The Coachella Valley is currently knee-deep in festival season! Over the course of three lively weekends, hundreds of thousands of concert-goers will enjoy rousing parties, unique musical stylings and elaborate art installations. Even those not attending can experience the latter, as numerous art pieces from past festivals are on display year-round across the desert! Best yet? All are free to check out! Below are seven of my favorites and where to find them.
XO, Lindsay
CAESAR CHAVEZ & 6TH STREETS, COACHELLA
Edoardo Tresoldi’s wire mesh creation, which resembles an ethereal Baroque palace, debuted at Coachella in 2018, along with two sister structures, and was relocated to its current home the following year. Standing 54 feet, the airy installation beckons passersby to breeze through its wispy archways.
SHADY LANE & AVENUE 52, COACHELLA
A fixture at the 2015 festival, this 15-foot-tall bear is the work of frequent Coachella contributor Don Kennell. Crafted from recycled materials, including rusted steel and glass, and clutching a large swing, the massive piece now guards the southern edge of Shady Lane Park.
82200 DR. CARREON BLVD., INDIO
Meaning “House of Celebration,” these colorful structures were exhibited at Coachella 2019. Modeled after baobab trees, which hollow from the center as they grow, the installation originally featured 12 towers, nine of which are now installed at Dr. Carreon Park, providing shade and respite to visitors on hot desert days.
81253 AVE. 48, INDIO
Another work crafted by Don Kennell (his first to be displayed at Coachella!), this 12 by 20 foot steel and corrugated metal pup was featured at the 2013 festival complete with a large porch swing hanging from its center. Though the swing is long gone, the dog, inspired by Rome’s famous “Lupa Capitolina” sculpture, now stands sentinel at the northwest tip of Hjorth Park.
SMURR ST. & MILES AVE., INDIO
A 2019 festival installation, these three lanky cacti sculptures, initially part of a group of seven, were crafted from steel by Andrew Kovacs. Relocated in 2022, they stand at 14, 17 and 20 feet tall, overlooking downtown Indio and a mountainous mural painted by Zach JF Boyles.
81600 REVOIR PL., INDIO
This towering figure by artist Kumkum Fernando graced the concert grounds in 2023, part of a trio of “Idols” standing 80 feet tall. Today, it is stationed, along with several other Coachella installations, in the yard of a private home owned by the Empire Polo Club. (Note – this one can’t be seen during festival times due to road closures.)
TOWNE ST. & BLISS AVE., INDIO
This metallic cactus sculpture was actually built for 2023’s Power Trip heavy metal festival, not Coachella, but is worth a visit nonetheless. Cheeky and fun, the piece was created by Don Kennell and his wife, Lisa Adler, and calls to fans of both rock ‘n’ roll and Saguaro cacti.