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Nestled in C Block in the back of Groop Camping at Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival sits a camp named “Just Boof It.” Nashville native David Fitzgibbons, 34, inherited the camp from a past member at ‘Roo in 2016.He met Dallas resident Akash Gondalia, 34, at the festival in 2017, and the pair have attended together every year since.“We were in Nashville for King Gizzard [and The Lizard Wizard] and I met up with Dave, and I had a thought in my mind.I was like ‘Hey, I can just text Dave whenever I want,’ and I did after that,” said Gondalia.“Dave is absolutely one of my closest friends, zero hesitation.” At Bonnaroo, strangers can become friends, family and in some cases even spouses.The Farm serves as a four-day home to thousands of campers from all over the world as the festival emphasizes the idea of communal living.Gondalia’s camp has grown to over 100 members over the last nine years.Canadian attendee Keith Arnold, 34, and Californian Seth Rickard, 32, have joined the camp for the last five years in a row after meeting Fitzgibbons and Gondalia on The Farm.Fitzgibbons passed the camp leader torch to Gondalia after nine years.After last year’s washout prompted the festival’s third cancellation in six years, Fitzgibbons almost didn’t attend this year’s festival.He made the trek anyway, arriving Thursday.This year, Just Boof It is a weekend home to about 45 campers with tents divided into sections based on region.The camp houses people from locations spanning from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Washington, D.C.“We’ve got the Virginia/D.C.squad, the Memphis squad, Seattle, Chicago and New York now,” said Seth Rickards, 32, out of San Diego.Camp organization is complicated but necessary.Gondalia and Fitzgibbons organize the tents using a color-coded map.A block of cars surrounds their tapestry-lined tents.In the middle sits a hub full of food, drinks and a grill.Each squad decorates a block to make a home, but they all revolve around the hub.Some are colorful and cozy, while others are simpler, with only a few cots and blankets.Josie O’Donnell and Shelby Renner, both 28, travelled to The Farm from Minneapolis and joined Just Boof It last year after their previous camp dissolved.“Last year we were here as a group and were like, ‘We should find a different group to fold ourselves in here,’” said O’Donnell, “Everyone here is f—king awesome, and we love being in group camp together.” Just Boof It continues to welcome dozens of people each year, all excited to reunite after 12 months apart.For these campers, Bonnaroo is much more than a music festival.“Bonnaroo is such a special thing,” Fitzgibbons said.“We’ve had this group for five, ten years now and we consider it very special and sacred.” To contact the features editor, email [email protected].For more news, visit www.mtsusidelines.com, and follow us on Facebook at MTSU Sidelines and on X and Instagram at @mtsusidelines.Also, sign up for our weekly newsletter here.