Local & Community
Stagecoach 2026 Kicks Off: Cody Johnson, Lainey Wilson, and Post Malone Headline Massive Weekend
It is time to dust off your cowboy boots, Coachella Valley. Today marks day one of the 2026 Stagecoach Country Music Festival, with gates at the Empire Polo Grounds set to swing open at 1:00 p.m. this afternoon. The three-day celebration of country music promises a star-studded roster and thousands of fans descending upon Indio.
Tonight’s festivities will be headlined by Cody Johnson, with a diverse supporting lineup including Counting Crows, Bailey Zimmerman, and Sam Barber. The momentum continues into Saturday night with headliner Lainey Wilson, before global superstar Post Malone wraps up the festival on Sunday evening.
With thousands of festival-goers flooding the valley, local residents should prepare for significant traffic delays through Monday. Major thoroughfares including Washington, Jefferson, and Monroe Streets are expected to be the busiest, particularly near the Indian Wells Tennis Gardens where fans are currently gathering to collect their wristbands.
In addition to heavy congestion, several road closures are in effect near the polo grounds. Drivers should avoid Avenues 49, 50, and 52 in the immediate vicinity of the festival site. Local authorities recommend using alternative routes whenever possible to avoid the "Stagecoach crawl."
Looking ahead to the end of the weekend, traffic experts warn that Monday will be the heaviest travel day as fans depart the desert. Most concert-goers will be utilizing Interstate 10 to head west. To avoid the worst of the exodus, experts recommend hitting the freeway before 8:00 a.m. Monday morning or waiting until much later in the evening.
Explore: NBCPalmSprings.com, where we are connecting the Valley.
By: NBC Palm Springs
April 24, 2026
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