It’s no secret: We don’t like Coachella. Accuse us of sourgraping all you want, but the fact is, our beef is with the festival’s (d*ck) owner, Philip Anschutz.
Sure, this year’s lineup is pretty awesome. There’s Blackpink, Janelle Monáe, Solange, Ella Mai, H.E.R, and Billie Eilish. But no matter how much we love these artists, we just can’t dismiss Philip’s track record.
In case you didn’t know, Philip funds anti-LGBT groups like the Mission America Coalition, Institute for American Values, and Alliance Defending Freedom, which not only opposes same-sex marriage but abortion too. While Philip has denied these, tax filings confirm otherwise. In addition, he is a climate-change denier and a supporter of pro-gun Republican candidates. That just doesn’t sit well with us.
READ MORE: Everyone forgot about Coachella’s shady owner
We know we’re a minority in this. Your social media feeds are probably flooded by celebrities posting about their fun Coachella experience, which in turn makes you wish you were there. But listen. There are other famous people who are not at Coachella, but don’t feel like they’re missing out. Granted, their reason for not attending is most probably different than ours. But if they’ll inspire you to not patronize the problematic festival, then we’ll take it. Take it from these celebrities, here are great stuff can do other than Coachella.
Go on a romantic date like Bella Hadid
While the rest of her siblings, Gigi and Anwar, are at Coachella, Bella is off with her boo, The Weeknd. The two ditched the desert for a tropical vacation, and it looks way better than the crowded valley. It seems they have an island all to themselves, riding jet-skis, jumping off a yacht, and playing video games.
Oh, and if Coachella outfits is what you’re after, take it from Bella, a vacation is the perfect excuse to show off your OOTD too!
Get your hair done like Cami Mendes
Cami and her Riverdale castmates were present at the last Coachella, but their gang opted out of the hullabaloo this year. In her Instagram Stories, Cami shared that she had a haircut and had it colored—a process that took seven hours to do. Woah! She did not reveal if it’s for a role or not. But either way, we think haircare is a way better use of your time.
Indulge in food like Millie Bobby Brown
Okay, we admit, we’ll find every excuse to do this. Missing Coachella as trade to go on a guilt-less food trip? Yeah, that’s more than enough. On IG stories, the Stranger Things actress posted about eating out with her fam at Black Tap NYC. She shared the “look of happiness” of her sister upon seeing the desert filled with gummy sour candies. She also snapped a photo showing a full table with nachos and fries. We’ll take that mouth-watering fried food and dessert over the Coachella Desert Valley anytime.
Do something for a cause like Dua Lipa
Dua Lipa at Coachella: It just makes sense. You could just imagine the singer living it up at the desert. But this year, Dua decided to focus on her work with Unicef instead. On Instagram, she revealed she is in Lebanon, meeting children at refugee settlements and youth training and skill building programs. “I have experienced first hand [all] the activities and opportunities UNICEF give to young people who have been left without a home because of the war in Syria and it’s nice to see that these children have a community where they feel safe and protected,” she wrote.
Spend the day with your best buds like Miley Cyrus
While Miley is another celeb you’d expect to make an appearance at the music festival, it seems the singer is so over that. Last weekend, she went on a hike in Los Angeles with one of her adorable pups last weekend. That same day, she also shared an Instagram photo of herself in bed with her dogs. “dat day all yo fwends are at coachella still tweakin & u juzzz at home cuddlin yo pups in zit cream and nipple pasties #iliterallywokeuplikedis,” she wrote.
This one’s a no-brainer. I mean, why would anyone choose Coachella if you could spend the day cuddling your puppies instead?
Photo courtesy of Unsplash
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