Local & Community
Head Trip Festival Resumes in Indio After Lightning Forces Evacuation
The Head Trip Music Festival returned to the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Sunday, one day after lightning and severe weather forced organizers to evacuate attendees and cancel the remainder of Saturday night's performances.
The evacuation unfolded around 9 p.m. Saturday. Organizers urged festivalgoers to leave safely or seek shelter inside their vehicles as storms moved through the area.
Less than 30 minutes later, officials confirmed the festival would not resume that night because of continued lightning in the area.
Despite the weather disruption, attendees returned Sunday in rainy and muddy conditions, determined to enjoy the final day of the festival.
NBC Palm Springs reporter Maria Noble Valdez spoke with festivalgoers who said they were disappointed when Saturday night's performances were cut short, particularly because they missed Calvin Harris.
One attendee described the sudden shutdown as unexpected, saying many people initially believed the festival would resume before the continued storms changed those expectations.
Another festivalgoer said missing the performance affected the mood but added that the group tried to make the best of the situation before returning to their tents.
The announcement that Calvin Harris would perform Sunday instead brought a change in attitude for many attendees.
One fan rated their excitement for the rescheduled performance “100 out of 10,” saying they expected the DJ to return after learning he was already at the festival.
Others said they were relieved and excited to learn the performance had been moved to Sunday.
For one attendee who had listened to Harris since their teenage years, the rescheduled set represented a special moment.
Although Saturday's weather interruption left some festivalgoers disappointed, the return of the event and the opportunity to see the postponed performance gave attendees a reason to keep celebrating through the final day.
Explore: NBCPalmSprings.com, where we are connecting the Valley.
By: NBC Palm Springs
October 11, 2026
Latest Instagram Posts
BREAKING NEWS 🚨: Calvin Harris officially rescheduled for Head Trip day 2 #headtripfestival #calvinharris #severeweather #tropicalstorm #indio
Attendees are returning to the Empire Polo Grounds for day 2 of the EDM festival, ‘Head Trip’, after performances were stopped last night due to severe weather. Stay tuned with NBC Palm Springs to see how the weather is affecting festival goers’ plans. #headtripfestival #severeweather #flashfloodalert #760 #nbcpalmsprings
Overnight Flooding Hits Palm Springs Heavy rain brought flooding to Palm Springs overnight, prompting police to shut down Indian Canyon due to flooding. Much of this video shows conditions along the Indian Canyon corridor as water inundated roadways. Drivers are urged to use caution and watch for changing conditions.
BREAKING NEWS: Head Trip Festival in Indio suspended its show Saturday night due to approaching severe weather and lightning. A message displayed on the stage screens announced: “Attention in the festival, this is a lightning alert. The show is suspended due to lightning.” Festivalgoers were told to leave the Empire Polo Club venue and return to their cars and camps. The festival was expected to draw approximately 70,000 attendees overall, though the number asked to leave Saturday night has not been confirmed. It remains unclear when attendees will be allowed back inside or whether scheduled performances, including headliners Calvin Harris and Swedish House Mafia, will proceed as planned. The suspension comes as Tropical Storm Rachel brings rain and potential flooding concerns to Southern California. Stay with NBC Palm Springs for updates. #BreakingNews #HeadTripFestival #Indio #CoachellaValley #TropicalStormRachel WeatherAlert CalvinHarris NBCPalmSprings
BREAKING NEWS: Thalia Hayden and Jerry Steffen break down the latest forecast for Tropical Storm Rachel as it moves through eastern Riverside County Sunday morning. The Coachella Valley could see more than an inch of rain, raising concerns about flooding. The heaviest rainfall is expected from midnight through noon Sunday, with showers tapering off by Sunday evening. Stay with NBC Palm Springs for the latest updates. #TropicalStormRachel #BreakingNews #CoachellaValley #PalmSprings #WeatherAlert FloodWarning SouthernCaliforniaWeather NBCPalmSprings ThaliaHayden JerrySteffen
🌧️ Tropical Storm Rachel is bringing the threat of heavy rain and flooding to the Coachella Valley. Thalia and Jerry break down the hour-by-hour forecast, with the heaviest rainfall expected from midnight through Sunday morning and more than an inch possible in parts of the Valley. Flood watches and warnings remain a concern, with showers expected to taper off by Sunday evening. Stay weather-aware and stay with NBC Palm Springs for the latest updates! ⛈️ #TropicalStormRachel #CoachellaValley #WeatherAlert #NBCPalmSprings
🌊 Tropical Storm Rachel is bringing dangerous surf, flooding and destruction to Southern California’s coast. In Long Beach, parts of the boardwalk have been ripped apart, while a badly damaged home is on the verge of collapse. Newport Beach has declared a local emergency after pounding waves flooded at least 10 blocks of the Balboa Peninsula. Officials are urging people to stay away as the threat continues. 🌧️ #HurricaneRachel #SouthernCalifornia #LongBeach #NewportBeach #CoachellaValley
Who makes the NBC Top 3, winner will be announced Sunday night on NBC Palm Springs, with the player who makes the number one spot winning a $250 prize from @hondaofthedesert! Comment below if it will be 1) Ivan Garza with the deep pass TD, 2) Damian Walls with the 99 yard touchdown throw, 3) Jadarius Hester with the punt return TD, 4) James Madden with the 60 plus yard rushing TD, or 5) Kingston Pellum with the contested catch #hondaofthedesert #fnl #fridaynightlights #fyp #highschoolfootball
Tim O’Brien introduces Game 2 as the Coachella Valley Firebirds take on the San Diego Gulls! #CVFirebirds #FirebirdsHockey #SanDiegoGulls #AHL #hockeynight
Hurricane Isaias is bringing worsening conditions to Gulf Shores, Alabama, with strong tropical storm-force winds and heavy rain. CNN’s Isabel Rosales describes the intense conditions as the storm approaches. #HurricaneIsaias #SevereWeather #Alabama