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Stagecoach 2023: 5 fun non-music activities to do at the festival

April 30, 2023

The Stagecoach Country Music Festival brings out some of the genre’s best performers each year, but like many large scale music events, including its sister Coachella Valley Arts and Music Festival, it’s not always just about the music.

There’s plenty to do in between the performances.

The promoters understand that they must cultivate a culture to produce a cohesive experience for attendees with varying and often overlapping interests. At Stagecoach, that involves an umbrella of activations and activities that include Western fashion, barbecue and all the meat you can fit on your plate, and inviting some TV stars from one of the most prominent modern-day Westerns to join the party.

Even if traditional country music isn’t reason enough to get you to buy that festival ticket, there’s a lot more at Stagecoach to explore and multiple ways to get your “Yee-Haw!” on.

Here are five activities we checked out at the festival this year.

Monica Cooper, of Los Angeles, poses for a photo in the Shein Saloon during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Friday, April 28, 2023. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Contributing Photographer)

Randy Savvy performs on the Horseshoe Stage during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Saturday, April 29, 2023. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Contributing Photographer)

Toyota representative Clarissa Cardenas hand out a free bandana to Libby Farmer, from Oxford, Ohio, on the second day of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in the Toyota Music Den at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Saturday, Apr. 29, 2023. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Country music fans cool off in the shade of the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch on the opening day of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Pole Club in Indio on Friday, Apr. 28, 2023. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Alisha Lewis, from Fontana, line dances with her daughter Allyson, 5, in the Toyota Music Den on the second day of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Saturday, Apr. 29, 2023. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

The entrance of the 80’s themed speakeasy, Sonny’s by Attaboy inside the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Allaan Sword, left, and Julie Swan, both of San Francisco, hang out at the 1 Million Strong Wellness Retreat at the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Saturday, April 29, 2023. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Contributing Photographer)

Mocktails Strawberry Sundance, left, and Grapefruit Fresca are available at the 1 Million Strong Wellness Retreat at the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Saturday, April 29, 2023. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Contributing Photographer)

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Compton Cowboys

It wouldn’t be a country fest without cowboys and horseback riding. Festivalgoers can catch a blend of Hip-Hop and country cultures at the demonstrations done by Compton Cowboys at the Yee-Haw tent. The troupe of Black horseback riders hails from their small ranch in one of the last semi-rural areas of Compton.

Attendees can check out the seven horses in their pen, meet co-founder Randy Savvy and seven other riders or buy drinks or merchandise at their booths.

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Speakeasies and a Sober Retreat

Having a cold beer or cocktail at Stagecoach is not unusual, especially with the intense heat, but a couple of spaces offer an elevated experience and, for the first time, a sober option.

There was a place for sober folks to gather and socialize at the 1 Million Strong Wellness Retreat. The space included a decorative lounge with a blow-up guitar and a few art pieces displayed throughout. The retreat staff conversed with fans at the tent and offered them mocktails that included a Strawberry Sundance made with lemon, strawberry and mint and a Grapefruit Fresca made with pressed ruby grapefruit juice, lime and soda.

Two speakeasies from Coachella stayed an extra weekend in their secret locations. Sonny’s by Attaboy, the ’80s-themed Miami Vice bar that blends the aesthetics of warm beaches and a disco hall, offers an oasis vacation vibe in an air-conditioned room that feels extra relaxing, especially in the heavy heat. Tropical drinks include alcoholic slushies, an espresso martini made with coffee liqueur and a tequila, mezcal and watermelon juice drink called the Spicy Flamingo.

Another hidden bar included Please Don’t Tell (PDT), just outside the Craft Beer Barn. PDT usually has a theme and this year, the bar was transformed into an exact replica of the hidden bar New York namesake. The space invokes a rustic and old-school feel with plenty of taxidermy deer and other animals. Drinks include a Mezcal Mule and Garden Tonic, a gin drink mixed with lemon juice, cucumber, celery and tonic.

The third speakeasy was a Sushi Speakeasy hidden in plain sight (hint look for a red door around the Malibu tents). The pop-up was produced by Chef Phillip Frankland Lee’s Sushi by Scratch Restaurants and boasted a 16-course Omakase and Sake pairing. And it costs $375 per person.

“Yellowstone” Dutton Ranch

The Paramount TV show “Yellowstone” had a big presence at Stagecoach, which brought in a replica of the “Yellowstone” Dutton Ranch. The space allowed visitors to relax on wooden furniture and pose by a makeshift chimney with the iconic “Y” emblem in the background. Guests can also play yard games and check out exclusive merchandise related to the show.

Throughout the weekend, the activation fans could see celebrities from the show, which included Eric Nelson, LaMonica Garrett, Amanda Jaros and performances by Luke Grimes, Lainey Wilson and Ryan Bingham on the Mane and Palomino stages.

Fashion Fun

Festival fashion at Stagecoach usually consists of American flag attire, denim shorts and overalls, cowboy hats and boots. If you didn’t come prepared, there was plenty to buy on-site. Nashville singer-songwriter Nikki Lane has a whole set of shops curated for all the Western fashion essentials, including her High Class Hillbilly shop, loaded with vintage boots, hats, and leather goods. The rest of the marketplace inside the Yee-Haw tent had similar items, as well as bikinis and other Western décor. There’s also the smaller Horseshoe Stage for people to enjoy live music while they shop and a bar serving cold drinks.

Another fashion brand, Shein, brought the Shein Saloon activation that included a beauty bar and a drink bar and the space offered free hats, custom bandanas and hosted Cowboy Karaoke with special guest appearances by Elle King and Priscilla Block.

Shade, Swag and Off-roading

For some reason, Stagecoach weekend tends to coincide with a massive heatwave every year, so getting a break from the sun is recommended if you plan on sticking around until the headliners. One of the largest tents at the festival is the outer space and disco-themed Toyota Music Den. The are provides plenty of shade and several accessories, such as Sequoia custom wrap rings, bucket hats, commemorative bandanas and posters. Fans can also sign up for the Toyota Ride & Drive and actually take trucks and SUVs on the off-road course with Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee Ivan “Ironman” Stewart and his pro-driving team.

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