In a dusty corner of the California desert, the national anthem plays on loudspeakers, awakening patriots for another day at one of the largest country music festivals in the world.
Stagecoach – headlined this year by Cody Johnson, Lainey Wilson and Post Malone – draws roughly 80,000 people a day to Indio, Calif., to listen to some of the biggest names in country music.
Fox News Digital spoke with festival goers about the state of the country, whether the American dream is still achievable and what issues need to be addressed ahead of America’s 250th birthday.
Stagecoach attendees were split when asked whether the country is headed in the right direction as opinions remain mixed over President Donald Trump’s war with Iran.
“I think the Iran War is a total waste of our resources,” Cole Stern said. “However, I would still say in terms of places where I’m really glad to live, and places where I can chase my dreams – this is one of the best places to do that.”
“We need to take care of ourselves first before we start worrying about everybody else.” Abel Flores said. “We’re self-sufficient, we should probably just do that for a while.”
“It is heading in a favorable direction, but not great in my opinion,” Dan Payne said.
“I would say 50-50 right now,” said Annette Flores. “I don’t agree with some stuff that’s going on, I do agree with others, but it’s pretty split.”
Festival goer Zach Maurus, however, said Trump’s entry into the Middle East conflict comes with the territory of American military dominance.
“We lead in innovation by far, like there’s no country that compares,” Maurus told Fox News Digital. “Obviously, we’re a hegemony like militarily so we’re gonna have to be involved in international politics and like that has its costs of being involved in international conflicts, which is just part of being the most dominant military on earth.”
Despite concerns over the Iran War, most Stagecoach attendees had relatively high ratings for the state of America when asked to rate the country from one to ten.
“I would say an eight right now,” Abel Flores said. “I think there’s a lot of things that are happening right now that are just making it so volatile.”
“I think it’s about an eight, honestly. I think is a great country. I love it,” Payne said. “But I do see opportunities for improvement. I think it could be much better than it is. If we learn to accept each other a little bit more…I think it could definitely be an 11.”
Stagecoach attendees Stern and Maurus expressed more favorable ratings, pointing to personal freedoms as justification for their perfect tens.
“I would rate it a 10 and mainly because even if you’re left or right, whatever, you do have the freedom to do whatever you want and that is something that is not available to most people in this world,” Stern said.
“I’m gonna say 10,” Maurus added. “I think America is the freest country in the world. Obviously there are problems, but it’s still the freest country. We have freedom of speech, we have the ability to kind of make the most out of our lives and I don’t think that’s true about other countries.”
Stagecoach attendees went on to tell Fox News Digital about the issues they believe need fixing before America’s 250th birthday, pointing to concerns ranging from overseas conflict to political division at home.
“The Strait of Hormuz, we gotta fix the oil markets, they’re crazy,” said Maurus. “I think we just have to open the strait, regardless of the Iran War, that’s a separate issue. The main issue is just making sure that oil doesn’t go above 100 a barrel.”
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“I think America needs to come, we need to become one again and not so against each other,” Annette Flores said. “The right versus the left, I think it’d be better if we just all came together and supported everyone and respect everyone else’s opinion.”
Fox News Digital also asked festivalgoers whether the American dream is still achievable, particularly among younger generations trying to find their footing in an economy with homeownership out of reach for many.
“I think it’s achievable. It’s definitely harder,” Payne said. “I have a 22-year-old daughter. I know the kind of struggles that the younger generation are going to come by as far as trying to buy a house and to get that American dream. It is achievable, it could be done much, much better though.”
“I want to start a company. I want run a business, and I would this is probably the best place I could do that,” Stern said.
Other attendees raised concerns that emerging technologies like artificial intelligence could complicate the path to the American dream.
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“In 2026, yes,” Maurus added. “We’ll see how long that lasts given if AI automates everything, then the job market will probably be pretty, pretty messed up. But for now… for the hopefully next few years, yes.”
Stagecoach attendees used words like diversity, freedom and patriotism to describe America in their conversations with Fox News Digital, and one concertgoer highlighted a patriotic moment that unfolds at the festival’s campsite every day at 6 a.m.
“We’re camping here and the national anthem plays in the morning. Everybody stops what they’re doing and respects that, so that’s awesome,” Abel Flores said.
As America nears its 250th birthday, Stagecoach goers suggest the nation is still wrestling with challenges but expressed hope for what it can become.
Next year brings another chapter for the nation, and at Stagecoach, the national anthem will once again greet campers at sunrise.
