Boho fashion, an all-star audience and a whole lotta hootenanny: Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is on the horizon.

Thousands will arrive on Friday for the first, and arguably most fashionable festival of the season. Yes, that’s right, Coachella opens its doors for two weekends of beautiful sunshine, beautiful people and a dizzy of music performances to officially ring in the summer. So, what makes Coachella the go-to festival?

1. Not just a festival, it’s a lifestyle

The art and music festival has for years been a tastemakers paradise. Not only is it a feeding frenzy for music lovers, celebrity spotters, and bohemian wanderlust but it also offers festival-goers an alternative lifestyle for three whole days. Why sleep in a regular tent when you can opt for a Shakir-style safari one? Why bring beer when you can brew your own? Why go for a morning walk when you can attend daily yoga classes? Why wear a coat when you can wear a poncho… !

2. If you’re famous enough you get paid to go!

Coachella certainly sees the hippest and hottest celebrities in attendance from Kate Bosworth to Alessandra Ambrosio, Diane Kruger and Joshua Jackson, Jessica Alba, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and many more. This year, it has been revealed that Hollywood stars Lea Michele and Vanessa Hudgens are being paid to go. Michele will “earn a cool $20,000 from Lacoste” to wear the label’s clothes while rocking out to headline acts, and McDonald’s is said to be paying Hudgens $15,000 just to walk around. Now, where did we put those VIP passes?

3. Music that will blow your mind

For all the fashion, parties and fruit shakes the California desert event has to offer, Coachella has built a solid reputation for its outstanding music lineup. Previous years have seen artists such as Madonna, The Cure, Prince, and even Tupac (resurrected) light up the stage. And at long last we can look forward to some stellar performances from top-of-the-charts acts like Lorde, Pharrell, Haim, Calvin Harris, and Lana Del Rey, but OutKast’s much buzzed-about 2014 reunion is the must-go!

4. The Coachella clichés

Floppy hats, head-bands, tie-dye crops: we’ve seen it all — and are likely to see it all again, because even the best of us want to look the part. Coachella is famous for bringing out the costume-enthusiast in everyone and with the launch of Alessandra Ambrosio’s bohemian-chic line, ále by Alessandra, we can expect the women to embrace their inner hippy more than ever this Coachella.

5. Giant art installations

Oversized art installations have been a signature feature of Coachella for many years. In 2012, the festival showcased a 130 ft-tall orchid flower (Solitary Inflorescence) and last year opted for giant, meandering snail (Helix Poeticus), which was created in collaboration with Poetic Kinetics and German street artists group Herakut. The best part: the night shadow light-shows from within the snail’s shell! Stay tuned with FashionTV to find out what this year’s top secret installation will be.