Coachella Weekend 1 arrests, hospitalizations down from last year
Despite the big crowds, snarled traffic and other challenges, the number of arrests during the first weekend of the 2024 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival was down 20% from last year, authorities said Wednesday.
The Indio Police Department's detention and citation figures for Friday morning to Sunday night at the fest showed a total 81 arrests. That compares to 102 during the event's first weekend in 2023.
The number of attendees booked on suspicion of public intoxication or being under the influence of controlled substances was 28, which was equal the number taken into custody for alleged possession of drugs for sale, according to police.
Authorities said another 18 people were arrested and accused of presenting false identification, and three people were booked on suspicion of perpetrating property crimes. There were an additional four arrests listed as miscellaneous.
Beyond the arrests, police issued 47 citations for unauthorized use of handicap placards or parking stalls, a 43% decline from the fest's first weekend last year, when 83 citations were written, police said.
None of the people taken into custody or cited were identified, and there were no serious or violent offenses documented during the event held at the Empire Polo Club.
Indio police officers, along with California Highway Patrol officers, Riverside County sheriff 's deputies and officers from surrounding police agencies will be out in force again starting Friday for the second and final weekend of the festival. The weekend after that will be this year's Stagecoach festival, also at the polo club.
DAP Health provides free Narcan, fentanyl test strips to festivalgoers
While it's no surprise that festivalgoers like to have a little fun at Coachella, Palm Springs-based health care organization DAP Health is trying to make their experience as safe as possible.
The nonprofit's Harm Reduction team distributed 384 doses of Narcan, an overdose reversing nasal spray, and 150 fentanyl testing strips on Friday near the Palm Springs Convention Center, where shuttles are stationed to take attendees to the festival grounds. DAP Health will do the same beginning at 12:30 p.m. Friday for those attending Weekend 2 of Coachella. The items are provided to festivalgoers at no charge. In another effort to try to curb drug use, amnesty cans are located near festival entry points where people can anonymously dispose of any illicit substances they may have brought with them to the grounds.
Coachella Valley Music and Arts and Stagecoach festivals forbid bringing drugs (including cannabis and cannabis products) and drug paraphernalia onto the festival grounds.
Desert Care Network reports festival-related hospitalizations
Richard Ramhoff, Desert Care Network spokesperson, said John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital saw 54 patients attributed to Coachella during Weekend 1. Last year, they saw 84 patients attributed to Coachella during Weekend 1.
Desert Sun reporter Ema Sasic contributed to this report.