Thousands of Coachella Festival Campers Expected Thursday

INDIO (CNS) – Thousands of campers will make their way to the Empire Polo Club Thursday in advance of the second weekend of the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, which will be headlined by Bad Bunny, Blackpink and reputedly Blink-182 replacing Frank Ocean. Campers will be able to check in as early as 9 a.m. Thursday and must check out by 10 a.m. Monday after the festival concludes, according to festival officials. Road closures will be in effect in Indio from Friday to Monday. Bad Bunny is set to perform Friday. Other acts scheduled to perform Friday include the Chemical Brothers, Gorillaz, Burna Boy, Metro Boomin Pusha T, SG Lewis and Becky G. Blackpink is the headliner Saturday. Other acts scheduled to perform that day are Rosalia, $uicideboy$, Labrinth, Earthgang, boygenius, Yung Lean, 070 Shake and Eric Prydz. Frank Ocean was originally set to close out the festival, but after a much-criticized performance during the first weekend, he backed out of the second weekend, citing a leg injury, according to multiple reports. "After suffering an injury to his leg on festival grounds in the week leading up to weekend 1 … Frank Ocean was unable to perform the intended show but was still intent on performing, and in 72 hours, the show was reworked out of necessity," a representative for Ocean told the Los Angeles Times and Variety, in regard to the singer’s performance this past weekend. "On doctor’s advice, (Ocean) is not able to perform weekend 2 due to two fractures and a sprain in his left leg." Blink-182 is rumored to replace Ocean as the closing out headliner Sunday night. Other acts set to perform Sunday are Bjork, Kali Uchis, Porter Robinson, Dominic Fike, Queens, Willow and Alex G. Full closures will be in effect from Friday to Monday at the following locations: — Avenue 49 between Hjorth Street and Monroe Street; — Avenue 50 between Madison Street and Jackson Street; — Hjorth Street between Avenue 49 and Avenue 50; — Madison Street between Avenue 49 and Avenue 52. Residents are encouraged to take alternate routes through Washington Street, Jackson Street, Calhoun Street and Golf Center Parkway for north and south travel and through Highway 111, Dr. Carreon Boulevard, Avenue 54, Miles Avenue and Fred Waring Drive for east and west travel. "Approximately 40,000 guests will be shuttled into and out of the concert venue from various locations throughout the Coachella Valley to help ease traffic conditions," Indio city officials said in a statement. "Noise from the festival site could begin on each Thursday prior to the festival dates, due to sound checks and on-site camping guests." Copyright 2023, City News Service, Inc.