The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (commonly known as Coachella, Coachellafest or Coachella Festival) is an annual three-day music and arts festival, organized by Goldenvoice (a subsidiary of AEG Live) and held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Inland Empire's Coachella Valley. The event features many genres of music, including rock, indie, hip hop and electronic music as well as large sculptural art. The event has several stages/tents set-up throughout the grounds, each playing live music continuously. The main stages are: Coachella Stage, Outdoor Theatre, Gobi Tent, Mojave Tent, and the Sahara Tent (2006 and 2011 also saw the addition of a smaller Oasis Dome).

On May 31, 2011, Goldenvoice announced that the festival will be held over two separate weekends, starting in 2012. The festival is renowned for its cutting edge lineup, showcasing many of the top and up-and-coming acts in music as well as legendary artists and reunions. Notable performers include Paul McCartney, Prince, Radiohead, Dr. Dre, Oasis, Daft Punk, Roger Waters, Madonna, The Cure, Arcade Fire, Kanye West, The Black Keys, Rage Against The Machine, At the Drive-In, Beck, Gorillaz, Bjork, Nine Inch Nails, The Strokes, The Chemical Brothers, Pavement, MGMT, The White Stripes, Jay-Z, Tool, The Prodigy, and the Beastie Boys. The Coachella Music Festival has a desert setting (the city of Indio is a part of the California Desert), with daytime temperatures frequently rising to over 110 °F (43 °C).