Coachella reveals 2013 dates, raises prices
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The 2012 summer festival season has barely just begun, but on Thursday, Goldenvoice will begin selling tickets to the 2013 edition of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, once again slated to be held over two consecutive April weekends in the desert city of Indio, Calif. The Thursday morning on-sale will allow participants to partake in the seven-month payment plan.
The just-completed 2012 editions of Coachella brought about 80,000 ticket-buyers per weekend to Indio. Coachella next year will take place over the weekends of April 12 and April 19, 2013. The dual 2012 weekends largely sold out in advance.
While the lineup has yet to be announced, new for 2013 is an increase in ticket prices. A three-day general admission wristband will sell for the all-inclusive price of $349. That total includes any added service fees. A weekend pass during the 2012 presale came to about $315, once fees were factored in, meaning this is a general admission price hike of $34.
There are a host of options to bring that cost even higher, however, including $399 for a ticket and shuttle combo, and $799 for the VIP experience. The latter option comes with a more significant price hike, as a 2012 VIP ticket sold for $661 plus fees, which brought the total to about $710.
Car camping will sell for $85, and those who opt to drive can spring for a $150 VIP parking pass, which provides for a pain-free exit. Remaining tickets will go on sale once the lineup is announced, typically near the start of the new year. When passes went on sale last summer, they were priced at $269 (plus service fees), and the non-presale wristbands were priced at $285 (plus service fees).
Coachella is considered the start of the annual summer festival season and has positioned itself as one of the premier music events in the country. It’s also a little more costly than some of its competitors. Lollapalooza in Chicago, for instance, sold three-day passes in 2012 for $230, while four-day tickets to Bonnaroo in Manchester, Tenn., are currently going for $259.50, plus fees.
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-- Todd Martens
