In my opinion, the "Official Bonnaroo Season" starts the day that the line up comes out. So for the 2017 year, the season started when the line up dropped on January 11th at 8 am. Now whether or not we all agree on this year's line up, we can all agree that there's so much more to do on the farm. This year will be my fourth Bonnaroo me others on what you should do and see on the farm.
*Please Note* There are way more than 13 things to do while you are there. These are just the ones i thought of. Enjoy!
1. The Concerts (obviously)
I figured that I'd get the obvious out of the way. Even if you don't like the line up, there has to be a couple of things that you will want to see. I have seen more of my favorites at Bonnaroo than I have at any other time. My favorite concert so far was Pearl Jam last year in 2016. It was a two hour show, but I only made it about an hour because I was sunburned so bad. (PLEASE WEAR SUNSCREEN! The Tennessee sun is no joke!) Some of my other favorite artists that I've see on the farm are Kacey Musgraves, The Bluegrass Situation Super Jam, Ice Cube, Third Eye Blind, and Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. There's a lot of great memories from those concerts as well. I had some awesome views at both the Kacey Musgraves and The Bluegrass situation shows, but i was squashed in between some of the sweatiest and smelliest people I'd ever met. At the Ice Cube show, I was standing next to some Canadians who were trying to rap. During the Third Eye Blind concert a guy randomly asked my friend and I if we did "Molly." To which we kindly replied, "no," so at the concerts themselves, you will make plenty of memories whether good or bad.
2. The Food
This is literally my favorite reason to go to Bonnaroo. There are so many different foods to choose from. Also, you don't have to feel guilty about all of the eating because you walk so much in the 4 days you're there. There is food from all over the world. My favorite is the Indian food. There is good for your sweet tooth. The grass-fed cow vanilla ice cream is so cold and perfect for the hot days. For breakfast there's Dave's Mini Donuts. Their apple cider donuts and sweet tea are my go to for breakfast! Make sure when it has cooled down some, to check out the Broo'ers Festival--AKA "The Beer Tent." They have over 20 different beers, local and imported. My favorite are the ciders and local beers. Bonnaroo has made sure to cater to everyone's food tastes. There are TONS of vegan food vendors and on the other side of the food spectrum, check out Hamageddon and Bacon Land. Those two are pretty much self-explanatory.
3. Silent Disco
It's in the name. When you are a bystander to the Silent Disco tent all you can see is people dancing, lights and a dj....but you hear nothing. That's because everyone has headphones and is jamming to music of the DJ. There's normally a surprise DJ or guest musician that will show up as well. This is on my bucket list for this year. I WILL be white girl dancing at the Silent Disco.
4.Comedy Tent
Last year was the first time I'd ever gone to the Comedy Tent. I cannot believe i waited so long to go! For one, there's air conditioning which was one reason I had to go. I hadn't really heard of the acts, but oh my gosh, they were hilarious. There are some surprise guests that will show up. Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam showed up on stage to one of the acts. You do have to show up first thing that day to sign up to see the shows listed for the day, but generally you will get to see which ever ones you decide to see.
5. Cinema Tent
Another air condition filled tent that you need to visit, the the cinema tent. They show every thing from the latest basketball playoffs to the season finale of the hottest show. It was also last year that was the first time I had went to this tent. My friend and I went to the showing of Pitch Perfect, and it was a sing along. SO MUCH FUN! They also have documentaries, some of the newest movies and sometimes there are special celebrity guests that visit.
6. The Big Ass Water Slide
This is the LITERAL name of the water slide. By Saturday, whether you've showered or not, you're TIRED of the humidity and heat. This is when the slide becomes your best friend. You can either do one slide for $5 or UNLIMITED rides all for days for around $15 - $20. That in my opinion is the best option. There are plenty of times where it's not too busy either. Bonnaroo is very serious about the Tennessee heat. So this is one of their better ideas as far as finding something to cool you down!
7. Ferris Wheel
If you want to get an idea of how big the actual farm is, this is how you do it. For around $10 you can take a seven-ish minute or so ride on the Ferris Wheel. It's something nice to do if you want to take a break. The air feels so good and you get some INCREDIBLE views. Riding it at night is also a must see. With all of the lights and activities it is an awesome view.
8. Shakedown Street
Named after the Grateful Dead song, this street is outside of the main areas such as centeroo. You normally have to ask around for the location. It houses craft vendors and food tents that just pop up during the festival. It's also said that you can buy other items on shakedown street that may or may not be welcomed on the farm...if you catch my drift.
9. The Grove
Another popular cool down spot (See the trend here? I ain't playin' about this heat!) that houses tons of trees for shade and relaxation. Have a portable hammock like an Eno? This is the perfect place to hook it up to a tree and relax! There is some music and entertainment here as well. Come check it out when it gets dark! There's lights that make The Grove such a beautiful place!
10. Vendors
Shopping galore can be found in Centeroo and throughout the farm! Band T's, clothes, crafts, art work (I bought a sketch of Eddie Vedder's face in 2015) and even Massages! You can also find the Eno booth, Teva, and any company that is sponsoring the event. There's a really neat essential oil vendor there that I love to visit. There's one vendor called "Little Hippie" that has the most adorable kids clothing. Bring plenty of shopping money, you will need it!
11. People Watching
If you've never seen boobs in your life, you will see them when you show up on the farm. Walking around naked is not my thing, but it is not uncommon to see someone topless. There's lots of people with body paint and costumes. There's also people who are on trips...I don't mean road trips either. There is a blend of people that come here with one thing in common. The love of music. Bonnaroo is a judgement-free zone. But it's still fun to sit in the shade and people watch.
12. Sunday Gospel Music Brunch
This is something you only see if you have a VIP ticket. But out of everything this is my favorite. I am just a plain white girl--I don't do drugs; I'm conservative, I try to lead the Christian life, but I am nowhere near perfect. So after we've all sinned for 4 days in the sweltering heat, it's nice to have some refreshing Jesus music. I have seen ALL kinds of people show up to this whether or not they believe in God. It's just a really good time. The food is great too!
13. ENJOY THE EXPERIENCE!
The MOST important thing to remember at Bonnaroo is to be yourself. No one will judge you--everyone is so nice and kind. It's like a family with 80,000 members. I literally wait 361 days out of the year to come to Manchester to have this four-day experience. Even if the line up is not what you wanted, it is about the memories and the positive vibes that we all share together!
I hope to see y'all in Manchester, Tennessee for Bonnaroo 2017!
