Bonnaroo, behemoth of American festivals. As Fred again.. mentioned during his headlining set on Sunday night, Bonnaroo is the US’ version of Glastonbury — it’s rivaled by Coachella when it comes to cultural significance, but like Glasto, Bonnaroo goes all in on the experience, essentially demanding that you camp out in the muggy heat and surrender to the inevitable neon-lit rager.
If there’s a “Big Five” of American fests (Coachella, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, Outside Lands), Bonnaroo is the only one I hadn’t attended before this year. I had long heard the stories of unforgettable nights at the Farm, I knew of the festival’s community-centric identity, and for years I’d eagerly unpack lineup breakdowns, recaps, and highlight reels from each edition (mostly on this very website). But I never could make it down there — it’s more than a challenge just to arrive, not to mention the camping of it all.
So, this year I finally decided to immerse myself in the Bonnaroovian experience. And you know what? It rocked. But it wasn’t quite how I imagined it. If you’re familiar with Bonnaroo’s glowing reputation over the last couple decades and are curious what it’s like 22 years in, here are some takeaways from Bonnaroo 2024.
Goddamn It’s Hot
As many Roo vets can attest, this festival has its fair share of obstacles, from getting in and out of the grounds, to executing a comfortable-enough campsite, and trying to get what you need without spending all your money. But last weekend, the biggest challenge festival-wide was the heat. Temperatures during the day sat consistently around 90 degrees, and the high on Sunday hit 95, plus humidity. Of course, it can be worse, and it certainly has — when a small thunderstorm halted music for about an hour on Sunday, many feared a full scale cancellation of the day, a la the weather misfortune of 2021. Luckily, the music returned, and the cold raindrops proved to be a refreshing change.
But the heat definitely posed a safety issue. I saw a lot of folks go down during shows; during Post Malone, three separate attendees around me fainted and needed medics within five minutes of each other. Several artists, including Ethel Cain, paused their shows when seeing the crowd call for a medic and got the attention of staff and security. Chappell Roan, fittingly dressed as a doctor, made an announcement early on in her scorchingly hot 3:00 p.m set that she had direct communication with security and would be on the lookout for groups signaling for medics.
Bonnaroo, photo by Dusana Risovic
It seemed like every artist told attendees to drink water, and while the heat was debilitating, Bonnaroo attendees were up to the task. The staff members liberally gave out free water, which should be the norm when a 16oz Liquid Death water can is $6. Another solution came from Bonnaroo’s centrally-located fountain, a godsend. We may have been frolicking in recycled water, but carving out an hour to stand under the fountain with dozens of overheated attendees was an hour well spent.
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