Bonnaroo is one of the biggest music & arts festivals in the United States. It ranks up there with some of the best like lollapalooza, Coachella, electric forest, lost lands, rolling loud etc. The festival is held in Manchester, Tennessee on a large plot of land during the summer, usually around early June.
A typical festival starts on Thursday and lasts through Sunday. Large festivals are so worth the expensive admission because of the large number of acts you get to witness. The last time I went, in 2017, I was able to see 30-40 bands play.
If I were to attend 30-40 separate concerts, I probably would end up paying 10x as much as I would going to a single festival. The nice thing, too, is that there are numerous stages. Many of the shows don’t conflict, but occasionally you may have to choose between two really good artists playing at the same time. Or you could always catch a glimpse of one, and then head over to see the end of another. The options are limitless. Literally.
I can tell you from experience, festivals are so worth the time and money. Another trick may also be to volunteer for the event. Volunteers may have to come a day or two early and work several shifts, but your ticket will be paid for. That leaves paying for gas, supplies, food, and whatever else you might need.
This is what I did the last time I went, and I saved myself about $300, didn’t miss any acts I genuinely wanted to see, and met some really cool people along the way. Talk about some luck on that one.
Bonnaroo isn’t just a music festival either. There are so many other activities to take part in like morning yoga, dance parties, meet n greets, etc. The fun goes on and on. There are literally daily schedules of all the activities going on throughout the festival scheduled around the shows. Don’t worry, either, no RSVP necessary. Just show up and you will be welcomed with open arms.
The atmosphere at Bonnaroo is unlike any other I have ever been a part of. It’s a mixture of just about anything imaginable including a hippy vibe, a college party atmosphere, a mix of old and young, trippy costumes and artwork, flashing lights, and whatever else you can think of.
My buddy made a recap video of his time at Bonnaroo in 2018, and you can check it out here if you are interested!! (It’s well worth the watch IMO)
I’ve been a total of two times (2016 & 2017), and I can’t wait to go back. Bonnaroo truly is one of the happiest places on Earth.
Until next time, Bonnaroovians!!