Ruiz Introduces “Protecting Outdoor Concerts Act” Ahead of Festival Season

With festival season less than two weeks away, local Congressman Raul Ruiz has introduced new legislation designed to keep both the skies—and the thousands of attendees below—safe during major outdoor events.

The proposed bill, called the “Protecting Outdoor Concerts Act,” would allow for temporary flight restrictions over open-air concerts with more than 30,000 attendees. The goal is to limit aircraft activity, including banner planes and drones, in order to reduce potential risks.

This push for tighter airspace regulations follows an incident during last year’s festival season, when a banner airplane was forced to make an emergency landing just miles from the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival grounds. While the aircraft landed safely, the situation raised serious safety concerns among local officials and event organizers.

Ruiz says the legislation is about being proactive before a more dangerous situation occurs.
“My bill would allow temporary flight restrictions over open-air concerts with over 30,000 people so that we can protect the skies and protect concertgoers, workers, and our local communities,” Ruiz said.

Local law enforcement and city leaders are backing the proposal, emphasizing the importance of giving public safety teams the ability to operate without interference from overhead aircraft.

Festival organizers are also voicing support. In a statement, AEG—parent company of the Coachella festival—said the safety and well-being of guests, workers, artists, and the surrounding community remains a top priority, and that the legislation would provide an important added layer of protection.

As for timing, Congressman Ruiz says the goal is to have the Protecting Outdoor Concerts Act passed and in place by next year’s festival season.