How this headline may connect to industries in Florida. Technical scores are below — click any ? for what a metric means.
Thousands gathered this weekend at Great Stage Park to witness the comeback of Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee, an anticipated return after the waterlogged 2025 event caused much fan discourse and organizers allegedly made infrastructure improvements.Running from June 11-14, Bonnaroo featured headliners Skrillex, The Strokes, Rufus du Sol and Noah Kahan, with this year’s collaborative SuperJam hosted by Kesha.The festival also welcomed performances by Lil Jon, Turnstile, Role Model and Weird Al.In its strongest years, Bonnaroo attracts around 80,000 people to rural Coffee County for the annual event.This year, around 45,000 people were expected on The Farm, according to the Tennessee Department of Transportation.Those who did attend faced rain, slick grounds and high food prices.If severe weather and cost are some reasons for this year’s lower turn out, then questions arise: What might that mean for Bonnaroo 2027?What might it mean for music festivals as a whole?“I think last year really traumatized people because they weren’t prepared for the, like, tsunami that came through here,” said Lindsie Oden, 23, a first-time attendee.In 2025, organizers ended the festival Friday evening after an afternoon of severe storms and lightning caused flooding and campground damages.Thousands of attendees retreated to their tents and cars for hours only to receive a cancellation announcement.A month after the event, Bonnaroo organizers announced plans to adjust several aspects regarding the festival’s lineup, layout and infrastructure.Changes included reduced camping capacity, later camping entry, improved drainage, pathways and added acreage.These moves aimed to prevent flooding from damaging grounds and equipment in the event of stormy weather, a statement from Bonnaroo’s website said.“We’re constantly monitoring the weather,” the statement said.“Keep an eye on the radar before heading to the festival so you can dress accordingly.” Other attendees grow increasingly frustrated with the cost of attending and dining at Bonnaroo.“It’s a hit or miss with food,” said Ashlyn Rogers, a 32-year-old concertgoer.“A lot of times, it can be a waste to bring food because a lot of people just stay in Centeroo all day.” Oden added, “$30 for a hotdog and Tater Tots is crazy.” Effects of rain on the grounds Bonnaroo saw light rain Friday morning and early afternoon, a night of muddy concerts left in its wake.Areas near food and merchandise vendors riddled with puddles and several tents caved in after rain threatened to collapse some ceilings.“We had told Bonnaroo staff that it [rain] was starting to pull down on the tent Thursday evening,” said Remi Lazo, 20, a manager at food vendor Flaming Wok.“They were like, ‘We’ll handle it.’ And then it all collapsed.” But Lazo said she believes that improvements made to drainage systems aided with the rain and flooding.“They did a lot better than last year,” Lazo said.“From what I can tell, there’s a whole lot less flooding on the campgrounds.” Employees at the seafood vendor Kokomo Joe’s also fought against flooding in the shop after Friday’s rains along with a capsizing ceiling.Flaming Wok and Kokomo Joe’s also faced slower business during peak hours.Workers from these vendors attributed the lull to the relocation of That Tent.“The That Tent used to be here but it was moved across from the What Stage,” said Kokomo Joe’s worker Anthony Johnson, 36.“We haven’t been seeing as much foot traffic this weekend.” Kokomo Joe’s and Flaming Wok rest between Bonnie Roo’s Brews and The Tower Entrance in Centeroo.Organizers moved That Tent east – sharing a field with the What Stage – to quell overcrowding concerns and allow for smoother traffic flow.Complications struck Sunday afternoon when festival organizers closed Centeroo due to lightning and heavy rain in the area.Attendees were told to shelter in their camps and cars, reminiscent of last year’s Bonnaroo.The delay resulted in the cancellation of sets from artists like Aly & AJ and Blondshell while cutting short Buffalo Traffic Jam and Little Stranger’s sets.Centeroo did not reopen until around 5:30 p.m., and many guests left The Farm early.Artists returned to the stage soon after the grounds reopened, all remaining performances delayed by one hour.Outlook for 2027 and beyond Bonnaroo’s programming lasted until late Sunday, Noah Kahan’s anticipated performance wrapping up the wet weekend.Fans and vendors had varied opinions about Bonnaroo’s future – some hopeful and excited while others were hesitant about being involved in 2027.Flaming Wok’s lack of customers led to the local Nashville business reconsidering its return.“I’m not sure how we’ll do in future years,” Lazo said.“I don’t know if we’ll be coming back next year.” Other vendors like Kokomo Joe’s remain hopeful that the festival will keep going strong, striving for its pre-pandemic and pre-2025 numbers.“As long as they keep getting good headliners and continue working on the layout and infrastructure, I think it’ll be a good year,” Johnson said.From several fan perspectives, Bonnaroo will always be a good investment.The festival brings together thousands of people every year to listen to music crossing multiple genres, from rock and pop to rap and electronic music.“I had family come in from Florida, and it was really cool to meet up here,” Rogers said.“We have different music tastes – they’re more EDM and I’m more alt-rock indie.Being able to experience each other’s worlds at the same time with a variety of music is really cool.” In regards to rain, Rogers believes that when you’re on The Farm, you’re a “farm animal,” she said.“You might as well get used to it,” Rogers said.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.