Is Coachella worth it?

How much are you willing to pay, how far are you willing to walk, and how long are you willing to stand?

Coachella 2023
(Image credit: Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Coachella)

The second and final weekend of this year's Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival kicked off Friday, April 21 with another headline performance from Bad Bunny, and will conclude on April 23 following a Saturday set from BLACKPINK and a Sunday night gig from Blink-182. It's an immensely popular event, with this year's iteration expected to draw upwards of 200,000 fans across both weekends. But considering the festival's long lines and expensive prices, its influencer and brand-heavy guest list, and its at-times harsh air of exclusivity, why do so many attendees flock to Coachella every year? Does the good outweigh the bad?

Instagram vs. reality

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Brigid Kennedy

Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.