Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival Celebrates Its 14th Year This Summer
The Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival is a magical place that everyone needs to experience at least once in their lifetime. It has a very special place in our hearts since it’s the festival that brought most of our staff together to start this website. The word “Bonnaroo” itself comes from Dr. John’s 1974 album “Desitively Bonnaroo.” The word means “a very good time,” which is exactly what you can expect to have. The festival’s inception was in 2002 as a jam band festival, and despite having no traditional promotion, completely sold out in only two weeks. It has since become something way bigger than that, with over 80,000 people gathering on the farm every summer to camp with strangers and see their favorite bands/artists. This summer marks Bonnaroo’s fourteenth anniversary with headlining acts Billy Joel, Mumford & Sons, Deadmau5, & Florence + The Machine.
Throughout its 13 years, Bonnaroo has formed its own culture that cannot be replicated within any other festival. Attendees have been deemed ‘Bonnaroovians,’ and they live by The Bonnaroovian Code, which calls for festival goers to radiate positivity among other things like play as a team, respect the farm, not to be ‘that guy’ and to always stay true Roo. Everyone who lives and works on the farm during the weekend takes this code to heart. During a short weekend stay at Bonnaroo, you can see people living together in a way that is truly inspiring; neighbors are there to lend a helping hand and join in for a late night sing-along at your campsite, high-fives and hugs are being given all around, and if anyone is in need of medical help or even just a friendly face, this crowd will rise to the occasion and do their best to make sure everyone around them is having the best time possible.
This culture isn’t just seen in the actions of the patrons; in fact, it may be seen everywhere. It can especially be seen in the unique outfits and costumes that Bonnaroovians don each day. It goes beyond the now mainstream ‘festival fashion’ trend that has taken over shopping malls; festivalgoers craft one of a kind masterpieces that can range from gorgeous bohemian frocks to LED fairy princesses to a real life Sim and everything in between. The deeply rooted ‘radiate positivity’ culture can also be seen in the totem poles in crowds, the art on the wall surrounding Centeroo and especially in the toys Bonnaroovians bring into the festival each day. Everywhere you turn, there are groups of friends gathered blowing bubbles, painting one another, playing with a 12 foot parachute (we’re lookin’ at you, RooChute!), hula hooping and slacklining among other things. The best part about these ‘toys’ is that while people are showcasing their skills, they are also inviting people over to take a shot at learning a new ‘festival skill.’ Truly a community, Bonnaroo is filled with people who want to learn, grow and share their experience with everyone around them. A crowd has the power to make or break the environment of a weekend long festival and in Bonnaroo’s case, the crowd enhances the festival experience tenfold.
One of the best parts of the festival is the opportunity for spontaneous surprises. Aside from the superb lineup, certain things happen on the farm that you would never expect to see and that will never happen again. Take for example, last year’s robe party at the Christmas barn. Attendees were told to bring a robe in order to get in to a surprise set from a special guest, but the guest wasn’t announced until days before the festival. If you had brought a robe, you were treated to an outstanding DJ set by Chromeo. Bonnaroo also hosts a set entitled “Superjam,” where artists from different bands come together with only a few hours of practice to jam together. The Office star Ed Helms leads the Bluegrass Superjam every year and plays join in for a few songs as well. 2013 saw the first Hip-Hop Superjam featuring names like ScHoolboy Q, RZA, Chad Hugo of The Neptunes, Solange, Method Man, Redman & Ghostface Killah. Skrillex lead the first electronic Superjam last year as well, featuring Big Gigantic, Damien Marley, Robby Krieger, A$AP Ferg, Lauryn Hill, Mystikal, and more. After his set, Skrillex made his way to the Kalliope stage and joined Mija for a surprise B2B set at six in the morning! In 2013, Mumford had to cancel their set due to the bassist getting a brain clot. Jack Johnson, who has on the farm as a music lover, was called to replace them. You really never know what you’ll see at Bonnaroo, which is exactly what makes it so special.
Bonnaroo is notable for being a green festival, with the festival website officially stating:
“We don’t just want to be the best festival. We aspire to be the greenest festival—and set the standard in sustainability and greening practices for North American concert events. To do so, we will engage fans, artists, the public, officials and even other festivals. Because of what’s at stake, we will gladly spend the extra effort and cost this sometimes involves. We believe our commitment to being sustainably green doesn’t hurt the Bonnaroo experience, but rather defines it and improves it. Who says you can’t have fun while changing the world?”
How do they do so, you may ask? First, ticket purchases help towards sustainability efforts. $1 (or more if the purchaser chooses) goes towards improving the “greenness” of the festival site, which is a small price to pay for ensuring our environment is cared for to keep on allowing future events. Festival goers are encouraged to pick up and collect trash such as cigarette butts and bring it to the Clean Vibes Trading Post, where they can trade it in for Bonnaroo merch.
For a full look at the power of being green and the efforts Bonnaroo puts into saving our planet, check out the nifty little graph below courtesy of their website-
Inside of Centeroo, there is a neat area called Planet Roo, that’s fully devoted to showing how eco-friendly the festival grounds truly are. Planet Roo houses a “waste-free” cafe, and – the coolest part – a solar-powered stage! Carpooling with four or more Rooers as well? You’ll be eligible for a VIP upgrade for your efforts in keeping gasoline fumes down and saving space at the campsites!
There are also a wealth of cool activities to do at Bonnaroo aside from the awesome music. Here’s a list of our top choices:
1. The Cinema Tent – An air conditioned safe-haven for those looking to take a break from the heat, The Cinema Tent hosts films as eclectic as the festivalgoers, with something for everyone. With a unique mix of cult classic movies, documentaries, Q&A’s with directors, and audience participation favorites like The Rocky Horror Picture Show and R. Kelly’s Trapped In The Closet Sing-Along, a break in the Cinema Tent is always a good choice and a great way to escape the summer heat and cool off.
2. The Silent Disco – As you walk into this tent, you will be handed a pair of wireless headphones where the music that the DJ is spinning is being sent to. DJs keep the party going till the sun comes up in this favorite, with tunes that don’t stop spinning. Perfect for all night dance parties or just to get out of the scorching summer sun for a bit, be sure to get your groove on at least once during the festival!
3. The Comedy Tent – With past comedians such as Daniel Tosh, Key & Peele, Craig Robinson, Bob Saget, and Aziz Ansari, skipping the Comedy Tent is NOT something we recommend! From local up-and-coming acts to established A-listers, swing by to laugh till your sides ache and experience the non-musical side of Bonnaroo.
4. The Ferris Wheel – A Bonnaroo tradition that will make perfect sense once you are experiencing it. Bonnaroo at night is a truly beautiful sight from the top of the Ferris wheel. We recommend buying your tickets earlier in the day since the ticket booth closes pretty early even though you can still ride it late at night.
5. Splash-a-Roo – This is the perfect place to cool down and take a break from the grueling heat during the day. Splash-a-Roo is a water oasis filled with kiddie pools, slip’n slides and the main event a 35ft ‘big ass waterslide’ that you race down with a friend. You can stay cool all weekend by purchasing a waterslide wristband for a small fee.
6. Snake & Jake’s Christmas Club Barn – A tribute to the legendary New Orleans watering hole, this air conditioned oasis offers a little piece of Christmas in June. Throughout the weekend there are different theme parties like ’90’s Hip Hop’. Stop by for a snowy dance party, a beer and to take a seat on Santa’s lap.
7. Yoga-Roo – Taking place every morning at the Solar Stage, Yoga-Roo offers a relaxing way to start your day on the farm. All classes are free and open to all levels, so why not start your day right by relaxing your body & mind.
8. The Bonnaroo Salon – Hosted by Garnier Fructis, the salon offers free hair washing, styling and samples (which we like to use in the fountain). Try to go in the early morning or early evening if you want to beat the lines!
9. The Academy – Located in Planet Roo and offering a full day of interactive art experiences, The Academy is the perfect place to stop by if you want to learn something new and exciting. Class offerings include art, theatre, percussion, instrument building, gardening and more.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit Bonnaroo’s website
Check back with us for more Bonnaroo love including a complete list of additions, comedy acts, film selections, and Silent Disco DJs once released!
[By: Rolando Jimenez, Alexa Paradis, Corey Lyn Nester]