Bonnaroo

I remember being 14 or 15 years old and coming across something called Bonnaroo. The name itself evokes curiosity and a need to understand what it’s all about. This was when I began getting invested in the discovery of new music and wanted to experience the excitement of a big music festival, such as Bonnaroo (I was also fully aware that I would have to age a couple of years before getting to do this).

I finally got the chance to go to Bonnaroo for the first time in 2017. I have been attending every year since, making this summer my fourth time. This four-day fest takes place every June at “The Farm” in Manchester, Tennessee. I can truly say that Bonnaroo is my favorite music festival, so I’m going to go ahead and say that I will try and keep this post as concise as possible (there are so many things to talk about, I could write literal pages).

Lineup

Bonnaroo has produced some of the best lineups I have seen. It’s always an event for my friends and I when the lineup drops because we are looking forward to it all year. I like to tell people that if you’re into music, you’re going to find SOMEONE you enjoy on this lineup. It is always a perfect mix of every music genre ranging from well-known to obscure artists. You can never go wrong with the headliners, as well as the lower-billed musicians. The only downside to having such a good lineup is that you’re bound to miss people you want to see due to lack of time. I’ve been very lucky and have gotten to see many of my favorites at this festival including Flume, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kacey Musgraves, King Princess, Space Jesus, Chance the Rapper, and so many more. Not only are the musicians top notch, but Roo is filled with other interactive events, comedy shows, etc.

Vendors

Bonnaroo is known for its countless choices of unique food options. The food vendors include iconic Bonnaroo favorites, such as Spicy Pie, foot-long corndogs, and Amish donuts. This festival is very eco-friendly and the majority of vendors offer gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options, as well. I can promise that whether you’re craving generic festival food or something that is completely out of the ordinary, Bonnaroo vendors will take care of it. The good thing about this festival is that guests can camp and bring food and drinks of their own. You are able to walk back to camp to eat throughout the day whenever desired so that you’re not forced to spend money on festival food. I do recommend buying at least one meal inside the festival though, especially if you don’t have time to walk back to camp before seeing a certain artist. Besides the food and drinks, vendors are set up that sell any kind of festival gear or handmade souvenirs that you can think of. A personal favorite: Jellykoe. I can’t give much of an explanation, you’ll just have to visit their website.

Logistics

I will say this again, the best thing about Bonnaroo is that it’s a camping festival. The initial thought of camping in a giant field in the hot, Tennessee sun for four days might sound overwhelming to say the least, but it’s totally worth it. Instead of having to drive back and forth to the venue each day or having to do all of this extra planning on what to wear or getting there on time, everything is at your fingertips. Feeling hungry and don’t want to buy expensive food? Walk to camp and eat. Feeling tired and just want to take a break from people? Walk to camp and take a nap. Feeling cold (or hot) and regret your outfit choice? Walk to camp and change clothes. Even if you’re one to not go a single day without taking a shower, that is not a problem either. You can pay around $10 to use the provided showers in the camping area. My friends and I prefer to save money and bring gallon water jugs to rinse off with in our bathing suits but to each his own! Personally, I enjoy the outdoors and think it’s almost exciting to not care as much about materialistic things and (I say this very lightly) live off of the land for a couple days. I have discovered that Bonnaroo is a learning experience and it gets better the more times you attend. There are also plenty tips and tricks provided on Reddit that can help make your experience easier, so do your research to prepare.

Crowd

The crowd at Bonnaroo is unlike any other. Imagine being surrounded by 80,000+ guests from different places who are all there for the same reason: to enjoy life on The Farm. This festival is filled with positivity where you make friends with people you have never seen before. Everybody is looking out for one another and no one hesitates to lend a helping hand. It seems as if once you’re at Bonnaroo, the worries of daily life disappear and everyone radiates the kindness that the whole world should exhibit on a regular basis. Not only are the guests always kind, but the vendors, volunteers, and employees are all just as caring. After every performance, there are people picking up trash to keep the area clean and workers checking on you to make sure that you’re properly hydrated and safe. Of course, music festivals are centered around music, but it’s the people who truly make Bonnaroo a special place.

Bonnaroo is sort of like an addiction. You go once and you have to go again. It’s the only festival so far that I plan to attend every year that I can afford it. There are so many things to experience and it feels like you’re never there long enough to see it all.