This year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival kicked off with the usual star-studded lineup and fervent anticipation—but the first weekend brought a litany of headaches for festival goers. From traffic snarls reminiscent of the Fyre Festival debacle to sky-high food prices and even a rogue firework landing in the crowd, many attendees say Coachella 2025 has gotten off to a rocky start.
Food Prices Reach “Insane” Levels
Perhaps the loudest chorus of complaints is coming from people’s wallets, with fans calling Coachella’s food and beverage prices “insane.” Multiple social media posts described paying upwards of $17 for lemonade (mostly ice, some complained) and $102 for a few servings of tacos and nachos that arrived “freezing cold.” One attendee rated her meal a 5 out of 10, saying it was “not good at all.”
Users on Reddit and TikTok recounted pizza slices costing around $11 and chicken tender combos running $20–$30. Festival organizers tout an ambitious “coast-to-coast” dining program on Coachella’s website, but many on the ground say the quality simply doesn’t measure up to the price.
“Coachella seems like a miserable money trap that everyone falls for,” wrote one frustrated user on social media, echoing a sentiment shared by many.
Camping Chaos and Comparisons to Fyre Festival
The trouble started even before the music began, with car campers facing 12-hour waits just to get through security and park. Some travelers say they ran out of gas or found themselves pushing their vehicles while inching forward in line. Others described it as an “extremely dehumanizing” ordeal, citing sweltering temperatures, no accessible restrooms, and limited staff direction.
“No porta potties in sight… We were forced to pee on the side of the roads. A lot of people [are] running out of gas and no restrooms,” one attendee’s social media message read.
The situation drew comparisons to the disastrous Fyre Festival in 2017, infamous for stranding attendees without proper infrastructure. While some experienced Coachella veterans recall lengthy waits in previous years, many said this year’s chaos was a step above normal desert festival woes.
A Rogue Firework and a Flaming Palm Tree
On Saturday night, Green Day capped off their set with a fireworks display that took a sudden, dangerous turn. One firework appeared to veer off course, exploding near a group of festivalgoers and allegedly igniting a nearby palm tree. Online footage shows concert attendees running for cover as the stray firework went off.
“A firework just exploded next to me and my friends at Coachella. I can’t hear out of my right ear,” one audience member wrote on social media, describing the scene as momentarily terrifying. There’s no official word yet on injuries, but several people reported minor burns and hearing issues.
Star-Studded Surprises: From Flavor Flav to Bernie Sanders
Despite the chaos, Weekend One had no shortage of memorable onstage moments. Flavor Flav apparently joined Yo Gabba Gabba to perform a song about bugs, while Missy Elliott showcased a Transformers-inspired costume. Yeat took fans by surprise by covering Drake’s “Feel No Ways,” and Sen. Bernie Sanders delivered a pointed speech on climate change, healthcare, and what he perceives as concerning policies from former President Donald Trump.
Transportation Headaches Continue
Even those who avoided car camping by commuting daily found themselves caught up in long shuttle lines and expensive rideshare surges. Some festivalgoers reported paying over $100 for short Uber or Lyft rides as prices skyrocketed late into the night. Although Coachella management had vowed to improve crowd and traffic flow after previous years’ complaints, many still described the logistical planning as inadequate.
Looking Ahead to Weekend Two
While Coachella has long been regarded as the pinnacle of music festivals, the first weekend of 2025 may be remembered more for its complications than its performances. Organizers have yet to issue a formal statement regarding the fireworks mishap or the steep food prices. In a brief comment about the car camping gridlock, a festival spokesperson acknowledged “staffing shortages and unforeseen logistical issues” and promised that they are “making adjustments for Weekend Two.”
Fans remain hopeful that these issues will be addressed in time for the second wave of festival dates. After all, Coachella still offers a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see world-renowned artists in a desert oasis—if you can survive the wait times, the temperatures, and the price tags.
