festival

In a squeaker race for Cannes’ top prize, Romanian director Cristian Mungiu prevailed on Saturday, taking the Palme d’Or for his tense community drama “Fjord.”

The movie, a widely admired conversation-starter at the festival, stars Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve as religious parents who come into conflict with the child protection services of their tiny Norwegian town where they have relocated with their family.

Mungiu, a previous winner of the Palme for his controversial 2007 abortion drama “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days,” now joins an exclusive group of 10 filmmakers who have won the Palme twice — an achievement shared by Francis Ford Coppola (1974’s “The Conversation” and 1979’s “Apocalypse Now”) and Ruben Östlund (2017’s “The Square” and 2022’s “Triangle of Sadness”), among others. No one has ever won a third Palme d’Or.

Another record, maybe even more impressive, was set by distributor Neon, which, with “Fjord,” extends its streak of Palme wins to an unprecedented seven in a row. Those previous six Neon winners, many of which eventually claimed Oscars, are “Parasite,” “Titane,” “Triangle of Sadness,” “Anatomy of a Fall,” “Anora” and last year’s “It Was Just an Accident.”

Neon will release “Fjord” in the fall, with an extensive awards campaign to follow.

This year’s nine-member main competition jury, led by Korean director Park Chan-wook and studded with notables including “The Substance” star Demi Moore, Stellan Skarsgård and “Hamnet” director Chloé Zhao, seemed intent on spreading the wealth among as many winners as possible. There were three ties at Saturday’s awards ceremony.

The award for actress was shared by Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto, co-stars of Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s “All of a Sudden,” a movie pegged by many to potentially go all the way. Similarly, the prize for actor was bestowed on both Emmanuel Macchia and Valentin Campagne, co-stars of Lukas Dhont’s World War I romantic drama “Coward.”

The prize for directing went to three people — and two movies — with a joint win for Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi (better known as Los Javis) for their century-spanning queer historical drama “The Black Ball,” as well as to director Paweł Pawlikowski for his exquisite post-World War II psychodrama “Fatherland.” (Pawlikowski half-joked at the podium, “This was a disastrous piece of mise-en-scène” after the awkward award presentation had him waiting in the wings.)

Claiming this year’s Grand Prize (essentially second place) was “Minotaur,” the rapturously received comeback film of Andrey Zvyagintsev, a Russian director who had been sidelined with a near-fatal bout of long COVID that put him in a coma. His new movie, about a wealthy Moscow family, is both an erotic thriller and an indictment of amoral oligarchy detached from the war with Ukraine.

The festival’s third-place Jury Prize went to the borderland German drama “The Dreamed Adventure,” directed by Valeska Grisebach.

At this year’s festival to unveil our inaugural Cannes issue, I had to opportunity to sit down with Sony Pictures Classics co-founders and co-presidents Michael Barker and Tom Bernard and EVP of Acquisitions, Production and Business Affairs Dylan Leiner on the Main Stage at the Marché du Film to discuss the company’s festival strategy, bidding wars, artificial intelligence and more. Watch the full conversation and read edited excerpts below.

How much does the festival reception of a movie, the reviews coming out of a festival, the buzz around it, shape decisions that you’re making? Or is it just confirming what your gut already knows?

Leiner: I want to tell one story that speaks to that, which was at the first Berlin Film Festival we attended after COVID. I remember, in the same day, I ran into three international distributors who all asked if we had seen “The Teacher’s Lounge.” And I didn’t even know what the film was. It wasn’t on our radar, it wasn’t in competition. So we quickly saw “Teacher’s Lounge” and we acquired the film [which went on to be nominated for the 2024 international feature Oscar]. And that was one of the great values of an in-person festival, the ability very quickly to communicate with distributors, with tastemakers, with critics from around the world and get that kind of information. Gut, personal taste… It plays into it a lot, but then we need reassurance. And being at a festival and being in this fishbowl environment is really helpful for that.

For a lot of people, myself included, the mystique of a festival is often around the bidding war narratives: Who’s going to pick up what and what are they going to pay? I’m curious for your take on the first big acquisition of this year’s Cannes, A24 buying “Club Kid” for a reported $17 million.

Bernard: Throughout the years, there were companies [that would] maybe overpay, or they were going to bid to get this movie no matter what, because they were the headline in all the newspapers covering this festival. So in terms of a company that’s branding — which, A24 is one of the best in branding — I think that that had to do with a little bit of the cash that went up. … There’s a branding aspect in a lot of festivals for a movie that’s a hot movie that the press has decided to seize on.

Barker: Here’s a key to how we have survived. It’s different from the way you talk about it. When we acquire a movie, whether anyone else has offers, we try to block it out. And we have trained ourselves to not let that noise bother us. What is it worth to us? What do we think it’s going to do? Dylan runs these incredible models of what it’ll do on the low end, what it will do on the high end. And then you decide where you want to be.

Bernard: Or we think we can make it work.

Barker: But at no point do we sit around and worry about who else has a higher offer for the movie. Because I have to say, in very few instances, on the movies we buy, are we the higher offer. We just do the best we can, and if we lose it, we lose it.

Bernard: [French film producer] Serge Silberman, a sage of the past, he always said, “You never lose money on a movie you didn’t buy.”

That brings up a question that I had about “Nuremberg,” which was a real success. What you’re saying is, it performed in alignment with your expectations. Were there any lessons that you took away from that in terms of future projects that might come along?

Leiner: Yes, it performed in accordance with our expectations. What’s interesting about that film, we acquired it here last year. Nobody else was really interested in the movie. … So our challenge basically was to figure out how to convince the filmmaking team that, because it was a very expensive film, that we were the right company to acquire the film on the terms that we could afford and that we could make it work. And it was a very intense series of phone conversations, in-person meetings.

Bernard: We felt like we were auditioning to get married to somebody. We were never going to be able to pay to make their money back. It was a $40-million movie, and they were really sort of out there without anybody really looking at it. And we said, “Listen, sell it to us. We think it’s going to be a great success. We’ll make your movie way more valuable over the test of time.”

Barker: There are two types of movies that are being made and distributed. One are the big tentpole studio movies. It’s about winning the weekend theatrically. These are the theatrical-driven movies. And it’s all about making that huge budget back very quickly. But the other kind of film, which is why we are in business, is the evergreen. Every one of our films, we open it with the best marketing push we can. Yes, we try to get the highest box office. But what we know will happen, even if the box office ends up being less, we believe in these films as long-term players. And these films have really long tails. You look at movies like “Run Lola Run” or “Call Me By Your Name” or even “Living” … They have generated revenues to the filmmakers and to us that’s way beyond what the box office would have portended when it opened.

I would be curious, what areas of the filmmaking process or the film distribution process do you think AI is appropriate for use, that you’ve experimented with it, that you’re excited about its prospects? And where are your red lines, if you have any?

Barker: One of the people on our staff — we really love our young staff. One of them was writing a screenplay with AI, and told me they got certain rules on AI. And I’m listening to all these rules. You can’t have your main character die in a first scene. You can’t have your romantic female lead be totally unlikable, people aren’t going to go. I’m listening to this, and I said, “Have you ever seen ‘Sunset Boulevard?’” And she goes, “No, what is that?” I said, “Go watch that movie.” She came back and she was like, “Holy cow.” I said, “Billy Wilder sat down and made that up based on what he observed.” AI is not going to be able to do that.

FOUR of the world’s biggest stars dazzled on the Cannes red carpet last night.

Julianne Moore, Cate Blanchett, Bella Hadid and Carla Bruni-Sarkozy starred before the screening of new film Garance at the 79th annual Cannes Film Festival.

Hadid wore a custom Prada powder pink sheath dress, with a matching stole and beaded detailing.

She was flanked by Moore in a strapless red gown and diamond jewellery.

Former First Lady of France Carla wore a white-tiger ballgown signed by Roberto Cavalli while Cate Blanchett stunned in a shiny Givenchy floral look.

Garance is a film about a gifted young actress living in a small Parisian apartment.

Hollywood icon John Travolta turned heads at the 79th annual Cannes Film Festival, debuting a dramatic new look.

The 72-year-old Grease pin-up arrived on the red carpet looking preened-to-perfection as he posed with his stunning daughter, Ella Bleu.

HOLLYWOOD star Demi Moore showcases her chic side at the Cannes Film Festival.

The US actress, 63, wore a strapless, violet gown for a screening of French romantic comedy La Vie D’Une Femme.

She was joined on the red carpet by stars including Gillian Anderson and Ruth Negga.

Demi was last at Cannes in 2024, promoting her film The Substance, which won her a Golden Globe for Best Actress.

Just months ago, Demi capped off a stellar career comeback by being named Glamour’s Woman of the Year.

She was interviewed by her Substance co-star Margaret Qualley for the mag and said: “With everything I’ve been through, which has been a lot, I wouldn’t trade where I am today.”

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She added a difference with her younger self is the “freedom to know I don’t have to have the answer, and life is not going to be completely stolen from me if I somehow don’t know”.

During Demi’s emotional Golden Globes acceptance speech last year, she spoke of having been at a “low point” and not thinking she was “enough”.

The actress has battled countless traumas and rejections during her life – including her biological dad leaving before she was born, saving her drug addicted mum from suicide, two spells in rehab and being raped aged 15. 

The star of Ghost, Indecent Proposal and A Few Good Men’s return to form in the satirical horror movie The Substance is one of the greatest Hollywood comebacks of all time.

CANNES, France — Greeting from the Croisette, where the 79th Cannes Film Festival is underway — and where the Envelope has its inaugural Cannes issue.

I’ve been hard at work since before the Oscars assigning and editing stories about the global film industry and this storied event’s role in it, albeit with an L.A. twist. And with this special edition of the newsletter, you too can be a part of the “Entourage,” at least vicariously. Read on for more highlights from the issue, and be sure to check out Amy Nicholson and Joshua Rothkopf’s conversation about the Cannes films they’re most excited to see before you block out your schedule.

Cover: Almodóvar, uncensored

(Shayan Asgharnia / For The Times)

You know you have a juicy interview on your hands when you wake up to it being aggregated by the trades, and I can’t really blame them: Columnist Glenn Whipp’s cover profile of Spanish auteur Pedro Almodóvar, in competition here with his new film “Bitter Christmas,” is chock full of pungent quotations.

At 76, the filmmaker is unafraid to speak his mind, whether it be about the apolitical Oscars or the decline of American democracy. But his metafictional treat, in which an acclaimed filmmaker falls out with an old friend over pilfering real life for inspiration, shows that he’s equally willing to turn that critical lens inward. It’s the film, he says, “where I’ve been cruelest with myself.”

Digital cover: Cannes kid Diego Calva

(Ian Spanier / For The Times)

In one of those serendipitous intersections editors dream off, it’s Almodovar that our digital cover star is most amped to meet during the fortnight: “If Almodóvar shakes my hand, I can die in peace,” Diego Calva tells contributor Carlos Aguilar.

With two films at the festival — Jordan Firstman’s “Club Kid,” playing in Un Certain Regard, and Nicolas Winding Refn’s highly anticipated out-of-competition title “Her Private Hell” — Calva, who appeared earlier this year in “The Night Manager” Season 2, may be hard for Almodóvar to miss. But the actor isn’t letting the auspicious moment go to his head. “My friends don’t care whether I have seven Golden Globes or if I’m not working at all,” he says. “To them, I’m just Diego.”

What’s next for Nollywood

(Photo illustration by Stephanie Jones / For The Times; photos courtesy of Anthill Studios, African International Film Festival)

I admit I didn’t know much about the Nigerian film industry beyond the term “Nollywood” before reading Daron James’ deep dive on how the West African country is charting a new course after its recent streaming boom went bust. Now I’m eager to see if its embrace of theatrical exhibition — including, gasp, building more cinemas — can rub off on its American namesake.

Nollywood may produce “the second most movies globally after India,” as James writes, but “creative hustle… is still as important as ever.”

More coverage of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival

AN X Factor star has mysteriously pulled out of a major festival gig for “unforeseen” reasons.

The 30-year-old shot to fame on The X Factor in 2012 and went on to enjoy huge success as a musician.

The In It Together festival, which takes place this month in Wales, has announced that X Factor star Ella Henderson will not be appearing this year.

Taking to social media they said: “We’re very sorry to share that Ella Henderson has unfortunately been forced to cancel some of her upcoming appearances due to unforeseen circumstances, and as a result will no longer be appearing at In It Together Festival this year.

“We completely understand and support Ella’s decision, and we want to send our love and very best wishes to Ella and her entire team at this time.

“We sincerely hope to welcome Ella to In It Together in the near future.”

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The statement continued: “While we know many of you will be disappointed, we’ve worked tirelessly behind the scenes at the last minute to secure a huge replacement artist and someone you absolutely do not want to miss.

“Join us on Sunday at 2PM on the Together Stage for the official reveal. Trust us… this is BIG.”

Ella found fame on the ITV talent show in 2012 aged 16 where she wowed judges with her rendition of Cher’s Believe before reaching the live finals.

But she finished in sixth place behind winner James Arthur.

Following her stint on the show, Ella went on to sign with Simon Cowell’s label Syco Music and released her first studio album, Chapter One, with the music mogul in 2014.

During her time with label, Ella scored several hits with her single Ghost, which she wrote with the American writer producer Ryan Tedder, and emotional ballad Yours.

She went on a four-year hiatus in 2015, and released her second studio album, Everything I Didn’t Say, in 2022. It became her second top 10 album in the UK.

Ella has received the Brit Billion Award, and nominations for four Brit Awards and an Ivor Novello Award.

After a day spent hiking across the Col d’Entrèves glacier, a sugar hit is required. I descend on the cable car and join the queue at the ice-cream counter. Above me, surrounded by jagged peaks, looms the huge white figure of Mont Blanc, serene and pure against a brilliant blue sky. Although it’s late afternoon, people are still heading up the mountain, and there are two clear groups. On one side are the tourists, who are about to be lifted into unfamiliar frozen realms at 3,375 metres (11,072ft), hoping to grab a picture and return. Mixed among them are the weathered faces of mountain experts: hikers confidently heading for a high-altitude hut, or climbers with coils of rope.

How many of those tourists, I wonder, are wishing they could be mountaineers, secretly regretting the twists of fate that kept them away from that path? But all is not lost. The aspiring adventurer, no matter what age or background, can begin the journey to competence in the mountains. The annual mountain festival I am attending aims to facilitate that by offering the chance to gain hands-on experience with experts.

I have been up on the glacier with an Italian Alpine guide, who was coaching me in crossing the ice safely. Next to me when I make it to the lemon sorbet is Meta, a musician from Berlin, who has just been rock climbing. “I’ve only ever climbed indoors,” she says. “But I want to get experience outdoors. This seemed the perfect way to start.” What had held her back? She raises an eyebrow. “Berlin doesn’t have any mountains.” And how was it? “Amazing. I definitely want to do more.”

The Arc’teryx Alpine Academy in Chamonix began 16 years ago with a focus on rock climbing, but has since extended its range. There’s now a UK festival too in the Lake District in May. These days, there’s tuition in everything from Alpine botany to advanced multi-pitch climbing. Max from Rome is buzzing after a day of trail-running with experts. “They were so helpful, sharing their knowledge and tips.”

When we get back to the festival base camp, I meet others who have been out studying photography and mountain geology. Frenchman Jean-Luc is in a state of blissful shock. “I went on a climbing course and found myself teamed up with Jim Pope,” he says. “Can you imagine? He’s a climbing hero of mine, and was so friendly and encouraging. I still can’t believe it happened.” Elvin and Annie from Stockholm did an introduction to ice-climbing and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Meta and I watch the male and female Alpine guides chatting. “Look at them,” she says. “I want to be like that: with that physique and those skills.” She turns back to me, laughing. “They are cool.”

Rock climbing as a sport is cool right now. My local climbing wall is full of cool. Hamish McArthur, one of the stars of world climbing and an expert tutor at the festival, began his career on that wall in York.

Meanwhile, the crowd is enjoying the festival. There is a programme of music too, from live bands to DJs, and the London band Kokoroko are playing as I tour the stalls. There’s one where you can borrow equipment for a day, just to try it. That solves one tricky part of the how to get started equation. At another stall, I learn how to wash my waterproofs correctly and do small repairs. At the next tent, I get a beer and wander over a small grassy hill to discover Austrian climber Alex Luger chatting to a small group about psychology and climbing. Alex is a professional climber turned psychotherapist who specialises in facing fears, an appropriate area of expertise for a man who has scaled some of the most terrifying rock walls on the planet. “I enjoy meeting such a variety of people,” he tells me afterwards. “And facing fears is not just about climbing; it applies to many situations.”

Next to the food tent, I meet organiser Stéphane Tenailleau, from the brand Arc’teryx, who is also facing his fears. “Sending 800 people, some of them total beginners, into the mountains carries a certain amount of risk.” That number includes disadvantaged kids from Paris and other underprivileged groups.

All too soon, the festival is over, but nearby Geneva provides an interesting coda. I stroll around the historic old town, my need to climb still burning. On the side of a cable car station overlooking the city, I find a climbing wall and instructor Pierre, who turns out to be an unsung genius of motivational psychology. I had always regarded the crux of a climb, the hardest bit, as the moment when I give up. Pierre rewires my brain. On the 20-metre concrete wall, with Lake Geneva far below, I reach the pinch point and get ready to fail.

“That desire to stop,” pipes up Pierre, who seems to know exactly what I’m thinking, “that is the dark place of climbing. Now balance your mind and body. Breathe. Move your left foot 2cm to the right. Extend the ankle. And now go on.”

And I do.

The trip was provided by Geneva Tourism, with accommodation at the Crowne Plaza Geneva, doubles from CHF 225 (£212). The 2026 Arc’teryx Alpine Academy in Chamonix, with a range of individually priced clinics, takes place 2-5 July. Other locations for the festival include the Lake District, 23-25 May

REALITY star Maura Higgins pads about in Cannes.

The former Love Islander sashayed around the city in a 1980s-style shirt dress with big shoulders and collar.

Irish model Maura, 35, later changed into a dramatic Guinness-like black and white gown for the film ­festival’s opening ceremony on the French Riviera.

She was joined by actress Demi Moore — in a pearl sequinned gown — and model Heidi Klum in a peach dress with floral decoration.

Maura will be Dancing with the Stars next — we revealed last month that she has landed a place on the US ­version of Strictly.

Reality TV star Maura has confirmed she’s walked away from her Love Island USA: Aftersun hosting job after three years.

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The Irish star told Vulture that she won’t be returning to Fiji for the upcoming eighth season.

She said: “You won’t. I’ve done it for three years, and they’ll always be family to me, but I think it’s time to try something different.

“I’ve got amazing opportunities coming in the door.

“I think it’s time to say good-bye. But you know what? I won’t say forever.

“I’ll still be watching from afar and I love them and miss them. It’s just time to move on.”

Temples in Thailand gathered for the annual ‘Look Noo’ rocket festival, an ancient Mon tradition. Once used in funeral rites for senior monks, the ritual has evolved into a competitive event, keeping the centuries-old practice alive.

A FREE-to-visit wine festival is set to return to the UK this summer.

Battersea Power Station in London has confirmed The Wine Circuit will return from June 12 to 14 with everything from a markets to street food and bar pop ups.

Wine Merchant Stalls at the festival will be open from 11am to 8pm on June 13 and between 11am and 6pm on June 14 and include popular brands such as Vagabond Wines.

There’s also an Artisan Market on June 12 and 13 between 10am and 8pm and again on June 14 between 11am and 6pm where you can shop handmade wine glass and wine-themed gifts.

Alternatively, you could buy a ticket to one of the panel talks at the festival, or The Wine Cup, where you can try different tasters of wine.

The Wine Cup allows visitors to enjoy up to 10 wines from around the world and then vote for the ‘Best in Show’, as well as ‘Highly Commended’.

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Tickets are split into the different types of wine including red, white, rose and sparkling and range from £37.90 to £41.10 per person – and even includes a tote bag and cup.

Events already confirmed for this year include Drag Wine Tasting on June 13 between 7pm and 9pm.

While little details have been released about the wine festival this year, last year the festival hosted sessions about wine making, drinking trends and insider tips from experts.

There were also live music, talks on topics such as natural wine and alcohol-free wine, and for pub quiz lovers, even a wine quiz with blind tastings

As for the wine market, stalls sold wine-related gifts such as bottle stoppers and decanters while food pop-ups included Ashes BBQ and Masa Tacos.

The Power Station already has a number of wine destinations for visitors to explore including Vagabond Wines and Searcys Champagne Bar.

“I WAS a bit of a Duracell bunny,” confesses Iron Maiden’s irrepressible Bruce Dickinson. 

“To some extent, I still am — much to the dismay of people around me! They’re like, ‘Don’t you EVER stop?’” 

Dickinson is reflecting on the manic energy he brought to the heavy metal titans after replacing original singer Paul Di’Anno. 

In 1981, he was a 22-year-old member of hard-rocking fellow travellers Samson when Maiden’s manager Rod Smallwood came calling.

Unlike many of his peers, including his predecessor, Dickinson didn’t have to rely on drugs and booze to fuel his high-octane performances. 

He continues: “I discovered that having these amazing, ecstatic, endorphin-filled moments — being in front of people and singing with a group in total sync — was way more uplifting than any drugs on offer.” 

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One of the great spectacles in rock is a sweat-soaked Dickinson running and jumping around on stage with audiences in the palms of his outstretched hands. 

Match his physical presence to a rich operatic tenor and an iconic catchphrase, “Scream for me!”, and you have a powerful combination.  

The songs that stretch his vocal cords aren’t too shabby either — many filled with intriguing historical references.

Run To The Hills deals with European colonisation of Native American territory, The Trooper visits the Crimean War’s Charge Of The Light Brigade and Aces High is a pilot’s eye-view of the Battle Of Britain — not your average metalhead subject matter.  

What about the 14-minute Rime Of The Ancient Mariner, based on Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s poem and written by Maiden founder and leader Steve Harris? 

“It’s just epic,” says Dickinson of the closing track on the band’s fifth album Powerslave, released in 1984.  

“It’s one of my favourites to perform.

“I love the storytelling aspect and we’ve got huge screens now to tell the whole story.” 

Let’s also not forget the enduring core band which today comprises bassist and chief lyricist Harris, three virtuoso guitarists in Dave Murray, Adrian Smith and Jannick Gers, mighty drummer Nicko McBrain (now retired from touring after a stroke in 2023) — and, of course, Dickinson.

The singer remembers Maiden’s gruelling, breathless climb to metal’s summit in the Eighties, when he was “run ragged but young enough to handle it”. 

Now 67, he accepts that his unfettered antics have taken their toll on his body, but insists: “Damaging it and knackering it by doing things on stage is a relatively easy fix — drugs take away your soul.” 

I’m speaking to Dickinson to mark the arrival in cinemas next Thursday of Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition, a riveting film documenting their 50-year rollercoaster ride with insightful interviews, live footage and unguarded offstage moments. 

Through the prism of band members past and present, and superfans including Metallica’s Lars Ulrich, Public Enemy rapper Chuck D and actor Javier Bardem, it is 106 minutes of pedal to the metal. 

The movie is the first milestone in a momentous year for the band formed in Leyton, East London, by Harris in 1975. 

In late May, Maiden continue the Run For Your Lives world tour, including a monster outdoor event, Eddfest (named after their shape-shifting undead mascot Eddie), at Knebworth on July 10 and 11. 

Then, in November, they join Oasis, Phil Collins and Billy Idol, among others, in being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in the US. 

Dickinson says: “We’re about to do the biggest tour of our lives, playing to 2.5million people in six months. 

“People might say, ‘How the hell did that happen?’ to which I answer, ‘Have a look at the film — that is how’. 

“We’ve had lots of tidal waves and earthquakes in our career.”

Crucial to the upward trajectory has been the sense of community around Maiden and their fans, which Dickinson believes is only rivalled by “a very different kind of band, the Grateful Dead and their Deadheads”. 

He says: “We’ve never compromised and have grown on our own terms, creating our own universe. 

“You reach those millions one person at a time,” he adds. “Look them in the eyes — although that is a lot easier in a pub than in a 50,000-seat arena!” 

Though the upcoming tour will send Maiden through Europe, then on to North, Central and South America, Australia and Japan, Dickinson spares a thought for the places they can’t visit “because of the chaos in the world”. 

“There are huge pockets of fans in Iran,” he affirms.

“And in Israel, Ukraine and Russia — all these wonderful people who just want to love everybody else who loves Iron Maiden. It’s tragic.” 

This is cue for him to trawl through the mists of time to the early days again and it’s clear that, above all, it is Steve Harris’s band. 

Referred to as “the boss”, he formed Maiden just before punk upended the music scene. 

Dickinson says: “Steve felt very strongly about punk because many in the media decided it was the ‘acceptable face of heavy metal’ — and that enraged him. 

“Frankly, the first LP wasn’t that well produced so it actually sounded like a crap punk album.

“Steve has always said, ‘My God, I wish I could have remade it with Martin Birch [who produced their next eight records].” 

In the Burning Ambition film, we see the struggles of original singer, the late Paul Di’Anno, who embraced rock and roll excesses to the full, prompting Harris and Smallwood to search for a replacement. 

“Paul was very charismatic with a characterful voice,” says his successor. “He was a bit of a pirate . . . like Adam Ant or a member of band I loved, Johnny Kidd & The Pirates.  

“His look was different to the rest of the metal world — and that was cool.” 

With a rueful expression, Dickinson remembers being described as a “human air-raid siren” after his first gig with Maiden. 

He says: “They were obviously big fans of Paul who came to see me at the [now defunct] Rainbow and one of them sent a letter to a music magazine, Melody Maker maybe. 

“It said what a terrible disaster the show was, like ‘hearing my favourite songs being sung from inside a cement mixer by an air-raid siren’. 

“Even though someone was trying to be insulting, Rod Smallwood took the attitude, ‘When life throws lemons, make lemonade’. 

“He nicked the idea and turned the whole thing on its head, which actually made me laugh.” 

ON EDDIE: ‘EASTWOOD OF ZOMBIES’

MENACING mascot Eddie is an Iron Maiden icon.

Illustrated in numerous guises by Derek Riggs, the shape-shifting creature has appeared on every album cover and in every outlandish stage set. 

He inspired the name of the band’s outdoor shindig Eddfest at Knebworth in July and features in new animated sequences for the Burning Ambition movie. 

Bruce Dickinson calls Eddie the “Clint Eastwood of zombies” and says: “He has a Dirty Harry type of morality about him. 

“You think he’s evil but he’s ambivalent, so you don’t know exactly where you stand with him,” he explains. 

“If you’re basically a good person, you’re probably going to be OK – but he’ll blow you away if you’re not!” 

Dickinson believes Eddie has a future beyond Maiden. “One day, inevitably, we’ll stop playing live. 

“The great thing about Eddie is that he’s eternal. He can have a whole career on his own. We could even write albums for him.  

“In fact, there’s so much you could do with him, whether it’s movies, animation, or an Eddie avatar show. All these things are up for grabs.” 

To Dickinson, sharing the stage with Eddie is a rite of passage. 

“He’s an extension of our world but you just can’t pin him down.” 

A fascinating aspect of Maiden has been Dickinson’s relationship with Harris, not always plain sailing but one that created undeniable chemistry. 

And surely Harris accepts that the flamboyant singer helped propel his band to stadium-slaying proportions. 

“When I was in Samson, people were calling Steve ‘the Ayatollah’,” says Dickinson. “He had a reputation for being uncompromising and rigid. 

“But, as we’ve got older, he’s been much more amenable to ideas that might broaden the vision.” 

However, Dickinson had to set one thing straight from the start.  

“When I first did shows with Maiden, I was thinking, ‘Why am I standing on one side of the stage? I’m the singer’. 

“The answer was because Steve would go running down front and centre playing the bass. Suddenly I would have this big old lump of wood thrust in my ear. I nearly lost a couple of teeth because of it!” 

Dickinson insisted that, as lead singer, he was going to “stand at the front, in the middle — and I wasn’t going to back down”. 

Iron Maiden’s third album, The Number Of The Beast (1982), was Dickinson’s first and its songs including the title track, Run To The Hills and Hallowed Be Thy Name took the band to the next level. 

For the new recruit, making the album was the calm before the storm.  

He says: “It was like 1939 when Britain was at war but everybody was still out sunbathing and reading the papers because nothing bad had happened.  

“Then we hit the road and, wow, we had a No1 album, the single was going crazy and we were doing seven, eight, nine shows in a row. Even our day off was travelling.” 

Despite the overwhelming demands, Maiden enjoyed a rocket-fuelled rise to the crest of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM), a movement that included Def Leppard, Saxon and Motörhead. 

Dickinson says: “The albums we were producing in the Eighties were phenomenal. We created a style with The Number Of The Beast and it continued with Piece Of Mind and Powerslave. The trajectory was fantastic.” 

As the Burning Ambition movie attests, the band began building a devoted following in all corners of the globe. 

In August 1984, Iron Maiden ventured behind the Iron Curtain to play five shows in Poland, much to delight of fans starved of music from the West. 

In January the following year, the band went nuclear in South America by playing Rock In Rio to a 300,000-plus crowd.  

ON FLYING: ‘I HAD ROAD TO DAMASCUS MOMENT’

ANYONE who follows the life less ordinary of Bruce Dickinson will know there’s a lot more to him than just being the singer in Iron Maiden.

At school, he took up boxing but he “wasn’t very big” and people “would beat the crap out of me”.

So he took up fencing instead, inspired by a metalwork teacher who brought in a “full-on, two-handed sword like Excalibur”.

Not one to do things by halves, he became a champion – so good that he reached the UK top ten, trained with the Olympic squad and is still a member of fencing clubs in London, Paris and LA.

Dickinson harboured other dreams, too. “I was really into aviation and wanted to be an astronaut or a pilot,” he says.

This helps explain how he qualified as an airline pilot and ended up flying Iron Maiden on three world tours, firstly in a Boeing 757 dubbed Ed Force One and then, in 2016 for the Book Of Souls tour, a jumbo jet.

He says: “My love of flying came from my great uncle who was in No. 200 Squadron RAF in the Second World War. When I was five, he’d tell me all these stories.

“But I was rubbish at maths in school and you need to be a rocket scientist to be a pilot so I became a rock star instead.

“Then, in the Nineties, I took a trial flying lesson in Florida for 30 bucks, just to see. It was a road to Damascus moment.”

The next step for Dickinson was training with British Airways, flying a 757. Picking up the story, he says: “From 2000 to 2011, I was a pilot for UK company Astraeus, flying people around the world on holiday. I had to take unpaid leave to go on tour with Iron Maiden.

“You would probably have had no idea I was your captain because no one listens to captain’s announcements!”

During this time, Dickinson hatched the idea to extend his flying exploits to his other job as a member of Iron Maiden.

“I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if we put all the equipment, the band and the crew on one airplane?’ To my surprise, our manager Rod thought it was a great idea. Normally, I get told to p*** off!

“So we did three world tours. It was brilliant calling it Ed Force One – I think that was an invention by the fans.”

Dickinson remembers his initial horror when American secret servicemen boarded the plane in Chicago. “I went, ‘Oh s**t! What have we done wrong?’ Turned out Obama was coming in the next day on Air Force One and the men just wanted to have a look at Ed Force One.

“I’ve still got Air Force One-branded M&Ms, matches and a bottle opener somewhere.

“So, I’m thinking, ‘What’s going on in the President’s plane?’ They’re cracking open beer bottles, smoking themselves to death and taking all the red Smarties.”

As the Eighties progressed and the Nineties dawned, the pace rarely slackened and, as we witness in unvarnished detail in Burning Ambition, “the wheels eventually fell off”.  

Guitarist Smith quit in 1990 over “creative differences” and an exhausted Dickinson dropped a second bombshell by leaving in 1993 to pursue his solo career, much to the consternation of his bandmates, notably McBrain. 

“It was a sudden burst of artistic integrity of my own invention,” confesses Dickinson. 

“I knew Maiden were great, but they didn’t allow me to do anything a bit out there.  

“I was still in my thirties and the thought of leaving momentarily terrified me. But then I read Henry Miller’s quote, ‘All growth is a leap in the dark, a spontaneous unpremeditated act without the benefit of experience’. 

“It hit me like a ton of bricks. I thought to myself, ‘If you don’t jump, you’ll never find out’.” 

As for the reaction to his departure in the Maiden camp, Dickinson says: “The only person I told was the manager, Rod. I don’t know what got said between him and the guys but Nicko got upset about it. And fair enough.” 

He sees what became a five-year absence as part of “a real story of real people”.  

He adds: “We’re a bunch of bizarre brothers who got stuck together. In the end, we had to make it work.” 

So it was in 1999, after Wolfsbane singer Blaze Bayley had gamely attempted to hold the fort, that guitarist Smith and singer Dickinson returned to the fold — for good. 

“To use a football analogy, Blaze had been passed a ball which was a ticking timebomb,” says Dickinson, before recalling his bizarre meeting with Harris and Smallwood to discuss his return. 

They convened in secret at a yacht club in Brighton, entered by a special code — an occasion Dickinson likens to a scene from a John Le Carré novel. 

“Part of me was thinking, ‘This is ridiculous’. It felt like going through Checkpoint Charlie in The Spy Who Came In From The Cold,” he says. 

“But I looked at Steve and realised he’d been through the ringer with all kinds of things. I decided that if he’s up for it, then we should get on with it. 

“I told him, ‘I am the one guy on the planet you can trust. When I say we’ll make a great new album together, we will’. And we did [Brave New World]. 

“Steve and I are very different individuals — but that’s our strength. 

“I’ve certainly grown to respect him. Has he grown to respect me? I don’t want to put words into his mouth.” 

Dickinson signs off with a heartfelt statement: “The music is the thread that holds us in Maiden together. Whatever we started, we started well — and when eventually we finish, we will finish well.” 

Bob Olinger rode off into retirement with victory in the Champion Stayers Hurdle on day three of the Punchestown Festival.

Ridden by Darragh O’Keefe, the Henry de Bromhead-trained 11-year-old (4-1) saw off Willie Mullins’ Jimmy Du Seuil (9-1) and pre-race favourite Teahupoo (5-4) who was seeking a third consecutive triumph in the race.

It capped a remarkable 11-win career that produced three at Cheltenham, as he rolled back the years to go out on a high.

Teahupoo led as they headed down the final stretch of the three-mile circuit, but Bob Olinger had closed the gap by the final fence and had more in the tank to open a gap.

While Jimmy Du Seuil applied late pressure, it just was not enough as Bob Olinger had three-quarters of a length to spare.

The Novice Chase went the way of Salvator Mundi (13-2) who took advantage of a fall from favourite Kopek Des Bordes.

With Mullins’ new retained jockey Harry Cobden onboard, it was a case of taking advantage of his stablemate’s misfortune two fences from home to claim the win.

Kopek Des Bordes seemed to be in full control before the fall with Salvator Mundi, who was on his coattails, galloping to a 12-length win from second place Irish Panther (15-2) and Jacob’s Ladder (18-1) in third.

Gaelic Warrior raced clear to claim the Punchestown Gold Cup on Wednesday.

With Paul Townend on board, the 5-6 favourite powered home ahead of stablemates Fact To File (13-8) and Grangeclare West (28-1). All three are trained by Willie Mullins.

It was eight-year-old Gaelic Warrior who got the better of his rival this time after Fact To File’s win in the Irish Gold Cup came following defeat in the John Durkan.

It was another excellent race with Gaelic Warrior making his move in the penultimate jump and storming home with 26 lengths to spare.

“It was a huge performance,” Mullins told RTE Sport.

“My heart was in my mouth when Paul joined him (Fact To File) between the fourth-last and the third-last. I was thinking ‘would they knock one another’ or what would they do? They were going some lick.

“Both jockeys just let fly. Over that trip Gaelic Warrior seemed to have the measure of Fact To File. Over a shorter trip it might be different. It was a hell of a horse race.”

With Nolimit (14-1) came through to win the Grade One Punchestown Champion I.N.H. Flat Race.

Trained by Gordon Elliott and ridden by Josh Halford, the five-year-old got the better of pre-race favourite The Mourne Rambler (11-8) with Boycetown (5-1) third.

In the Novice Hurdle, Le Frimeur (18-1) maintained his unbeaten record to see off Zanoosh (11-4f) and I Started A Joke (11-1).

SYDNEY Sweeney left very little to the imagination as she almost fell out of a blue corset dress at Stagecoach.

Stunning Sydney, 28, made a surprising appearance on stage at Diplo’s Honkytonk during the 2026 Stagecoach Festival.

The Euphoria star looked sensational as she handed out knickers while on stage.

Sydney’s baby blue corset dress looked as though it was held up by luck alone as she appeared on stage.

Fans were so shocked by Sydney’s appearance at the festival, with many overjoyed to see her on stage.

After handing out panties from her SYRN lingerie line, she and Diplo took part in a fun karaoke session

PILLOW TALK

Euphoria’s raunchiest sex scenes as Sydney Sweeney strips down for new season

‘NEXT LEVEL’

Olivia Dunne wows as she poses for Sydney Sweeney’s skimpy lingerie brand SYRN

A video of Sweeney and Diplo was posted via the underwear brand’s Instagram stories on Saturday evening, with the caption: “@diplo Thanks for stopping by!!!”.

Fans rushed to the comments of the main post shared on SYRN’s Instagram reels, which showcased all of the famous guests who stopped by.

One fan said: “This whole look, I am in love.”

While another added: “The people’s princess.”

And a third wrote: “She’s too hot, it’s almost uncomfortable.”

Meanwhile, since the footage of Sydney made its way onto X, one person on the platform penned: “Love it. Love how she doesn’t give 2 sh*t’s about her haters and living her absolute best life with no apologies needed!!!”

“I love her so much,” said a second.

“She owns the damn place. She can do whatever the F she wants,” wrote a third.

“She looks stunning and she also looks happy and free. Haters gonna hate,” chimed a fourth.

While a fifth said: “Sydney is an ALL AMERICAN BADDIE!!”

“I love sydneys outfit,” swooned a sixth.

And a seventh gushed: “Sydney Sweeney is literally perfect.”

This comes as Sydney continues to enrage fans with her portrayal of Cassie in Euphoria.

Sydney plays the role of Cassie Howard in one of TV’s steamiest shows, with fans left angered by the level of raciness in its third season.

Cassie’s controversial new career choice as an OnlyFans model with a montage of raunchy photoshoots.

In one compromising position, Cassie licks a melting ice cream cone as it drips down her entire naked body – including on her bare chest.

Another shot showed Cassie, butt naked in nothing but a backwards baseball hat on her head and her hand covering her modesty.

These have not been the only controversial scenes in Euphoria season three thus far.

Sydney is dressed as a baby with a pacifier in her mouth in episode one.

Posing in a suggestive way with her legs open, fans were left fuming over the NSFW display.

We went back for a second day of Stagecoach and spent most of the day holding on to our hats. Before strong winds resulted in the short-lived nighttime postponement and evacuation of the festival, Day 2 had plenty of gusto that carried us through the afternoon and evening, including sets from Bush and Teddy Swims along with some high-octane cooking with Guy Fieri. When crowds were called back after the wind-related fiasco that pushed everything back for headliner Lainey Wilson and caused Journey and Riley Green to cancel their performances, fans who returned still got to witness Wilson triumph over the elements and get down and dirty with Pitbull at Diplo’s Honky Tonk. Luckily the unexpected havoc didn’t blow away all the good vibes. Here are the best, worst and windiest from Day 2.

Guy Fieri features his latest smokehouse dish during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival.

(Evan Schaben / For The Times)

Food lessons from the Guy Fieri fever dream

Stagecoach is known for strange bedfellows (see: Emo Nite with Ashlee Simpson Friday) but Guy Fieri with Wynonna Judd, Billy Bob Thornton, Gavin Rossdale and Gavin Adcock is so odd it seems like an AI hallucination. I promise you it happened Saturday afternoon.

“Everybody loves food. That’s the common denominator,” Fieri told the crowd, which included a woman who impressively dressed up as Fieri, fake mustache/goatee and a flame-covered bowling shirt.

“Flavortownnnnn!” Judd said as she walked onto the demonstration stage at Guy’s Stagecoach Smokehouse.

“Just so you know, we could do our own cooking show,” Fieri said as he introduced her.

Each of the stars was paired with a chef, which included Eric Greenspan, Mark Murphy, Aaron May and Hunter Fieri.

Thornton made salmon and fried okra with spicy hummus with Hunter Fieri. The “Landman” star said the key for good fried okra is to use cornmeal. He also shared his favorite chili, which isn’t hot for the sake of being hot.

“Calabrian chili has a flavor,” Thornton said.

He also told the crowd of a new delicacy he discovered: white grapes dipped in spicy Dijon mustard.

“It blew my mind,” Thornton said.

Adcock, meanwhile made a giant prime rib sandwich and beer-battered onion rings.

“I’m a big beef guy,” Adcock said.

Meanwhile, Bush frontman Rossdale was doing what Fieri said was a first for Stagecoach — he made an Asian dish of smoked chicken dredged and flash-fried and shared with two sauces: one a Japanese rice wine and the other a sweet sauce.

“This guy is a real foodie,” Fieri said about Rossdale, who has his own cooking show. “I’m gonna put a chef with him, but he doesn’t need it.”

Speaking of strange things, here’s my pitch for an “Odd Couple” reboot: Rossdale and Adcock with Fieri as the wacky neighbor. Someone point me to the Paramount+ tent so I can pitch it. (Vanessa Franko)

Teddy Swims performs Saturday on the Mane Stage during the second day of Stagecoach in Indio.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Does Teddy Swims just live here now?

Has anyone checked on Teddy Swims’ house in whatever city he lives in besides Indio? The tattooed soul-rock singer played Stagecoach on Saturday night after doing both weekends of Coachella, and once again he brought out David Lee Roth to sing Van Halen’s “Jump” — an indelible ‘80s staple these guys are double-handedly willing into a Gen Z anthem. (Mikael Wood)

Diplo introduces Sydney Sweeney, who gave out her Syrn lingerie to the crowd at Diplo’s Honkey Tonk on the second day of Stagecoach.

(Evan Schaben / For The Times)

Theo Von crowd surfs, Sydney Sweeney tosses out lingerie and Shaboozey parties in Diplo’s Honky Tonk

If the first Stagecoach fever dream of Saturday was the unlikely cast of Billy Bob Thornton, Wynonna Judd, Gavin Rossdale and Gavin Adcock cooking and chopping it up with Guy Fieri at the Stagecoach Smokehouse, a close second was Diplo’s early evening set in the Honky Tonk.

Already billed as Diplo with podcaster-comedian-Ella Langley duet partner Theo Von and Barstool Sports media personality Caleb Pressley, it also attracted some special guests. Actor Sydney Sweeney showed up to toss panties from her Syrn lingerie brand into the crowd. (She has a pop-up Syrn saloon on the festival grounds).

The “Euphoria” star wasn’t the only surprise during the set — “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” hitmaker Shaboozey also made an appearance. Even though they played some of his songs, he didn’t perform. Like Sweeney, Shaboozey also has a pop-up saloon at the festival, his promoting upcoming record “The Outlaw Cherie Lee & Other Western Tales.”

And when you think things couldn’t get any weirder, Von went crowd-surfing. Stay weird, Stagecoach. (VF)

Singer and guitarist Gavin Rossdale and drummer Nik Hughes of Bush perform on the Mustang Stage at sunset as extreme weather begins to move in during the second day of Stagecoach.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Catching up with Bush’s blustery Saturday evening set

Just before we were told to evacuate Friday night, I was about to write about Bush’s Stagecoach debut on the Mustang Stage.

Even as the weather turned colder and the winds turned gnarlier, Gavin Rossdale seemed to be having a great time as the band ripped through a 50-minute set packed with hits including opener “Machinehead,” “Everything Zen,” “Swallowed,” “Glycerine” and set-closing sing-along “Comedown.”

Stagecoach festivalgoers evacuate the Mane Stage after announcements were broadcasted to evacuate the area due to extreme high wind gusts during the second day of Stagecoach.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

The wind advisory and short-lived postponement nearly blew the fest away

Due to high winds, Stagecoach promoter Goldenvoice postponed the festival Saturday night until further notice and crowds were evacuated. An “emergency evacuation” message showed up on screens on the festival’s Mane Stage saying “the festival has been postponed until further notice. Please move quickly and calmly to the nearest exit.”

At 8:42 p.m., the festival advised via its mobile app that Stagecoach would resume momentarily. “We are working to open doors and prep the site for your safety,” the alert said. Just before 9 p.m. the gates were reopened. Stagecoach updated its schedule for Saturday night after a temporary evacuation due to high winds. Journey, which had been scheduled to play the Mustang Stage, did not perform; Riley Green, set to play the Mane Stage, also didn’t perform. Lainey Wilson, who was set to headline the Mane Stage, played an hour later than originally scheduled at 10:30 p.m. (VF/MW)

Lainey Wilson performs on the Mane Stage during the second day of Stagecoach.

(Evan Schaben / For The Times)

Lainey Wilson takes the stage after the wind
After an hourlong delay due to high winds, Lainey Wilson kicked off her headlining set at Stagecoach on Saturday night with a one-two punch of “Can’t Sit Still” and “Wildflowers and Wild Horses” — each a solid example of the riff-heavy country-rock that’s made Wilson one of the biggest stars to come out of Nashville in the last 10 years.

“Y’all ready to sing it loud tonight?” she asked the crowd, which was maybe a bit thinner than it might’ve been thanks to fans who left before the festival announced it was reopening. Those who stuck around seemed plenty willing to bellow along. (MW)

The one item on Pitbull’s Stagecoach agenda

Pitbull hit the Mustang Stage an hour later than expected Saturday night after gusty winds forced Stagecoach to evacuate attendees for more than an hour, but Mr. Worldwide didn’t let a delay stop the fun.

“We came here to do one thing and one thing only,” he said from the stage early in the set.

The one thing? Party.

After an intro featuring his DJ and full band that included Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” and Beastie Boys’ “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!),” Mr. Worldwide appeared, flanked by a half dozen dancers in revealing costumes, to open the raucous set with “Don’t Stop the Party.”

After the song he thanked everyone at Stagecoach for staying and also name-checked some Goldenvoice employees, including Stagecoach booker Stacy Vee, as well as Lainey Wilson, who had just wrapped her headlining set on the Mane Stage.

He followed up the moment of gratitude with “Hey Baby (Drop It to the Floor)” and “Hotel Room Service.”

Later on in the set, Lil Jon joined Pitbull for “Jumpin” before being showered with more gratitude from Pitbull and the crowd. Then the pair performed “Damn I Love Miami.”

I’d like to start a petition for Stagecoach to book Pitbull every year — and bring him to Coachella too! (VF)

As the 2026 Stagecoach Country Music Festival rides off into the sunset, enjoy the last day of the performances from the comfort of your home. The festival will be livestreaming most of the performances, so you’ll be able to watch Post Malone and Warren Zeiders from the couch. You can also take a trip down memory lane with Hootie & the Blowfish, Brooks & Dunn and Third Eye Blind. Close out the festival by watching Loud Luxury, DJ Pauly D and Ludacris onstage.

The festival will be livestreamed on Amazon Music, Prime Video and Twitch. On Sirius XM’s The Highway (Channel 56), you can listen in to exclusive interviews and live performances. Their station Y’Allternative will also be covering the festival on Sunday.

Here are updated set times for the Stagecoach livestream Sunday performances (times presented in PDT):

Channel 1

3:05 p.m. Jake Worthington; 3:25 p.m. Ink; 4 p.m. Bayker Blankenship; 4:25 p.m. Hudson Westbrook; 5 p.m. Kameron Marlowe; 5:55 p.m. Brett Young; 6:50 p.m. Brett Young; 6:50 p.m. Brooks & Dunn; 8:50 p.m. Hootie & the Blowfish; 10 p.m. Post Malone; 11:30 p.m. Ludacris

Channel 2

3:05 p.m. Adam Sanders; 3:25 p.m. Amos Lee; 4 p.m. Cameron Whitcomb; 4:40 p.m. Zach John King; 5:15 p.m. Max McNown; 6 p.m. The Wallflowers; 6:55 p.m. Eli Young Band; 7:25 p.m. Ty Myers; 8:25 p.m. Third Eye Blind; 9:25 p.m. Wyatt Flores; 10:30 p.m. Loud Luxury; 11:20 p.m. DJ Pauly D

Sirius XM The Highway

3:05 p.m. Hudson Westbrook; 4 p.m. Kameron Marlowe; 5:15 p.m. Brett Young; 6:30 p.m. Warren Zeiders; 7:50 p.m. Brooks & Dunn; 9:30 p.m. Post Malone

Sirius XM Y’Allternative

7 a.m. Larkin Poe; 9 a.m. S.G. Goodman; 11 a.m. Ole 60; 1 p.m. Sam Barber; 3 p.m. Red Clay Strays; 4 p.m. Marcus King Band; 6 p.m. Treaty Oak Revival; 7 p.m. Charles Wesley Godwin; 9 p.m. Wyatt Flores

[Update: At of 8:42 p.m., the festival advised via its mobile app that Stagecoach will resume momentarily. “We are working to open doors and prep the site for your safety,” the alert said. Just before 9p.m. the gates were reopened.

Stagecoach updated its schedule for Saturday night after a temporary evacuation due to high winds. Journey, which had been scheduled to play the Mustang Stage, will no longer perform; Riley Green, set to play the Mane Stage will also not perform. Lainey Wilson, who was set to headline the Mane stage, will play an hour later than originally scheduled at 10:30 p.m.]

Due to high winds at Stagecoach, the festival promoter Goldenvoice postponed the festival Saturday night until further notice and crowds are currently being evacuated.

An “Emergency Evacuation” message showed up on screens on the festival’s Mane Stage saying “the festival is been postponed until further notice. Please move quickly and calmly to the nearest exit.”

The city of Indio where the fest is located is under a strong wind advisory until 11 a.m. Sunday morning. The advisory issued by the National Weather Service was in effect at 2 p.m. but the gusts didn’t pick up until Teddy swims’ Mane Stage set just after 5 p.m.

Thousands of people poured out of the festival. Despite there being messaging on the screen to evacuate, some emergency exits were still closed by security staff between the main stage and the main entrance. In addition to messaging on screens, the Stagecoach app sent an alert for people to evacuate.

Fans at the festival reported that the winds earlier were much stronger than the evening gusts that resulted in the spontaneous postponement.

“The show was pretty windy when we got there but we went into a saloon to see one of our friends do karaoke,” said Krystine Malins, 58. “When we came out palm trees were like bending in half.”

Malins, who has attended the festival since the first installment in 2007, said an evacuation was “the best call.”

“I just feel bad for these girls walking around half-naked in this wind,” she said.

Two Stagecoach festival attendees, Ellie, 27, and Angelique, 22, sat at tables farther back from the stage watching people filing out of the festival.

“We were trying to see Pitbull at the end of the night, so that’s kind of like our whole night, I don’t know, ruined I guess,” Angelique said. “We were kind of hoping for a refund.” Asked about whether the wind felt seriousness enough to stop the show, the pair were cautiously optimistic. “Honestly I would say yeah [it’s bad], but I feel like there could still be potential for it to go down, but it felt worse earlier,” Angelique said.

Despite the evacuation, the general atmosphere among many festival goers was calm as crowds were walking back to their cars.

“I didn’t even know what was going on until I saw the screen [at the Mane Stage] and then I started hearing “Hey they’re evacuating, get out,” one festival goer told the Times. “But then we had to sit it out because there was a clog at the exit. It’s not that bad.”

After a brief reprieve following the end of Coachella, we find ourselves in the desert again for Stagecoach — hot, dusty and eager to be amused. The first day of the weekend offered plenty of top-tier country performances including Cody Johnson, Ella Langley, and Bailey Zimmerman along with a dose of nostalgia courtesy of ‘90s stars Counting Crows and Emo Nite featuring Ashlee Simpson. Let’s also not forget that Stagecoach is a place to catch celebrity cameos—we’re looking at you, Sydney Sweeney. Here’s our recap of all the fun we experienced on Day 1 of the festival.

Jessie Erickson, of Anchorage, Alaska, sings “more than my home town” by Morgan Wallen at the SYRN Saloon during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at Empire Polo Club, in Indio, CA on April 24, 2026.

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

I found a karaoke bar at Stagecoach — but it was Sydney Sweeney’s lingerie pop-up

En route to the press tent this sunny Friday, I saw a spot with saloon doors boasting karaoke. It didn’t click that the air-conditioned pop-up was a bar connected to Sydney Sweeney’s Syrn brand until I was inside and saw the lingerie hanging from the bar.

It was early in the day, so not much karaoke was happening, but you could scan a QR code and sign up via a Karafun link. I contemplated doing “A Long December” from the Counting Crows since they’re playing the Mustang Stage this evening, but thought it would No.1 bring down the mood and No.2, not really fit in with the Coyote Ugly vibes.

However, I saw dartboards on the wall and a sign to ask the “brand ambassador” about darts and I immediately thought — the hard drinkin’ Stagecoach crowd should probably not have sharp objects. They don’t. I found a “brand ambassador” and he showed off the darts, which were magnetic. It still might not be the best idea to let people throw projectiles as the night goes on, though. (Vanessa Franko)

Emo nite featuring Ashlee Simpson performs at Diplo’s Honkytonk during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at Empire Polo Club, in Indio, CA on April 24, 2026.

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

Emo Nite with Ashlee Simpson and 3OH!3 made Stagecoach dance with their feelings

I said that it felt like I went to Warped Tour two weeks ago when I saw ska/punk band Less Than Jake perform at Coachella’s Heineken House and this weekend I found the Stagecoach version of Warped Tour on Day 1!

How is the giant country festival channeling the SoCal-born traveling punk festival, you ask? The popular Emo Nite DJ set was booked at Diplo’s Honky Tonk. (Emo Nite is no stranger to the Goldenvoice desert fests, by the way. They played the Sahara Tent at Coachella a few years back, too.)

Emo Nite’s Morgan Reed and T.J. Petracca opened up with Fall Out Boy’s “Sugar We’re Goin Down” to set the sing-a-long tone before blistering through a set of remixes to songs by beloved emo and pop-punk artists such as Panic! At the Disco, Paramore, All-American Rejects and My Chemical Romance. They also played some emo-adjacent and not-so-emo-adjacent tracks, such as the Killers’ “Mr. Brightside,” System of a Down’s “Chop Suey” and Justin Bieber’s “Baby.” (Bieberchella lives even at Stagecoach!)

Actress Sydney Sweeney takes photos with fans during the Stagecoach.

(Evan Schaben/For The Times)

Sydney Sweeney takes pictures with fans at Stagecoach

Actress Sydney Sweeney snapped photos with fans during BigXThaPlug’s set at the Mustang Stage Friday at Stagecoach. Sweeney also has a pop-up bar promoting her lingerie line Syrn at the festival. (Evan Schaben)

Ella Langley performs on the Mane Stage during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at Empire Polo Club, in Indio, CA on April 24, 2026.

(Evan Schaben/For The Times)

Ella Langley takes a victory lap

“I’m gonna go ahead and burst your bubble,” Ella Langley said about halfway through her main-stage set Friday night. She’d just teed up her brand-new single, “I Can’t Love You Anymore,” a shimmering roots-soul duet with country’s biggest star, Morgan Wallen. “Morgan is not here,” she continued. “He’s on dad duty this weekend. Can’t blame a man for being a good dad.”

And you can’t blame Langley for managing expectations. But she didn’t need Wallen (or anybody else) to show why she’s the biggest thing in country music right now: This was an effortlessly cool performance by a deeply vibey singer and songwriter who’s absorbed more than Stevie Nicks’ predilection for lightweight shawls. (“Broken” was extremely Fleetwood Mac-coded.)

Langley did bring out a special guest: the podcaster Theo Von, who did Riley Green’s part in “You Look Like You Love Me” for some reason. (Big podcaster energy is what I’ll say.) She played “Choosin’ Texas” — her dreamy pop-country smash that’s currently at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 — not last but next to last, leaving “Weren’t for the Wind” as her closer. Baller move. (Mikael Wood)

Counting Crows will perform on Sept. 3 at the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park.

(Courtesy of the San Diego Symphony)

Counting Crows and the perfect Stagecoach sunset

I am very into the ‘90s alt acts playing Stagecoach 2026 (I see you, Third Eye Blind) and Counting Crows got things off to a sublime start as the sun set Friday.

While the band played its breakout hit, “Mr. Jones,” early in the set, singer Adam Duritz let the crowd take the lead and almost did some spoken word in the second verse.

“How was your first day at country Coachella? They only call it Stagecoach because Count-chella doesn’t sound good,” the singer asked the crowd before the band launched into the “Shrek 2” ditty “Accidentally in Love.”

The hits kept coming, including “Round Here” and “Rain King.”

But the perfect moment under cotton candy skies happened during the band’s penultimate song, “A Long December” off 1996’s “Recovering the Satellites.” With the crowd singing along, the sun setting behind the mountains and good feelings all around, it was nothing if not a vibe. (VF)

Bailey Zimmerman performs on the Mane Stage during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at Empire Polo Club, in Indio, CA on April 24, 2026.

(Evan Schaben/For The Times)

Bailey Zimmerman with an encouraging word

Bailey Zimmerman brought his puppy-ish energy — and an encouraging self-help message — to Stagecoach’s main stage Friday night ahead of Cody Johnson’s headlining set. “I grew up with nothing, and I worked my ass off to be where I am,” he bellowed before ripping off his shirt to punctuate the point. (MW)

Cody Johnson performs on the Mane Stage during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at Empire Polo Club, in Indio, CA on April 24, 2026.

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

Cody Johnson closes Night 1 with Boyz II Men

Cody Johnson opened his headlining set Friday night by promising to “bring a little Texas to California if that’s all right with y’all.” Yet the most surprising moment of his 90-minute show actually brought a bit of Philadelphia to Stagecoach when Boyz II Men dropped in to join Johnson for a rendition of the veteran R&B crew’s “On Bended Knee.”

If we’re being honest, the vocal mix was … not the evening’s finest. But the selection was appealingly unexpected from a down-the-middle country star like Johnson, who spent much of the rest of his set recounting his long music-industry come-up and urging folks to see past their differences in the name of unity.

He also lamented the three months he had to take off the road after busting his eardrum last year — “I was depressed about it,” he said — before acknowledging that the unanticipated break meant he got to be home for the birth of his youngest child. (MW)

Ready to sing along from your couch? The Amazon Music Stagecoach Saturday livestream has you covered. For a heartfelt ballad, you’ll be able to tune in as Teddy Swims and Lainey Wilson take the Stagecoach stage. Take a trip back in time to watch Bush perform, then end the night tuning into Mr. Worldwide taking over the desert as Pitbull closes out the Saturday performances.

The festival will be livestreamed on Amazon Music, Prime Video and Twitch. On Sirius XM’s the Highway (channel 56), you can listen to exclusive interviews and live performances. Their station Y’allternative will also be covering the festival on Saturday.

Note that if you wanted to catch Journey or Diplo with Theo Von and Caleb Pressley, they are not currently scheduled to be on the stream, but you can follow along with our team posting live updates in the field.

Here are updated set times for the Stagecoach livestream Saturday performances (times presented in PDT):

Channel 1

3:10 p.m. Kevin Smiley; 3:30 p.m. Braxton Keith; 4:05 p.m. Redferrin; 4:40 p.m. Corey Kent; 5:35 p.m. Teddy Swims; 6:20 p.m. Treaty Oak Revival; 7:20 p.m. Little Big Town; 8:20 p.m. Riley Green; 9:30 p.m. Lainey Wilson; 11 p.m. Pitbull

Channel 2

3:10 p.m. S.G. Goodman; 3:30 p.m. Lane Pittman; 4:05 p.m. Benjamin Tod; 4:40 p.m. Michael Marcagi; 5:20 p.m. Willow Avalon; 5:55 p.m. Billy Bob Thornton & the Boxmasters; 6:40 p.m. Chase Matthew; 7:20 p.m. Charles Wesley Godwin; 8:10 p.m. Bush; 9:10 p.m. Gavin Adcock; 10:20 p.m. Two Friends

Sirius XM The Highway

4 p.m. Corey Kent; 6:30 p.m. Little Big Town; 7:50 p.m. Riley Green; 9 p.m. Lainey Wilson

Sirius XM Y’allternative

9 a.m. the Red Clay Strays; 11 a.m. Larkin Poe; 12 p.m. Ole 60; 1 p.m. Sam Barber; 2 p.m. the Marcus King Band; 6 p.m. S.G. Goodman; 8 p.m. Treaty Oak Revival

Trade the flower crowns and sneakers for a cowboy hat and some boots, because Coachella has moved out of the Empire Polo Club in Indio and the Stagecoach Festival is moving in, April 24 to 26.

Post Malone, who headlined Coachella in 2025 and played a set of country covers at Stagecoach in 2024, is back to headline the country music fest along with Lainey Wilson and Cody Johnson.

From what to know about the festival to how you can watch from home, here’s your guide to Stagecoach.

When is Stagecoach? Where is the venue?

Stagecoach 2026 runs April 24 to 26 at the Empire Polo Club at 81-800 Ave. 51 in Indio.

Who is performing at Stagecoach 2026?

This year’s main stage headliners are Cody Johnson, Lainey Wilson and Post Malone.

You can also expect big sets from Brooks & Dunn, Bailey Zimmerman and more rock-centric acts like Journey, Counting Crows, Third Eye Blind and Bush. Then there’s Ludacris, Pitbull and Diplo, who is bringing back his HonkyTonk dance area as well as performing.

See the full lineup.

Fun fact: Mane Stage performer Teddy Swims played the main stage at Coachella the last two weekends, but we haven’t heard if he’s bringing out David Lee Roth again. And Diplo was also at Coachella with Major Lazer.

What’s new at Stagecoach this year?

The big thing is the new Mustang Stage. Back in the early years of Stagecoach, there was a tent with the same name that featured a lot of cowboy poets and bluegrass. It was much smaller than what we’re expecting of this new one, which is set up where the massive Sahara Tent is during Coachella.

Anyone who has tried to see one of the big artists over at the Palomino Stage during Stagecoach in recent years knows how it can easily overflow, so this should ease some of that congestion for artists like Journey, Hootie & the Blowfish and the Red Clay Strays.

It’s also taking over the late-night sets with Diplo, Pitbull and Ludacris that had previously been done at the Palomino.

Can I still get tickets to Stagecoach? How much are passes?

Yes, there are still passes available for Stagecoach 2026. A general admission three-day pass is $619. (There’s also a deal if you buy a six-pack of GA passes that comes out to $569 per pass.) You can get a GA combo pass that includes shuttle transportation starting at $699. There’s also a GA pass that gets you access to the Rhinestone Saloon adjacent to the Mane Stage and the Rose Garden Saloon next to the Palomino Stage for $974.

If you want to get close to the Mane Stage, a Corral Standing Pit pass is $1,899. Corral reserved seating runs from $1,199 to $2,299. The chairs are folding camping chairs, and the highest tier option has drink holders. If you purchase any of the seating options, you can take the chair home as a souvenir Sunday night. Corral passes (standing or seated) come with access to the more exclusive Corral Saloon as well as the Rhinestone and Rose Garden Saloons.

You can buy tickets at stagecoach.com/passes.

What’s the difference between general admission and Corral passes?

Stagecoach is different from Coachella in that if you want to be close to the largest stage, you will need to pay for a Corral pass. Those in the Corral Standing Pit will be the closest.

If you have a GA pass, be prepared to just see the biggest acts on a screen. For Stagecoach, there are multiple screens set up in the field for the general admission areas — and usually a feed with a screen over by the Beer Barn, too.

GA passholders who are willing to stand typically have access to an area closer to the Mane Stage than those with blankets or low-backed lawn chairs.

That being said, GA passholders have traditionally been able to get up close at all of the other stages.

When does Stagecoach release set times?

Stagecoach set times are already posted. Similar to Coachella’s surprises, the festival recently announced that Dan + Shay are on the bill for Friday on the Palomino Stage.

When do gates open at Stagecoach? How late does the music go?

The parking lots open at noon daily and the gates open at 1. Everything ends at midnight or earlier.

As the venue opened, country music fans made a run across the field to secure good concert-viewing positions on the first day of Stagecoach in 2022.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

What’s the deal with parking? What about the shuttles? Can I take a rideshare? How’s traffic?

Who says you can’t get anything for free anymore? Day parking is free at Stagecoach.

Like I recommended for Coachella, drop a pin in your phone as soon as you park so you can find your car at the end of the night.

There is a rideshare lot. You can also purchase a shuttle pass for $130. There’s also preferred parking for $299.

Stagecoach doesn’t have as many people as Coachella, so the traffic usually isn’t as bad, but Monday can get congested as people head home from the desert.

If you want to avoid traffic or you’re looking for some off-site adventures during Stagecoach, check out these 14 fun desert side quests.

Where do I put my stuff? Are there lockers? Is there a place to charge my phone?

Stagecoach still has medium-sized lockers available to rent. They are $84 for the weekend and you can reserve them in advance. Small charging lockers for devices are $74 for the weekend.

Backpacks 18” x 13” x 8.5” or smaller are allowed inside the venue.

Beyond the charging lockers, there are places around the grounds where you can charge your own devices. Bring your own cable/plug.

A man drinks a beer from a woman’s boot while watching Willie Nelson & Family perform on the Mane Stage on the second day of Stagecoach 2024.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

What’s the weather going to be like for Stagecoach and how can I prepare for it?

It’s looking like we’ll hit a high of 90 degrees on Friday, 81 on Saturday and 78 on Sunday, according to Accuweather. The lows will dip into the 50s, though, so you might want to throw in a long-sleeved flannel shirt or hoodie for when the sun goes down and Brooks & Dunn sing about dancing under a neon moon. Since blankets and towels (50” x 70” max) are also allowed, you could also roll yourself up into a Stagecoach burrito, I suppose.

You can also bring in handheld fans (paper or battery-powered).

Plastic personal-sized water misters are allowed in, too, but they have to be empty when you get there.

The wind doesn’t look too bad right now, but it will inevitably kick up. Don’t bring a cough home as a souvenir. Bring a face covering like a bandanna or a PPE mask.

The desert is hot. Are there water stations?

I know lots of people enjoy the beer at Stagecoach, but it’s not the same as water. My mantra in April is dehydration is serious business. And if you’re drinking beer, you definitely want to keep drinking water.

The good news is that there are multiple refill stations around the grounds, and if you need to buy a bottle of water, it’s only $2.

Like Coachella, you can bring in an empty refillable container, but it needs to be plastic (no metal or glass) and 64 ounces or less. Empty hydration backpacks are allowed, too.

For a free boost of electrolytes, the Electrolit booth is back with free samples between the Mane Stage and Diplo’s HonkyTonk. (Pro tip: I stopped there every day on my way in during Coachella. Hydrate early, hydrate often.)

What’s the deal with food at Stagecoach?

If you like barbecue, you’re in the right place. There’s a whole lot of it at Stagecoach. Flavortown also comes to Stagecoach with cooking demos throughout the weekend courtesy of Guy Fieri and friends.

There are a fair number of vendors that were also at Coachella, including Prince St. Pizza, Irv’s Burgers, Love Hour and Oh My Burger, the latter two of which impressed Danielle Dorsey, one of our food editors, at Coachella this year.

If you’re buying food on site, plan on $20 and up for most entrees, with a few deals to be had.

If you’re looking for freebies, the Electrolit and Coca-Cola installations are still there from Coachella and Monster Energy also has a space where it’s giving out samples. (Monster Energy also has a meet and greet with Redferrin after his performance on Saturday and a surprise DJ set on Sunday.) As for free food, sometimes they pass out samples to the crowd after the Guy Fieri demonstrations.

What else can I do while I’m in the desert? Is there time to do anything outside of the festival?

I’m glad you asked. Earlier this month, we put together a collection of side quests around the desert. Some, like snapping a photo of the Forever Marilyn statue in Palm Springs or seeing the former Coachella festival art installation “Sarbalé Ke,” are easy to do before entering Stagecoach for the day. Others are more involved and can be a great way to miss that traffic coming back on Monday.

If you’re looking for more options, we’ve got a Gen Z guide to eating, drinking and shopping in Palm Springs and restaurant critic Bill Addison recently updated his dining guide to Palm Springs.

How can I watch Stagecoach from home?

In recent years, Stagecoach has been streamed on Prime Video, Amazon Music and Twitch.

The streams start each day at 3 p.m. Pacific. There are two channels set up.

A specific schedule hasn’t yet been announced, but a press release from Amazon says the stream will include sets from Cody Johnson, Lainey Wilson, Post Malone, Third Eye Blind, Avery Anna, Ludacris, Michael Marcagi, Pitbull, the Red Clay Strays, Wynonna Judd and Diplo.

The “Coachella of books” has arrived. The biggest literary event in the country, the L.A. Times Festival of Books, kicked off at USC this weekend. The 31st annual event features more than 500 authors, including Lionel Richie, Tina Knowles, Larry David, Pat Benatar, Amy Tan, Anne Lamott and more. Several of these talented individuals stopped by the L.A. Times photo studio to have their portraits taken between spirited panel discussions and book signings.

Here are some portrait highlights from the 2026 Festival of Books:

Lisa Rinna author of “You Better Believe I’m Gonna Talk About It.”

Morgan Hutchinson and Brett Hutchinson.

Daniel Humme and Roda Ahmed.

Rachel Renee Russell, Presli Noelle James, Kim James, Nikki Russell and Cori James.

Chet’la Sebree 2026 finalist for the LA Times Book Prize in Poetry for her collection “Blue Opening.”

Chanda Prescod-Weinstein.

Tens of thousands of readers of all ages, from toddlers clutching picture books to longtime fans carrying armfuls of paperbacks, fanned out across the USC campus Saturday for the opening day of the 31st Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, packing panels and lining up to see favorite authors and celebrity guests.

It was too early to know how many people attended the first day of the event, billed as the country’s largest literary festival, though organizers said they expect between 150,000 and 155,000 attendees over the weekend. By late morning, the campus was already bustling, with strong turnout expected for appearances by author T.C. Boyle and actors Sarah Jessica Parker and David Duchovny, among others.

Founded in 1996 and spread across eight outdoor stages and 12 indoor venues, the festival has become a fixture on Los Angeles’ cultural calendar, bringing together more than 550 storytellers for panels, author interviews, book signings, performances and screenings spanning a wide range of genres, from children’s story times to cooking demonstrations.

This year’s lineup features a broad mix of writers, performers and public figures, including comedian Larry David, musician Lionel Richie, multihyphenate businesswoman (and Beyoncé’s mother) Tina Knowles, author and social critic Roxane Gay and scholar Reza Aslan.

Under sunny skies, actor and reality TV personality Lisa Rinna brought humor and a bit of bite to a 10:30 a.m. conversation on the festival’s main stage. The “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” alum released her second memoir, “You Better Believe I’m Gonna Talk About It,” in February, chronicling her time on the show and her recent turn on Season 4 of Peacock’s reality competition series “The Traitors.”

Reflecting on her approach to “Traitors,” Rinna said she wanted to strip away the conflict-driven persona she had cultivated on “Real Housewives” and present a more unfiltered version of herself. “I was like, ‘Self, listen. You’re gonna go in there and just be you. No housewife s—, none of that reactionary stuff.’ ”

In conversation with Times senior television writer Yvonne Villarreal, Rinna also spoke candidly about the loss of her mother, Lois Rinna, in 2021 and how her grief manifested in a feeling of rage while she was filming Season 12 of “Real Housewives.”

“It really took me by surprise,” she said. “And you have to give space for it because you can’t make it go away. … They always say time heals, but time makes everything just a little less intense.”

At a noon panel titled “Fire Escape: Wildfires and the Changing Geography of Southern California,” moderated by Times climate and energy reporter Blanca Begert, author and former wildland firefighter Jordan Thomas said the scale and frequency of California wildfires have shifted dramatically in recent decades.

“The vast majority of the largest wildfires in California’s recorded history have happened just in the past 20 years,” said Thomas, author of last year’s National Book Award finalist “When It All Burns: Fighting Fire in a Transformed World.” “While I was a hotshot, there were three of those fires burning simultaneously, including a million-acre fire — more than used to burn across the entire American West over the course of a decade.”

In the early afternoon, former Georgia Rep. Stacey Abrams spoke with moderator Leigh Haber about artificial intelligence and voter suppression in front of an enthusiastic, packed crowd at USC’s Bovard Auditorium.

Abrams’ latest Avery Keene novel, “Coded Justice,” came out last year and explores the role of artificial intelligence in the healthcare industry. AI has already become enmeshed in everyday life, she said, asking audience members to raise their hands if they had used TSA PreCheck or a streaming service.

“AI is a tool … but it is created by someone, it is programmed by someone, it is controlled by someone,” she said. “Regulation is not about slowing down progress. It is about asking questions and saying that in the absence of answers, we’re going to put on reasonable restraints that we can revisit.”

Abrams also revealed that her next book, the fourth in her Avery Keene thriller series, will focus on prediction markets.

“I write Avery Keene novels to tell stories about social justice, but I put it in a form that’s accessible to people who don’t think that they are social justice people,” Abrams said. “I want to meet people where they are, not where I want them to be.”

She also encouraged audience members to push back against voter suppression and defend democracy by volunteering at polling places — even in reliably blue districts — warning that she believes masked paramilitary groups will be allowed to patrol voting locations and target people of color in the upcoming midterm elections.

The festival kicked off Friday evening with the 46th Los Angeles Times Book Prizes ceremony at Bovard Auditorium, emceed by Times columnist LZ Granderson, recognizing both emerging voices and established writers.

Winners were announced in 13 categories for works published last year. Find a full list of winners here.

Oakland-born novelist Amy Tan, whose work often explores identity and the Chinese American immigrant experience, received the Robert Kirsch Award for lifetime achievement, and the literary nonprofit We Need Diverse Books received the Innovator’s Award for its work promoting diversity in publishing.

Accepting her award, Tan, author of the 1989 bestseller “The Joy Luck Club,” said that as a birthright citizen, she had never questioned her place in the country until recent debates over citizenship and belonging led her to reconsider whether she is, in fact, a “political writer.”

“My birthright and that of millions of others is now being argued before the Supreme Court, and no matter what the outcome is, it’s been a kick in the gut to know that those in the highest echelons of government and those who support them believe that we don’t belong.”

Tan said that as an author, “I imagine the lives of the people I write about,” and that act of compassion “reflects our politics and our beliefs. And so yes, I am a political writer.”

Addressing the attendees, Times Executive Editor Terry Tang pointed to the breadth of the weekend’s programming as an opportunity for connection and discovery. “If you take in just a fraction of these events, it will expand your mind,” she said. “This weekend gives all of us a chance to celebrate a sense of unity, purpose and support.”

The festival runs through Sunday. More information, including a schedule of events, can be found on the festival’s website.