The Full Bonnaroo Experience

Are you ready for Bonnaroo 2013? Let’s put the entire experience under the microscope.

The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival is a 4 day annual music festival created and produced by Superfly Presents and AC Entertainment. The festival takes place at Great Stage Park, a 700-acre farm located in Manchester, Tennessee. Bonnaroo features multiple stages dedicated to live music, catering to a wide variance of genres including indie rock, world music, hip hop, jazz, Americana, bluegrass, country music, folk, gospel, reggae, electronica and much more.

Exploring Bonnaroo’s history, its origins are closely tied with jam bands and folk rock. Over its nearly decade long run, Bonnaroo has diversified its lineup of acts greatly. Rolling Stone referred to Bonnaroo in its article, ’50 Moments That Changed Rock & Roll’. Additionally, GQ voted Bonnaroo one of the best 10 music festivals ever.

What does the word Bonnaroo mean? A really good time.

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Bonnaroo Ticket Prices

Bonnaroo General Admission Tickets – starting at $224.50 and scaled upward to $269.50

Prices include parking and camping for one vehicle.

Bonnaroo VIP Package For 2 Tickets – starting at $1449.50

Bonnaroo Parking Pass Prices

RV Parking – $200.00

RV Pass + Companion – $225.00

VIP RV Parking Pass – $200.00

Groop Camping – $35.00

Are Bonnaroo VIP Tickets Worth It?

Wondering if Bonnaroo VIP Tickets are worth it this year? Our editors say, ‘YES!’.

You’ll notice some overlap with the Bonnaroo VIP amenities in relation to other major US music festivals such as Coachella. We do believe Bonnaroo stakes a strong enough case for splurging if you have the money to burn.

Amenities really start with exclusive VIP entrance into the festival, designed to get you into the actual grounds quickly and efficiently. Past experience has proven this is a major plus, particularly in regards to those camping onsite. Speaking of camping, VIP tickets offer you preferred parking and camping in close proximity to the venue for one car with eligibility for an RV upgrade.

What’s the Weather at Bonnaroo Like?

Asking yourself what’s the weather at Bonnaroo like? Buckle up for the three H’s – hazy, hot and humid.

Music festivals have a reputation for being incredibly hot. Bonnaroo fits that mold certainly, but also takes the form of another devil – the inescapable element of humidity. Festival goers accustom to blinding temperatures in California and Arizona will struggle the hardest, overwhelming humidity relatively unheard of in that part of the country.

Bonnaroo Fashion

Looking for some Bonnaroo Fashion tips? Our personal style selection is rooted deep within the folk traditions that made Bonnaroo a staple of the US music festival circuit.

Apart from other major US music festivals Coachella and Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo is a bit more rustic and grungy. Bonnaroo takes places in the countryside, so we suggest you dress in accordance bearing in mind the sensational temperatures in play.

Free-spirit aesthetic is open to interpretation here, but the key is always comfort. We suggest you bring along your rattiest t-shirts and grungier denim articles. Unique pairings are a lot of fun here – get creative with it. The style of dress is generally a peg or two below that of Coachella and different east coast fests. The right pair of boots will set you right.

What’s the Crowd at Bonnaroo Like?

Many people have asked us what’s the crowd at Bonnaroo like? in relation to other major music festivals. Here’s a brief overview.

Bonnaroo attracts a very large audience, occurring after Coachella each year. Don’t be surprised to see thousands of locals – this is essentially the equivalent of the biggest festival on this respective side of the US. Many who missed out on Coachella are present here, also a decidedly high amount of people that deemed the lineup was slightly better for Bonnaroo.

The great thing is very few people are here to dress to impress, more concentrated on the music and the atmosphere. As such, you’re inclined to meet some serious music fans that have a great respect for the live aspect associated with each artist.

Bonnaroo Food and Beverages

Bonnaroo Food and Beverages take quite a bit of pride, offering a veritable ‘oasis’ in place of the typical stadium junk food. The menu of gourmet food trucks offer cuisine in the style of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free. Centeroo and the Main Venue offer a vast array of trucks, serving meals at reasonable music festival related prices. You’re covered when it comes to breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Bonnaroo Broo’ers Festival

The Bonnaroo Broo’ers festival is unique to Bonnaroo. This event features more than 20 different breweries in one tent. The official Bonnaroo site indicates festival guests can enjoy hearty bocks, revitalizing pilsners, crisp pale ales and more. Microbreweries are a welcome addition to any music festival. We wish Coachella would sell anything OTHER than Heineken and New Castle.

Bonnaroo Bathrooms

Were you expecting anything fancy from the Bonnaroo bathrooms? It’s a delicate struggle, staying hydrated throughout the sweltering afternoon and staying out of the stinky sauna bathrooms available throughout the Bonnaroo grounds. The humidity makes the bathroom installments relatively impossible to breath in – do your business and do it fast. If nothing else, it makes for a quick line.

Bonnaroo Drug Use

Maybe we’re missing something, but the Bonnaroo drug use has never seemed too prevalent. Sure, you have your pockets of marijuana smokers scattered throughout the grounds, but there’s generally nothing crazy to report on here. It really depends on how closely you’re looking for it. It’s absolutely part of the music festival culture, but it’s not going to overwhelm the experience.

Unofficial reports indicate the drug scene more widespread than Coachella but carry far less incidents of arrest — some dealers attend Coachella simply to cash in on campers.

Having had the opportunity to speak with other festival goers, there are conflicting thoughts on how to go about making the purchase. While we certainly aren’t advocating the purchase in general, there’s a valid case to be made against stowing advanced purchases in your car en route to Roo. Carpooling festival attendees already stick out prominently — should you get pulled over and searched your festival experience ends early.

Updated reports are indicating festival goers are wiser to purchase their goods inside the grounds. The cons are not knowing entirely what you’re buying and inflated prices, but it sure beats a trip to jail without the Bonnaroo.

Never take more than you can handle. The heat is enough to contend with without jumping into a traumatic drug trip. Don’t rob yourself of any enjoyment here – there’s enough going on without running away with it.

Bonnaroo Art Installations

There’s a host of Bonnaroo art installations this year, featuring some completely unique draws. From comedy to microbreweries, Bonnaroo has it all.