Small Welsh Festival Changes Name After Legal Complaint from Coachella

The small Welsh festival originally named ‘Cowchella’ has been forced to rebrand after receiving a legal complaint, reportedly from Coachella Ltd, the organizers of the major California music festival. The festival, set to take place in Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan, was initially organized by singer Ian ‘H’ Watkins, actress Claire Sweeney, and BBC Radio 2’s Owain Wyn Evans. Following the complaint, Cowchella’s online presence was temporarily taken down, and its name disappeared from the Eventbrite ticketing page. The event has now been renamed ‘Moo-La-La Festival.’

Watkins described the situation as ‘mind-blowing’ but chose to take it as a compliment, suggesting the massive Coachella organization may have felt threatened by their small, family-friendly event. He acknowledged the financial hit from changing the name, noting that marketing materials would need to be discarded, but said they preferred to comply rather than engage in a legal dispute.

The Moo-La-La Festival aims to provide an accessible and affordable entertainment experience for families who may not be able to attend larger, more expensive festivals in Cardiff or London. Watkins also pointed out the irony that many UK festivals use similar wordplay names, like GlastonBarry, without facing the same legal scrutiny.