## Coachella Threatens Legal Action Over Name of Welsh Festival
A small-scale music festival in south Wales has found itself ensnared in an international legal row after organisers were compelled to rename the event following a challenge from the world-renowned Coachella festival in California. The local gathering, previously known as “Cowchella” and due to be held in the town of Cowbridge, has now adopted a new identity, “Moo-La-La Festival”, in light of the dispute.
The festival, a brainchild of Steps singer Ian “H” Watkins, promised a summer day of entertainment, music, and fun for the local community. However, its name drew the ire of Coachella Ltd, the organisers of the multimillion-pound US festival famous for attracting global superstars and vast audiences each year. The American company’s intervention led to Cowchella’s social media pages vanishing, with ticketing platforms swiftly updating event details to reflect the new moniker.
Watkins, who is co-hosting the event alongside actress Claire Sweeney and BBC Radio 2’s Owain Wyn Evans, expressed his initial disbelief at the threat from across the Atlantic. “When we first received notice, I honestly thought our accounts had been hacked,” he admitted to news agency PA. “I couldn’t believe we’d been formally challenged by a festival that’s on a completely different scale and continent.”
Despite the surprise disruption, organisers have since tried to inject positivity into the situation, with the festival’s promotional channels hailing the “fab new name” and reassuring attendees that all purchased tickets remain valid. The debut of the newly renamed Moo-La-La Festival is scheduled to go ahead on 2 August at Bear Field in Cowbridge.
Watkins described the incident as a double-edged sword. While frustrated by the expense and inconvenience, he noted a certain irony in the timing and scale of the Coachella organisers’ response. “It’s a little bit mindblowing,” he reflected. “I suppose you could say it’s a huge compliment that our community event could even be considered a potential competitor to their global juggernaut. But what we’re offering is very different.” He joked, “We don’t have Beyoncé. We do have a Steps tribute act—and I’d argue that’s even more exciting for some!”
The musician was also keen to highlight the impact of the name change on the festival’s budget. “Sadly, we’ve had to absorb thousands of pounds in costs for marketing material—flyers, posters, banners—all of which now have to be scrapped. As a small event, that’s a real hit, but legal wrangling would be far worse.”
Interestingly, Watkins noted that similar naming plays are not unusual among UK festivals, citing “GlastonBarry”—a music event in Barry, Glamorgan inspired by Somerset’s Glastonbury—as an example that has not attracted any legal action. “It does seem slightly unfair,” Watkins mused, “but perhaps it’s just the luck of the draw.”
The organisers are choosing to take the episode in their stride, and many locals and fans have rallied in support. Watkins shared his delight that the dispute had generated significant publicity, joking that it had “put Cowbridge on the map” and become a talking point far beyond the Vale of Glamorgan.
With legal issues now resolved, the Moo-La-La Festival intends to stay on track, promising family-friendly entertainment and what Watkins calls “the number one tribute acts in the country.” The hope is that the event’s fresh start can overshadow the stress and costs of recent weeks, and bring a sense of pride and fun to Cowbridge this summer.
This episode underscores the increasingly global nature of intellectual property disputes, even impacting small community events. As the festival looks ahead to August, its organisers remain determined to celebrate music, community spirit, and perhaps, a little tongue-in-cheek rivalry with one of the world’s best-known musical spectacles.