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    Bonnaroo Tickets

    June camping festival in Manchester, TN · no festival in 2027

    Bonnaroo is a four-day camping festival on a 700-acre Tennessee farm, and organizers have announced it will take 2027 off to let the grounds recover.

    By the Good Seats editorial teamUpdated How we research

    Upcoming Bonnaroo dates

    Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.

    What Bonnaroo is, and the 2027 break

    Bonnaroo (the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival) is a four-day camping festival held each June at Great Stage Park, a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee, about an hour from Nashville or Chattanooga. It typically starts on the second Thursday in June, with music from Wednesday evening through Sunday night. The 2026 edition ran June 11 to 14.

    There will be no Bonnaroo in 2027. On August 21, 2026, organizers announced the festival would take "a much-needed year off," saying the farm, and particularly the main venue, needs time to rest and recover after recent weather problems and infrastructure work. Any listings you see should be checked against the festival's announced dates.

    The lineup spans indie rock, jam bands, hip-hop, pop, country, bluegrass and electronic music. The name comes from Dr. John's 1974 album Desitively Bonnaroo; "bonnaroo" is Creole slang for a really good time.

    Origins, weather and the festival's track record

    Ashley Capps of AC Entertainment and the promoter Superfly launched Bonnaroo in 2002 with manager Coran Capshaw and agent Chip Hooper. About 70,000 people came the first year. Live Nation bought out Superfly's share in 2019 after a sold-out festival. Rolling Stone named it one of the "50 Moments That Changed Rock and Roll" in 2003, and it has been called the Glastonbury Festival of the United States for its farm setting and camping culture.

    Attendance has swung widely: about 100,000 in 2012, 45,500 in 2016, a sellout of roughly 80,000 in 2019, 85,000 in 2023, 70,000 in 2024 and about 45,000 in 2026.

    Weather is the festival's biggest risk. The 2020 edition was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, rain from Hurricane Ida saturated the stage area, campgrounds and tollbooth area, and the festival was canceled. In 2025, Bonnaroo was canceled on June 13, the day after its Thursday opening, because of severe storms.

    Headliners on the What Stage

    The What Stage, the festival's main stage, holds up to 80,000 fans. Bonnaroo grew out of the jam-band scene and widened to rock, hip-hop and pop. A sample of headliners:

    • 2002: Widespread Panic and Trey Anastasio.
    • 2004: Dave Matthews and Friends, The Dead, Trey Anastasio and Bob Dylan.
    • 2008: Metallica, Pearl Jam and Kanye West.
    • 2009: Phish and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. The Beastie Boys played their final show ever at that festival.
    • 2011: Arcade Fire, Eminem and Widespread Panic.
    • 2012: Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Phish.
    • 2016: LCD Soundsystem, Pearl Jam and Dead and Company.
    • 2019: Phish (two nights), Childish Gambino and Post Malone.
    • 2025: a lineup including Vampire Weekend, Olivia Rodrigo and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard.

    Late-night sets are part of the draw. Bonnaroo's Superjam collaborations have produced rare moments, such as D'Angelo's surprise 2012 set, his first American stage appearance in more than 12 years.

    Ticket tiers, camping and 1-day passes

    Bonnaroo's site is split into Centeroo (the main venue with the What Stage, Which Stage, This Tent, That Tent and The Other Stage) and Outeroo (the campgrounds, which have their own stages, including the late-night electronic Where in the Woods stage). The festival is built around four-day passes and camping.

    • GA, GA+, VIP and Platinum are the festival tiers. The upper tiers add perks such as air-conditioned lounges, dedicated viewing areas, premium restrooms and golf cart transportation between stages.
    • Primitive car camping gives you a 20-by-20-foot site next to your vehicle, the classic Bonnaroo setup.
    • Pre-pitched lodging includes glamping tents and darkroom tents with air conditioning, for those who would rather not haul gear.
    • Powered RV spots are sold separately.
    • 1-day tickets, sold in limited numbers for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, do not include camping and work only on the day printed on the wristband; drivers need a separate day parking pass.

    Wristbands are mailed before the festival and must be worn securely without removal or tampering; the festival replaces a lost band only once, for the original purchaser. Demand rises after the lineup announcement and falls off sharply in weak years, as the attendance swings show. Every GoodSeats order is backed by a 100% guarantee.

    Getting to the farm

    Great Stage Park sits off Interstate 24 in Manchester, between Nashville and Chattanooga. From the north and west, drive to Nashville and take I-24 east; from the east and south, drive to Chattanooga and take I-24 west. The festival gives 1560 New Bushy Branch Road as a GPS address but asks drivers to follow police and staff signs once they approach.

    • Fill up first. There is no gas on site, and there are no restrooms in the arrival line, so the festival advises filling your tank and emptying your bladder before you reach Manchester.
    • Expect a wait. Arrival lines for campers can be long; bring snacks and nonalcoholic drinks, and stay in your vehicle.
    • Respect the law. Tennessee police strictly enforce open-container rules on the approach roads.
    • Flying in: Nashville and Chattanooga are each less than an hour's drive.

    Directions and arrival advice are on the Bonnaroo help center.

    What to pack and the camping rules

    Bonnaroo is hot, sometimes stormy and almost always muddy somewhere. The festival's packing list stresses a few essentials:

    • Shade and shelter: a tent, sleeping bag, camp chairs and a shade structure for your campsite.
    • Weather gear: rain gear, mud boots, backup shoes and a hoodie, since Tennessee nights can turn cool.
    • Sun and bugs: sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses and bug spray.
    • Light: a lantern or headlamp with extra batteries, plus a flag to mark your campsite.

    As of 2026, the rules differ between the campgrounds and Centeroo. Check the current list before you go.

    • Campgrounds: most bags are fine, and alcohol is allowed within per-person limits, along with portable grills and generators smaller than 4 kW. Glass, fireworks and bicycles are prohibited.
    • Centeroo: small clutches and fanny packs up to 6 by 9 inches may be any material; larger bags must be clear and under 12 by 6 by 12 inches, and emptied hydration packs are allowed. Chairs, tents, canopies, glass and outside food and drinks are not.
    • Re-entry: your wristband lets you leave and re-enter Centeroo as often as you like during the day.

    Frequently asked questions

    Is Bonnaroo happening in 2027?

    No. On August 21, 2026, organizers announced Bonnaroo would take a year off in 2027 so the farm and main venue can rest and recover.

    When is Bonnaroo usually held?

    Bonnaroo typically starts on the second Thursday in June and runs four days, with music from Wednesday evening through Sunday night. The 2026 edition was June 11 to 14.

    Does Bonnaroo sell single-day tickets?

    For 2026 it sold a limited number of 1-day tickets for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They do not include camping and are valid only on the day shown on the wristband.

    Is camping included with a Bonnaroo ticket?

    Bonnaroo is built around camping. The classic setup is primitive car camping on a 20-by-20-foot site, while glamping tents, air-conditioned tents and powered RV spots cost more; check each listing for exactly which camping or parking pass it includes.

    Where is Bonnaroo held?

    At Great Stage Park, a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee, off Interstate 24 and less than an hour from Nashville or Chattanooga.

    Why have past Bonnaroo festivals been canceled?

    The 2020 edition was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2021 after Hurricane Ida flooded the site, and 2025 partway through because of severe storms.

    Sources