In many ways, Coachella is a strict festival. And just like the event doesn’t allow metal water bottles — it WILL get thrown away, so just bring a plastic one — security won’t let you bring in a huge bag.
We don’t want you to get turned away at one of the biggest events of the year, so consider us your bag policy fairy godmother.
Here’s everything you need to know about the bag policy at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
Coachella bag policy
Our Desert Sun team has been covering Coachella — as well as various other Goldenvoice festivals — for decades, so we’re very familiar with this policy.
Coachella allows bags that are a “medium-sized backpack” or smaller. So, what does that actually mean?
The festival phrases it on the website like this: “A medium backpack should be no bigger than 18”x13”x8.5” when fully packed. Bags will have to fit into a box of that size, similar to the system used to check the size of carry-on luggage at airports. If the bag doesn’t fit in the box, you won’t be allowed inside the Venue.”
Essentially, any regular-sized backpack you would have used back in your high school or college days will work perfectly.
Some people don’t want to carry around a bag that big, however, so we highly recommend either bringing a smaller cross-body bag — it doesn’t need to be clear — that you carry your essentials in, or bringing a regular backpack to put bulkier items in, along with your smaller bag inside, and then you can get a locker to put the bigger bag/bulkier items in and just carry around the smaller bag during the day.
Still have other Coachella questions? We’ve included a few answers to the internet’s most-asked Coachella questions below.
Coachella lockers?
Click here to read our complete guide to how to get lockers for Coachella 2026.
Coachella essentials?
Click here to read our ultimate packing guide for Coachella 2026.
Coachella merch 2026?
This year, the festival released brand-new designs for four tees, three hoodies, one long-sleeved shirt and several accessories such as a tote and baseball hat. You can see a preview in the Instagram post below, but the full merch offerings are found at shop.coachella.com.
The merch lineup you see online is a mix of items you can purchase on both the website and the festival grounds as well as items that are online exclusives, the latter of which include the “desert icons hoodie” and “fault line long sleeve tee.”
Click here to read our full story about how to get Coachella 2026 merch.
Coachella Weekend 1 dates?
Coachella Weekend 1 is April 10-12 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California.
Coachella Weekend 2 dates?
Coachella Weekend 2 is April 17-19 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California.
When does Coachella start?
Gates typically open at noon each day of the festival, but this year’s set times have yet to be announced.
Coachella tickets?
It’s not too late to get Coachella tickets. Click here to read our guide to the waitlist and verified resale.
When is Stagecoach 2026?
Stagecoach, Coachella’s sister festival, always takes place the weekend after Coachella Weekend 2. This year, that’s Friday, April 24 through Sunday, April 26.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Get the bag (into Coachella 2026). How to avoid holding up the line
Reporting by Niki Kottmann, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
