Bonnaroo Tickets

Bonnaroo Plan in Brief, Including the Year Off

Bonnaroo will not happen in 2027. On August 21, 2026, organizers said the festival would take "a much-needed year off" so the farm, and especially the main venue, can rest and recover following weather damage and infrastructure work. Check any listing against the festival's announced dates.

When it runs, Bonnaroo (formally the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival) is a four-day camping festival on Great Stage Park, a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee. It usually begins on the second Thursday in June, with music from Wednesday evening into Sunday night; the 2026 edition was June 11 to 14. For most fans the key purchase is a four-day pass plus a campsite. Choose how you want to sleep first, then decide whether an upgraded tier is worth it for the days in Centeroo.

Centeroo and Outeroo: How the Farm Is Laid Out

The grounds split into two zones. Centeroo is the main venue, home to the What Stage, Which Stage, This Tent, That Tent and The Other Stage. Outeroo is the campgrounds, which run stages of their own, including Where in the Woods, the late-night electronic stage.

The What Stage holds up to 80,000 people, and that field is where headliners close each night. Your wristband allows unlimited trips in and out of Centeroo during the day, so a campsite closer to the gates saves real walking over four days.

Matching a Tier and Campsite to Your Trip

Bonnaroo sells four festival tiers: GA, GA+, VIP and Platinum. Moving up adds comforts such as air-conditioned lounges, dedicated viewing areas, better restrooms and golf cart rides between stages. The viewing areas are the upgrade most likely to change your night at the What Stage; the rest is about recovering from heat.

Camping choices, from most basic to most comfortable:

• Primitive car camping: a 20-by-20-foot site beside your vehicle. This is the traditional Bonnaroo experience and the most common choice.
• Pre-pitched lodging: glamping tents, plus darkroom tents with air conditioning, set up before you arrive so you carry less.
• Powered RV spots: sold separately from admission.

Check each listing for exactly which camping or parking pass it includes. Demand climbs after the lineup is announced and softens in years when the bill draws less interest, which is why attendance has varied so much.

What a Bonnaroo Day Pass Leaves Out

For 2026 the festival sold a limited number of 1-day tickets for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They suit locals who want one headliner, but they come with limits:

• No camping is included.
• Entry works only on the day printed on the wristband.
• Drivers need a separate day parking pass.

All wristbands are mailed before the festival. Wear yours securely and do not remove or tamper with it; the festival replaces a lost band only once, and only for the original buyer. Orders placed through Reserved Seat are backed by a 100% guarantee.

Arriving by I-24

Great Stage Park is off Interstate 24 in Manchester, roughly between Nashville and Chattanooga, and each city is less than an hour away for anyone flying in. Coming from the north or west, head to Nashville and go east on I-24. From the south or east, head to Chattanooga and go west. The GPS address is 1560 New Bushy Branch Road, but follow police and staff directions as you get close.

• Before the line: fill your gas tank and use a restroom. There is no fuel on site and no bathrooms while you wait.
• In the line: camper arrival can take hours. Stay in your vehicle and bring snacks and nonalcoholic drinks.
• On the roads: Tennessee police strictly enforce open-container laws on the approach.

The Bonnaroo help center posts current directions and arrival advice.

Campground vs. Centeroo Rules and Gear

Expect heat, possible storms and mud somewhere on the farm. The festival's packing list centers on shade and weather: a tent, sleeping bag, camp chairs and a shade structure; rain gear, mud boots, spare shoes and a hoodie for cool nights; sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses and bug spray; a headlamp or lantern with spare batteries; and a flag so you can find your site.

Rules change between zones. As of 2026:

• In the campgrounds: most bags are allowed, as is alcohol within per-person limits, portable grills and generators under 4 kW. Glass, fireworks and bicycles are banned.
• In Centeroo: clutches and fanny packs up to 6 by 9 inches can be any material. Larger bags must be clear and under 12 by 6 by 12 inches; hydration packs must be empty. No chairs, tents, canopies, glass or outside food and drink.

Check the current lists before you leave, since policies are revised each year.

Two Decades of What Stage Closers

Bonnaroo started in the jam-band world and broadened into rock, hip-hop, pop, country, bluegrass and electronic music. Highlights from the main stage:

• 2002: Trey Anastasio and Widespread Panic.
• 2004: Bob Dylan, The Dead, Dave Matthews and Friends and Trey Anastasio.
• 2008: Kanye West, Pearl Jam and Metallica.
• 2009: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band and Phish; the Beastie Boys played their last show ever that year.
• 2011: Eminem, Arcade Fire and Widespread Panic.
• 2012: Phish, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Radiohead. D'Angelo also made a surprise appearance in a late-night Superjam, his first U.S. stage set in over 12 years.
• 2016: Dead and Company, Pearl Jam and LCD Soundsystem.
• 2019: Post Malone, Childish Gambino and two nights of Phish.
• 2025: a bill featuring Olivia Rodrigo, Vampire Weekend and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard.

Founders, Crowds and Weather Cancellations

Ashley Capps of AC Entertainment and the promoter Superfly started Bonnaroo in 2002, working with manager Coran Capshaw and agent Chip Hooper; roughly 70,000 attended that first year. Live Nation bought Superfly's stake in 2019. The name comes from Dr. John's 1974 album Desitively Bonnaroo, and "bonnaroo" is Creole slang for a really good time. Rolling Stone put it among its "50 Moments That Changed Rock and Roll" in 2003, and its farm-and-camping format has drawn comparisons to England's Glastonbury Festival.

Crowds have ranged from about 100,000 in 2012 down to 45,500 in 2016, back to a sold-out 80,000 in 2019 and 85,000 in 2023, then 70,000 in 2024 and around 45,000 in 2026. Weather is the recurring threat. After the 2020 festival fell to the pandemic, rain from Hurricane Ida soaked the stage area, campgrounds and tollbooth area in 2021, forcing a cancellation. In 2025 severe storms ended the festival on June 13, a day after it opened.

Sources

• Wikipedia – Bonnaroo
• Wikipedia – 2012 Bonnaroo Music Festival
• Wikipedia – 2008 Bonnaroo Music Festival
• Bonnaroo – Official site (2027 announcement)
• Bonnaroo – How to Roo
• Bonnaroo – 1-day tickets
• Bonnaroo – Ticket and wristband policy
• Bonnaroo – Bag policy
• Bonnaroo – Allowed and prohibited items
• Bonnaroo – Packing list
• Bonnaroo – How do I get to Bonnaroo
• Bonnaroo – Arrival tips