LOS ANGELES, June 12 ― Organisers of the Coachella music festival confirmed yesterday that the event would no longer take place this year because of the coronavirus epidemic, but announced new dates for April 2021.

Coachella, one of the biggest music festivals in the world that brings half a million fans to an open-air site in the California desert, and its sister event Stagecoach for country music were rescheduled earlier this year from April until October.

But officials in Riverside County on Wednesday cancelled the October event because of continuing concerns over the coronavirus.

"We have every intention of returning in 2021. As of now, Coachella weekend one will take place April 9-11, 2021 and weekend two will be April 16-18, 2021. Stagecoach is set for April 23-25, 2021,” organisers Goldenvoice said in a statement yesterday.

It said details of the 2021 lineup would be announced at a later date and that tickets sold for 2020 would be honoured in 2021.

The 2020 lineup was to have included Frank Ocean, Rage Against the Machine, and Travis Scott. ― Reuters