In the sleepy town of Manchester, where farming is our livelihood and Wal-Mart is our hangout, there has come an event that has finally put Coffee County, Tennessee on the map. Bonnaroo, Cajun for “a good time,” has become one of the largest music festivals in the United States, attracting 80,000 ticket-holders a year to a town populated by a mere 10,000 residents. The four-day event is annually held on the second weekend in June and features such performers as Ben Harper, the Decembrists, Umphrey’s Magee, The White Stripes, Tool, Tom Petty, Allison Krauss, The String Cheese Incident, Old Crow Medicine Show, The Police, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, The Flaming Lips, Spoon and many more. Because most of the music at the festival falls under the Indie/Reggae/Folk categories, the fan base is more of what one would consider to be of the “hippie” persuasion. Some would call the festival a modern day Woodstock. Although this may be true, with its growing popularity, Bonnaroo is becoming a weekend work outlet for many other social groups as well.
Held on land previously used for farming and hundreds of acres in size, fans are provided the opportunity to camp on the grounds or to drive in and day park during the festival. Most ticketholders choose to camp, and cars stuffed full of tents, food, clothing and beer can be seen pulling into town up to a week before the gates open in order to be one of the first to gain access to a good camping spot close to the stages.
Inside the festival are two main stages, two main large-scale tents, which each house a good size stage and many other smaller performance areas. Hundreds of vendors set up shop both inside the main gate, called Center-Roo, and outside close to the camping areas. Although the food is unsurprisingly overpriced, the merchandise sold by independent vendors is both affordable and stimulating.
The gates open on Wednesday night and stay open to campers all weekend, although if one arrives on a day such as Friday or Saturday to obtain a camping spot, he can count on having to walk at least 20-30 minutes from his tent to the stages. And, boy, is it blazing hot in Tennessee during the month of June!
Music begins somewhere around 11:00 am to Noon each day and ends around 2:00 to 3:00 am each night. Even with the end of the performances, there is a never-ending supply of things to do no matter what time of the day or night. This past year, yoga was offered each morning for body and mind rejuvenation. One year, during the middle of the night, a parade was held and everyone was invited to dress up in the costume of his or her choice and prance down the street after the colorful floats. If one does not wish to participate in such organized activities, he may chose to simply relax with his friends at his campsite.
Tickets go on sale in February each year and are somewhere between $200-250 each. But, this includes camping for up to 5 nights, depending on when one arrives. The festival lasts Thursday night through Sunday night and campers are allowed to wait until Monday morning to leave, although camping for several days with barely any shower is somewhat undesirable, so many campers either leave early or come late and do not stay the entire weekend. The festival features over 60 artists and comedians. $250 doesn’t sound too bad anymore, does it?
All-in-all, Bonnaroo has become a major attraction for the easy-going music lover looking for a weekend getaway from school or work. One can immerse himself in a combination of quality music, the great outdoors and relaxed company. Once you visit the “Roo,” it will be hard not to return the next year. So, go ahead, start saving up for next year’s ticket. You’ll be very glad you did.
