heidi is wearing a Victoria's Secret Bathrobe & Peter Grimm Hat.

Hope you Loves enjoyed and please feel free to reach out to me if you have any Stagecoach questions for 2020!! Hope to see you there Lovies!! 🤠


Heidi is wearing a Hat by Peter Grimm, Styled by Shiekh Stylist, Hair by Insert Name Here and Backpack by Amazon.

xx Heidiisms

Always believe in your #ISMS 💋

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