Bonnaroo 2008 In Review: Channeling a Sense of Appreciation

In encapsulating Bonnaroo, you might say that it is about appreciation.  By purchasing a ticket to the festival you are saying that you appreciate music, the arts and life experiences.  The festival’s organizers show their appreciation by creating a seamless experience while respecting the environment.  And In addition to creating great music, the artists on the lineup appreciate the opportunity to perform. 

Your appreciation for Bonnaroo comes in the form of dedication.  Many fly into Nashville’s BNA airport only to arrive via festival shuttle, while others road-trip in to Manchester, Tennessee from several hours away.  Over the weekend, the roughly 70,000 festival goers can expect plenty of direct sunlight and humidity occasionally giving way to thunderstorms.  The campgrounds extend a good distance from the main entrance and while the no-car and VIP camping areas provide quick access to the event, some camping spaces are as far as a 45 minute walk in “BFE.” Despite this, attendees show their dedication by meeting the challenges head on because they appreciate the life experience that Bonnaroo provides.

Bonnaroo’s organizers have shown some appreciation for ticket holder’s endurance.  AC Entertainment and Superfly purchased the 500-acre farmland property in Manchester where Bonnaroo takes place in 2007 which has led to a number of improvements, some of which were alluded to by Bonnaroo co-founder Rick Farmen earlier this year.

2008 saw the introduction of reasonably priced showers and tanker trucks more regularly spilled water onto streets of the campgrounds which greatly helped reduce dust clouds.  In addition a new golf cart taxi service was introduced which offered shortcuts to the far-flung corners of the campgrounds.  Specific permanent changes to the farm had yet to be implemented, however.  Light towers in the campgrounds still run from noisy, biodiesel-powered generators and all footpaths are a mix of sand and gravel.