If you’ve always dreamed of going to the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, but it just hasn’t happened, we’ve got you covered — at least the arts part.
The iconic art pieces spread across the festival grounds that turn heads, grace posters and merchandise, offer shade at the festival, and serve as backdrops for social posts and videos, can be found year-round beautifying Greater Palm Springs.
Various pieces have been taken out of the Empire Polo Club grounds and relocated to nearby public parks and open spaces when the festival is over. Simply go find those spots, take a tight Instagram shot, and voila! It will look like you were there. Depending on how good your selfie skills are, it could appear as though you were among the 90,000 revelers dancing and swaying during Coachella.
Here is a handy guide to help you find iconic Coachella art pieces around Greater Palm Springs.
Sarbalé Ke | Indio
This colorful series of towers inspired by the baobab tree was featured at the music festival in 2019 and now calls Dr. Carreon Park in Indio home. It was installed there in 2021.
Sarbalé Ke means “House of Celebration” in the Bissa language of Burkina Faso. It was created by Kere Architecture located in Berlin, Germany.
The cone-shaped towers in various sizes and shades of blue, orange, red, and pink don’t just provide shade and a pop of color, but the design is also intended to create a deeper layer of artistry with the shadows. You can even go under the cones and see the interior for another geometric visual gem.
Where To Find It: Dr. Carreon Park, 82200 Dr Carreon Blvd, Indio.
Etherea | Coachella
This wire mesh sculpture by Edoardo Tresoldi, an Italian artist, was part of the 2018 music festival and was installed in downtown Coachella in 2019. Etherea originally consisted of three identical transparent Neoclassical and Baroque-inspired structures in varying heights of 36, 54, and 72 feet.
The 54-foot sculpture is trippy, for lack of a better word, and it really plays with the sunlight and shadows. It’s at a park in Coachella’s Pueblo Viejo neighborhood and definitely draws surprised looks from passersby due to its size and uniqueness.
Where To Find It: Sixth Street in the city of Coachella
Colossal Cacti | Indio
With the cactus serving as a ubiquitous desert symbol, it’s fitting that the Colossal Cacti sculpture which debuted at the music festival in 2019 now calls downtown Indio home.
The original sculpture consisted of seven rectangular-shaped cacti in varying colors and sizes that also resembled a skyline from a distance. Three of the seven sculptures that range in height from 14 to 20 feet were added to an empty grassy area next to the Indio Chamber of Commerce in January 2022, creating a whimsical and welcoming area.
The sculptures are made of metal and include road reflectors that serve as the “spine” of the cactus. They were created by artist Andrew Kovacs with Office Kovacs design studio based in Los Angeles.
Where to Find It: Smurr Street in downtown Indio near Miles Avenue
Spectra | Indio
This cylindrical seven-story structure created by UK-based design studio NEWSUBSTANCE is inspired by the area’s sunrise and sunset. It made its debut at the festival in 2018 and has been a mainstay for festival-goers ever since. It may have replaced the famous Ferris wheel as most Instagrammable backdrop at the Empire Polo Club.
The walls/windows of Spectra are tinted with different colored hues that create an ever-changing panorama of the grounds. As people ascend the circular walkway they see the grounds bathed in various vivid colors.
Where to Find It: Empire Polo Club, 81800 51st Ave, Indio.
Pro Tip: Spectra is located on private property and is viewable in person during music festivals and events. However, this is best viewed from the Cantina at El Dorado off 51st Ave or you can drive by the grounds and see it from a distance.
The Messengers | Indio
The Messengers by Kumkum Fernando first captivated audiences at Coachella in 2023 with three towering robot sculptures. At 65 and 75 feet tall, they are colorful, eye-catching ,and intricately designed.
The Messengers symbolizes connection, communication, and shared human experience. The vibrant forms feel like signals sent across time and space. Now two of them are permanently installed in Downtown Indio and continue to spark reflection and creativity long after the festival has ended.
Where to Find It: Towne St. and Bliss Ave, Indio
Heavy Metal | Indio
This one is called “Heavy Metal” and we’re stretching the parameters a bit as this Don Kennell and Lisa Adler design was showcased during the all-metal Power Trip Festival held at the same location and put on by the same organizers as the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in October 2023.
Kennell and his partner Adler came up with this 25-foot-tall cactus made from green metal formed into a hand making the universal hand gesture for hard-hitting rock and roll with the pinky and pointer finger up to the sky and the middle finger, ring finger ,and thumb folded inward.
This is actually two-for-one artistic viewing as it is in the same grassy lot as The Messengers.
Where to Find It: 45-285 Towne St., Indio
Mutts | Indio
Artist Oana Stanescu of Romania understands one basic fact: people love dogs. Inspired by her dog Perry, she created a sculpture (or three sculptures) that are collectively called “Mutts.” The 18-foot-tall dog silhouettes showcased during the 2022 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and were covered in flowers and other greenery, similar to a Chia pet. One is stretching, one is sitting, and one is standing at attention.
They fittingly found a home at the Miles Avenue Dog Park, but with one major alteration. Now, instead of being covered in greenery, they have large artificial turf spots on them, just like a Dalmatian. It’s a cute way to respect the greenery of the original, without needing constant year-round gardening and attention. And the dog park is a perfect spot for them to stand playfully and mingle with other pups.
Where to Find It: 82-540 Miles Avenue, Indio at Miles Avenue Park
Yard Dog | Indio
This Don Kennell sculpture of a yard dog stands 12 feet tall and is made of steel and recycled corrugated tin. It made its Coachella festival debut in 2013 and is now fittingly located at a dog-friendly park in Indio, standing guard at the corner, ensuring that only the best-behaved dogs and humans enjoy the park.
While located at the festival, it held a custom porch swing underneath its belly and provided a place for festival-goers to rest at the campgrounds. The porch swing is no longer part of the piece.
Where to Find It: Hjorth Park at the corner of Ave 48 and Hjorth St. in Indio
Road Trip | La Quinta
This massive roadrunner that held a swing from its beak on the festival grounds in 2014 now serves as a focal point at the center of a traffic circle in La Quinta, just down the street from the festival grounds. It moved to La Quinta in 2015.
The 14-foot-tall Roadrunner has hand-blown glass eyes and a body made from steel and galvanized sheet metal that resembles armor.
The sculpture was created by, you guessed it, Don Kennell. The New Mexico-based artist is clearly a favorite of the festival as this is one of several pieces he’s created for the event over the years.
Where to Find It: Avenue 52 and Jefferson Street in city of La Quinta
Big Bear | Coachella
This 24-foot-tall bear showed up at the festival in 2015 in the campground holding a custom porch swing from its left paw and a disco ball in its right. It is now located at a park in the city of Coachella, minus the disco ball and swing. Created by Don Kennell, it is made from steel and has hand-blown glass eyes.
Where to Find It: Shady Lane Park, corner of Shady Lane, and Avenue 52 in Coachella
