Head Trip Evacuates Festival Grounds as Storm Nears Indio

Lightning threats associated with approaching Tropical Storm Rachel forced the evacuation of the Head Trip electronic dance music festival in Indio, California, on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. Organizers canceled the remaining performances at about 9:30 p.m. after attendees were directed to leave the Empire Polo Club grounds and seek shelter.

The National Weather Service warned of potential cloud-to-ground lightning near Palm Springs International Airport, about 20 miles from the festival site. As of 10 p.m. Saturday, organizers had not announced whether Sunday's scheduled performances would proceed.

The festival's mobile app issued an emergency alert instructing attendees to leave through the same entrances they had used to arrive and take shelter in their personal vehicles or shuttles.

"There is approaching severe weather," the Head Trip festival app warned.

The alert also directed attendees to suspend their festival activities and leave the venue safely. Organizers canceled the rest of Saturday's performances as the weather threat continued.

"The show is suspended. Exit the venue the way you entered and seek shelter in personal vehicles or shuttles. Stay tuned in the app for updates."

The National Weather Service issued an airport weather warning for Palm Springs International Airport at about 9:10 p.m. Saturday. The warning covered the period from 9:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., when thunderstorms moving into the region could produce cloud-to-ground lightning.

A separate wind advisory was scheduled to take effect across the Coachella Valley at 2 a.m. Sunday and remain in place until 5 a.m. Monday. Forecasters expected wind gusts of 35 to 45 mph and warned that the conditions could bring down tree limbs and cause power outages.

Head Trip was scheduled to run across Saturday, Oct. 10, and Sunday, Oct. 11. The lack of an announcement about Sunday's program left the second day of the event's schedule unresolved as of late Saturday night.

The evacuation marked the second weather-related suspension this year at the Empire Polo Club involving a Goldenvoice music festival, following an earlier disruption at Stagecoach in April.

During Stagecoach on Saturday, April 25, attendees were told to evacuate at about 7:45 p.m. as strong winds and blowing sand affected the grounds. Wind gusts that night reached 55 to 65 mph, according to the source report.

The Stagecoach evacuation caused confusion among festivalgoers as some attendees left believing the event had been canceled for the night. Organizers later announced through the festival app at about 8:40 p.m. that performances would resume, and the grounds reopened at 9 p.m.

Despite the resumption, two scheduled performers, Journey and Riley Green, did not take the stage that night. Headliner Lainey Wilson performed as planned, according to the report.