{"menuItems":[{"label":"1. The Fashion: Set a boho dress code","anchorName":"#1-the-fashion-set-a-boho-dress-code"},{"label":"2. The Music: Make an epic playlist","anchorName":"#2-the-music-make-an-epic-playlist"},{"label":"3. The Arts: Light up your backyard","anchorName":"#3-the-arts-light-up-your-backyard"},{"label":"4. The Teepees: Enough said","anchorName":"#4-the-teepees-enough-said"},{"label":"5. The Food: Festival style everything","anchorName":"#5-the-food-festival-style-everything"}]}
Coachella is one of the biggest arts and music festivals on the calendar. Every year it sees hundreds of thousands of partygoers flock to Indio, California over two weekends in April to camp, dance and generally live their best lives. While it's definitely worth hitting it up at least once, let's be real – it's expensive.
Even though you can sometimes nab a great deal on flights to the US, for most of us, the experience as a whole just isn't affordable. Does that mean you should have to miss out, though? We don't think so.
Skip the FOMO, grab your friends and bring the party to you by hosting a Coachella-themed party in your own backyard. The festival is all about fashion, music and the arts (and a whole lot of teepees), so here’s how to tick off each of those boxes for a Coachella-themed party to rival the real thing.
Bohemian fashion is an absolute staple of the Coachella music festival. You've probably seen Instagram models and influencers raking in the likes as they show off the latest trends, try to top last year's fashion and proceed to break the Internet.
Because of this, it won't truly feel like Coachella without a dress code. Stick it on the invite and encourage everyone to get in the spirit (but try and avoid Native American feather headdresses or any other inappropriate items). Perennial favourites include denim cut-off shorts, ankle boots and basically anything with a fringe. If you need ideas, check out our festival makeup looks page.
The only thing bigger than the fashion at Coachella is the music. The lineup is always huge and, let's be real, is the main reason people come from all over the world to attend the festival.
To get your own party started, hit up iTunes and download songs from previous Coachella performers like Bat For Lashes, Calvin Harris, Chvrches, Cold War Kids, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, Elle Goulding, Ice Cube, Major Lazer, Miami Horror, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, Of Monsters and Men, Pete Yorn, Rancid, Sia, St German and The 1975.
You can even kick it up a notch by downloading the Coachella mobile app where you can virtually tour the grounds (perhaps you can set up your backyard to resemble it?) and watch interviews and performances throughout the festival.
Alternatively, you can check out this Spotify playlist that we prepared earlier:
As Coachella is an arts and music festival, an important part of the landscape is the larger-than-life sculptures that decorate the festival grounds. We’re talking gorgeous butterfly, caterpillar and snail light installations. And, of course, the iconic Ferris wheel.
We’re not necessarily saying you should install a Ferris wheel in your backyard (although we aren't discouraging it either), but a few novelty installations and a whole lot of fairy lights will make your party feel like the real deal.
Similar to Glastonbury in the UK, the camping style of choice at Coachella is the teepee.
Make your party a colourful camping affair and scatter teepees around your backyard. You can deck them out with plush pillows and patterned throws for your guests to relax, mingle and enjoy the festival vibes in.
If you want a true festival experience, you can even let your guests crash in the teepees overnight so that the party can continue on long into the night (just warn your neighbours first).
Everyone knows that it's not a party without food. At Coachella, the fare is notably of the food truck and carnival variety. Hit up your local supermarket and stock up on an array of easy party foods that can be served buffet-style. Get creative with your food spread and use cupcake stands shaped like Ferris wheels to really commit to the theme.
And of course, don't forget the drinks! To keep the good times flowing, grab some large drink dispensers and fill them with cocktail (or mocktail) mixes so your guests can help themselves. And when you realise there's no drinks line, maybe you'll even be glad that you're not at the real thing.
Stephanie Yip was the shopping editor at Finder. Previously she was Finder’s travel editor and before that was our lifestyle writer. She has been writing in the travel, shopping and lifestyle space for over 15 years. During her time at Finder she was featured in a number of publications including The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian Australia, Travel Weekly, Escape and KarryOn. Before joining Finder, her previous jobs include editor for kids' magazine DMAG and writer for Thomas Cook and Wizz Air's in-flight magazine. Stephanie previously studied a Bachelor of Communications from the University of Technology Sydney, Australia.
Trenery is a fashion label for men and women offering clean, classic cuts and quality craftsmanship with free standard delivery for orders of $100 and more.
How likely would you be to recommend finder to a friend or colleague?
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Very UnlikelyExtremely Likely
Required
Thank you for your feedback.
Our goal is to create the best possible product, and your thoughts, ideas and suggestions play a major role in helping us identify opportunities to improve.
Important information about this website
finder.com.au is one of Australia's leading comparison websites. We are committed to our readers and stands by our editorial principles
We try to take an open and transparent approach and provide a broad-based comparison service. However, you should be aware that while we are an independently owned service, our comparison service does not include all providers or all products available in the market.
Some product issuers may provide products or offer services through multiple brands, associated companies or different labeling arrangements. This can make it difficult for consumers to compare alternatives or identify the companies behind the products. However, we aim to provide information to enable consumers to understand these issues.
We make money by featuring products on our site. Compensation received from the providers featured on our site can influence which products we write about as well as where and how products appear on our page, but the order or placement of these products does not influence our assessment or opinions of them, nor is it an endorsement or recommendation for them.
Products marked as 'Top Pick', 'Promoted' or 'Advertisement' are prominently displayed either as a result of a commercial advertising arrangement or to highlight a particular product, provider or feature. Finder may receive remuneration from the Provider if you click on the related link, purchase or enquire about the product. Finder's decision to show a 'promoted' product is neither a recommendation that the product is appropriate for you nor an indication that the product is the best in its category. We encourage you to use the tools and information we provide to compare your options.
Where our site links to particular products or displays 'Go to site' buttons, we may receive a commission, referral fee or payment when you click on those buttons or apply for a product. You can learn more about how we make money.
When products are grouped in a table or list, the order in which they are initially sorted may be influenced by a range of factors including price, fees and discounts; commercial partnerships; product features; and brand popularity. We provide tools so you can sort and filter these lists to highlight features that matter to you.
Please note that the information published on our site should not be construed as personal advice and does not consider your personal needs and circumstances. While our site will provide you with factual information and general advice to help you make better decisions, it isn't a substitute for professional advice. You should consider whether the products or services featured on our site are appropriate for your needs. If you're unsure about anything, seek professional advice before you apply for any product or commit to any plan and read any disclosure documents (such as any Target Market Determination (TMD) and/or Product Disclosure Statement (PDS)) issued by the provider before making a decision.
Providing or obtaining an estimated insurance quote through us does not guarantee you can get the insurance. Acceptance by insurance companies is based on things like occupation, health and lifestyle. By providing you with the ability to apply for a credit card or loan, we are not guaranteeing that your application will be approved. Your application for credit products is subject to the Provider's terms and conditions as well as their application and lending criteria.
Please read our website terms of use and privacy policy for more information about our services and our approach to privacy.
