At which California venue did the first Coachella festival take place in 1999?

The first Coachella festival took place at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in 1999.

The inaugural Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival was held on October 9 and 10, 1999. The Empire Polo Club, a polo grounds in the Coachella Valley, became the festival’s permanent home and remains central to its identity.

The first edition featured acts including Beck, Tool, Rage Against the Machine, and Morrissey. The event did not immediately become the huge cultural and commercial phenomenon associated with later editions; its early years were financially difficult and included a temporary absence in 2000.

Coachella is sometimes described simply as an Indio festival, but the specific venue matters because the polo grounds shape its layout, stages, and visual character. The festival later expanded its influence through art programming, fashion, livestreams, and headline bookings.