Tent Only camping

Whitney asks:

I was wondering what the go is with the different camping areas. I understand that there is a camping only area that doesn't allow cars, but is in close proximity to Centeroo. And that there is another area in which you camp next to your car. Do you get to choose? You said that the camping only area may fill up rather quickly. I won't be arriving until friday morning. Does this mean I'll most likely be in the parking/camping area way out in the boondocks?

Glad to hear you're coming to 'roo! Here is a map of Bonnaroo a high rez map of this year's setup (3rd pg of pdf)

it's a few years old but it is mostly accurate, nothing major has moved AFAIK. Centeroo is the white area in the lower center, that's where all the music is. The green areas just north of Centeroo is tent only, it's quite small in relation to 'roo as a whole. Yellow is accessible (handicapped) camping, orange is VIP, olive is RV, and light blue is day parking. The rest of the campsites (the grey ones) are regular, camp by your car camping. It makes up the vast majority of Bonnaroo, most people (90% at least) just camp by their cars. Some campsites are pretty close, for example, Camp Ivan Drago, #38, the grey area just to the NE of accessible camping, is probably a 6 minute walk to Centeroo. Some of the sites to the north of Bushy Branch Rd. are more like 20+ minutes. When you arrive seems to have no bearing on how close you're parked. The one exception is the campsites to the extreme SE of the map, lovingly referred to as BFE (Bum Fuck Egypt). If you arrive before Thurs morning, they'll let you in, but you'll get camped there. I think that's where the vendors and assorted camp also.

You have a choice to either camp where you're parked or move to tent only. Either way, you'll come in and get parked; you might be close to Centeroo (in which case, stay put) or you might be way out there (think about moving). Then if you want to go to tent only you haul your gear over. You will not be able to drive by and drop your stuff off, so if you're considering tent only, make sure your stuff is portable. Tent only has gotten much more crowded the past few years, by Friday it'll be a bit tight, but you should still be able to camp there, just be polite about it. You've as much right to camp there as anyone else.

A reader asks:

Bringing children to Bonnaroo

Some people bring their children to Bonnaroo. I don't, but that doesn't necessarily mean you shouldn't. I'd like to give you my observations and opinions so that you can make an informed decision whether to bring your children or not and how to prepare if you do decide to.

Bonnaroo started offering family camping areas last year in 2007 and are going to have them again this year. The idea is that the campsites are; not too far from Centeroo, access controlled (i.e. not just anyone can wander in), quieter at night and have more family oriented facilities. I've not camped in them or spoken to those who have so I can't say if they meet their goals. From the Bonnaroo website;

For the 2nd year in a row, we will be providing a Family Camping Area on-site. While the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival is a place for people of all ages, we feel that providing a special area for parents and their small children will help provide a better festival experience for all. This area will be identified on the maps you will receive as you are processed through the tollbooths. Parking staff will direct you to the specified Family Camping Area once you arrive at the festival. The family camping areas will feature some amenities for young children. These amenities, in addition to specific information regarding restricted access to the area, will be announced closer to the event.

If you want more info, drop them a line at info@bonnaroo.com , they are usually pretty good about getting back to you, but they probably will get swamped as we get closer.

If you are considering bringing your child to Bonnaroo (especially if they are young), your utmost concern must be their safety and wellbeing. It usually is very hot and sunny during June in Tennessee. Plenty of healthy adults who aren't careful wind up in one of the medical tents due to heatstroke and/or dehydration; children are at even greater risk. Make sure:

• your child stays hydrated. Kids aren't always cognizant of their own fluid balance; it is your responsibility to make sure they drink enough. Electrolytes are important too, I'd give 1 bottle of Pedialyte (if they are young) or Gatorade (for older children) for every 3-4 bottles of water as a lot of salt is lost through sweat. There are free water stations throughout Centeroo and the campsites, use them and bring bottles to fill.
• your child stays protected from the sun. The sun gets very bright. Keep SPF 50+ on all exposed skin and reapply regularly. If your children are young, bring a wagon like this with a sunshade. If you're not prepared to pull the wagon around, don't bring the kids. Your children should have appropriate clothing and accessories. Bring light colored loose clothes, sunglasses (w/ UV protection) and wide brimmed hats.
• you don't push your child too much. There is a lot of walking at Bonnaroo, be aware that your child can't walk as far or as fast as you can. Plan on staying at one stage more and not flitting from band to band. Don't drag your child around the place. Your child's wellbeing trumps your need to catch the last 15 minutes of the Weezer set.
• you are willing to stay sane and sober. I am not going to pass judgment on someone's personal use of alcohol or drugs, but you must have your head on straight enough to look after your child.

People at Bonnaroo are usually respectful and courteous of families. However, you will come across people drinking, consuming drugs (mostly pot) and using profanity. You (and you child) may encounter people who have consumed excessive amounts of drugs and are not behaving well. These people are the exception rather than the norm, but in a crowd of ~80,000 you'll probably run into them.

The shows can get loud. I'd discourage bringing children close to the stages and also suggest hearing protection (for example). A very good idea is ID bracelets with names, any medical concerns and your cell phone number (available from many places). Have a place for your family to meet up if you get separated. Show your children where to go/who to talk to if they get lost. The security personnel inside Centeroo will have a certain colored t-shirt (I don't remember which, it's easy to find out when you're there) with "SECURITY" printed on the back. I'd also suggest to kids that they go to one of the vendors for help if they are lost. Outside of Centeroo there are professional horse mounted patrols that make regular rounds of the campsites. At the beginning of the weekend, point out to your children who to go to if they get lost and encourage them to do so. If you are breastfeeding, you should feel free to nurse anywhere, I doubt anyone will have much of a problem with it ('roo attracts an enlightened crowd, plus there are people running around naked anyways).

If you have any questions, concerns or suggestions, please leave a comment, email me or post at the Inforoo forum (there is a special family message board) .

Annotated Bonnaroo schedule

Update: new version posted! Link has been updated.

I've put together a Bonnaroo schedule (pdf) that includes the overall genre of each band. The idea is to give people a hint of what each show might be like so that they can plan accordingly. Obviously I'm not familiar with every band, I used a lot of Google-fu to come up with the genres, so there will be inevitable errors, if there's anything major let me know. The schedule was partially crowdsourced from the Inforoo boards and is covered by the Creative Commons by-nc-sa license.

Special pic of Leo

I haven't posted many pics of myself but a few people asked, so here's me at the Vermont Reggae Fest 1999 (or maybe 2000).

In case you're wondering, that's pretty much exactly how still I look now (minus the cornrows).

Food cost

A reader asked:

I'm thinking about going to Bonnaroo this year, and I'm trying to get an estimate of how much it will cost total, but I can't seem to figure out how much food will be. What do you think the average cost of food is for the weekend for someone who eats one meal a day of their own (say, breakfast), and buys the other two?

Food can be expensive or not. In Centeroo there are a lot of vendors and prices vary. One of the cheaper options are arepas (sort of fried dumplings with different fillings) that are sold at a few stands. I think they were $2 each, 2 of them make a pretty good lunch. The quesadillas at "Bearly Edible" are $5 and great. There are Chinese and Greek platters available, ~$8 I think. There's a fried food place with fish, shrimp, scallops, gator meat, etc., that's a little expensive, maybe $9 for a plate w/ fries. Outside Centeroo there are plenty of official and unofficial food vendors. There's always a bunch of people selling grilled cheese sandwiches cheap.

As far as total cost, I'd say between $40-100 for the weekend for lunches and dinners. You can probably get by on less than $40; you'd probably have to try hard to spend more than $100. If you include alcohol in your calculations the totals will go up considerably.

Security at Bonnaroo

Wow, only one month to Bonnaroo! Time flies. Real Life (tm) has been cutting into my Bonnaroo blogging time lately, I'll try to get more posts up in the next few weeks.


Thanks for the questions and suggestions, please send more. Don't think that "my question is to dumb/obvious/embarrassing to ask". Everyone (me included) was a noob once. Also, I've had a few people ask if I'm employed by, a consultant for, or otherwise affiliated with Superfly/AC Entertainment (the folks who put on Bonnaroo). I'm not.


Security at Bonnaroo
This is not going to be a thesis on how to get drugs or other illicit substances into Bonnaroo, sorry. What I do want to do is to give an overview of what to expect.

Getting in
There will probably be a line of cars on the interstate and depending on when you arrive you might wait in line for 4+ hours. Be aware that there will be a lot of State Police around. They are mostly concerned with keeping the line moving and making sure people are safe but they are not blind. In Tennessee the driver is not permitted to have an open container of alcohol, here is an overview of the law. When you are waiting in line on the interstate you are still legally driving on a public road so the normal rules apply.

When you pull into Bonnaroo there will be a row of security "toll booths". The blog's title picture is the line for the toll booths. Your vehicle will be searched by Bonnaroo security. Most of the people working security are not "professionals" but younger people working 'roo to get a free ticket. For the most part they are looking for glass bottles, kegs, nitrous oxide tanks and large quantities of other drugs. Weapons are a no-no as well. A small pocket knife shouldn't be a problem, a hatchet might be. The security has always been polite to me, they'll look into your coolers, glove compartment, car consoles, under seats, etc. Unless they find something or you act "suspicious" or like an ass they probably won't tear your car apart. At least one year the State Police were randomly searching every 20th or 40th car, I'd imagine their searches would be more thorough. It should go without saying, but everyone in the vehicle needs to have a ticket. Don't wait until you get to Manchester to realize you left your tix on your desk. Be safe, put you tix in the glove compartment the night before (and still check in the morning).

Within Bonnaroo

In the campsites security is mostly focused on keeping the peace and keeping people safe. The most visible security is the horse mounted patrols. The same security outfit has been working 'roo for as long as I can remember, they really are quite professional. In my experience they have never been anything other than respectful and helpful, they understand that keeping the peace is more important mindlessly harassing people. They have walkie-talkies, so if you need help for whatever reason, flag one down and they can put a call in for you.

There is a security checkpoint to get into Centeroo (the main area where the stages are). This is the most extensive check you'll go through. They'll look though any bags you have and pat you down. They will take or turn you away for: open liquid containers that have something in them (empty bottles or sealed water bottles should be ok), beer or liquor, drugs, big folding chairs, weapons, bootleg teeshirts etc. The rules say no "professional" type cameras, I've not seen anyone have a problem with that. I still wouldn't recommend bringing this though.

Hope this helps, as always if you have any questions or suggestions email me rooguide[at]gmail[dot]com, don't forget to check out the Bonnaroo Survival Guide and the Inforoo forums.

Going light

So here's a guide for going light to Bonnaroo put together by Lucid Interval from the Inforoo board. This might be useful for people flying in or who just want to go minimal.

LUCID'S BACKPACK GUIDE:


Well like i often times do i'll be hitting up a few summer festivals on foot this year. I thought i'd share with everyone my list of what im packing this year and some idea's i've come up with over time to save on weight and space. Even if you arent coming in on foot it always helps to save space in the car and to not overpack and have to mine through piles of stuff to get what you need.

Gear: This is my camping gear you dont need any real fancy backpacking equipment for festivals obviously, but i happen to have it and its super light and packable.

Pack (Gregory Z Pack)
Sleeping Bag (Montbell Superstretch)
Tent (One Man Eureka)
Bedroll (Thermarest 3/4)
Stove (MSR Simmerlite)
Cookware (Snow Peak Titanium)
RainGear (North Face Hyvent Shell)
CamelBack (Really Simple Basic Design)
Nalgene (We all have one of these)
Small Flashlight or Headlamp (Enter Portapotty with care)

Food: The main idea with food is to stick with just add water options as much as possible. You can bring dried milk for things that call for it and small containers of oil and seasoning as well. How much you pack is up to you, i tend to overpack food more often than not and theres always food around the festivals so this year im going with one meal a day(while in the festival) along with extra cash for food and plenty of energy snacks. Heres some stuff i usually grab when i pack.

WATER - I buy fresh to drink and wash with station water.
Litpon Dinners - 99c Each many are just add water.
Ramen - The most obvious choice.
Freeze Dried Meals - Check your local backpacking stores
Dried Soup - Some imported soup packs are delicious
Beef Jerky - Protein
Cliff Bars - Yummy energy bars made with organic soybean
Instant Rice - Rice a Roni Type Stuff
Candy - Chocolate is great for an energy boost
TrailMix - See below.

I really get into the trailmix thing when i go. I go to the local healthfood store and find the bulk section with all the dried nuts and fruits and granola(bring on the nut/fruit/granola jokes) and just start grabbing stuff. Dont overdo it, this stuff is heavy. But it digests slowly and will keep you full and will provide you energy for longer.

Clothing: I bring plenty of underwear and try to pack sparingly with everything else. Heres what im gunna bring.

Smartwool - These socks dry out even the soggiest feet when you get back to the campground.
Underwear - Bring ALOT of these.
Shirts - If your gunna buy shirts dont pack any.
Pants - One pair incase of chilly night
Shorts - A spare pair or two. (Find a laundrymat if ya can)
Tevas - Sandals with heel straps so they stay on.
Hat - If you're light sensitive, im not.
Warm Jacket - Lighter fleece is nice for warm weather.

Toiletries/First Aid: The one thing i have gotten more thanks for than anything else at festivals is my blister kit. You can put one together yourself(look up how on a backpacking/camping website) or you can buy a nice storebought one with scissors, bandages, ointment and all kinds of stuff including instructions on blister care for around $9. Check your local camping/outdoor stores. Blisters dont have to suck so bad.

Also remember when packing this stuff that liquids are heavy and you want SMALL containers of everything you bring.

Baby Wipes - Instant shower very refreshing
T.P - Small amount in ziplock
Hand Sanitizer - Your hands are the dirtiest thing on you
Gold Bond - I hate it when my nuts stick to my leg
Small Comb - Gotta be pretty for Centeroo
Dr Bronners - There is NOTHING you cant do with this soap
Deoderant - Some people object to this I think
Eyecare/Prescriptions - Gotta bring what ya need
Sunscreen - SUPER important for Bonnaroo
Blister Kit - See above
Toothbrush/Paste - Find small light versions
Tissue/Q-Tip - For whatever
Bug Dope - CHIGGERS!
FIRST AID - All the usuals. Bandages, tape, gauze, painkillers, ointment etc...

Misc/Other:

Lightsticks - Fun and... light.
Small Tarp - Always comes in handy
Charged Cellphone - Keep it off
Camera - Im bringing a few disposables
Journal/Pens - Paper for exchanging info or writing
Lighters - Various uses
Nylon Rope - Extra rope to go with the tarp
I-Pod/Electronics - Tunes on the go if thats how you roll.
Toys - Whatever else you want.

Its a pretty liberating feeling to hoist on your loaded pack and know that you could go anywhere and you've got your home with you. I look forward to stepping out of my door this June without a care in the world for two weeks to come, see you all out there...

Lucid

Bonnaroo Footwear

A common question is what footwear is appropriate for Bonnaroo? You do a lot of walking at Bonnaroo so comfortable shoes/sandals are important. Personally, I generally wear Teva sandals, they have a good footbed, let your feet breathe and are sturdy. Another favorite with many 'rooers are Crocs, I've never had a pair but I've talked to a whole bunch of people who swear by them. Here are some things to thing about when deciding what to bring:

• You will do a lot of walking going from your campsite to Centeroo and from stage to stage. First and foremost, wear something that will be comfortable for extended walking (and standing). I'd suggest not bringing brand new shoes or sandals to Bonnaroo, make sure that whatever you wear is sufficiently broken in.
• It will probably be hot (Bonnaroo is in Tennessee in June). Try to go with something that is well ventilated. Sweaty feet aren't massive fun.
• It may rain (a lot). Be prepared for this. If it rains, you will have to walk through mud, there is just no avoiding it. Tevas and Crocs are OK in the mud, your feet will get dirty but dirt washes off. Flip-flops are terrible in deep mud. They slip off too easily. Additionally, if you try to walk through mud they will stick and then the heel will suddenly pull out and flip mud up your back (yes, it happened to me). I bring a pair of 12" Gore-tex waterproof boots to wear when it really gets goopy. That might be a bit extreme, but after getting foot rot at Woodstock '94, I err on the side of having dry feet.

Some people go barefoot at Bonnaroo. You'd have to have really thick soles to do this comfortably as there are areas throughout Bonnaroo that are rough gravel. My feet are not at all up to it, but if you routinely go barefoot and have toughened up your feet it might work for you. Also, there is not a whole lot of broken glass at 'roo, but there is some.

Great Bonnaroo video

Leanne sent me this video. I can't think of a better way to condense the whole Bonnaroo experience into 10 minutes. Very much worth the watch.
This is how we Roo it
Please send me links to any other worthy 'roo videos!

A diatribe against over preparing for Bonnaroo

About a year ago I went off on a rant on the Inforoo msg boards advising people not to get too worked up over preparing for Bonnaroo. Here's the executive summary, basically:

1.Treat with respect everyone you meet at 'roo whether they seem to deserve it or not.
2.Wear sunscreen.
3.Drink a lot of water.
4.Have an unbelievably great time.

everything else is minutia. Probably more valuable than my complaining are the excellent replies it generated. If you have a minute or two I'd recommend checking it out.

Some of the best food in Centeroo

Bearly Edible has had a booth in Centeroo for at least the past 6 years and their food is awesome. I've gotten at least one pesto mozzadilla every year I've gone. (Not a paid plug or anything, just think the food is great)

Pictures of festivals past

Tent city at the 2000 Vermont Reggae Festival

Day parking vs. camping

Tammy asks:

My husband and I are in our late 40s, fairly laid back, tolerant, nondrinkers, and nonsmokers who are considering attending Bonnaroo. We live very close by.. 10 miles away and have a large camper. We are considering two options: take our camper or get a day pass and sleep at home. What are the details of the day pass and parking and how does it work? Do we end up waiting hours to get into Roo if we have day passes? Do we end up parking in BFE and spending lots of time walking stead of listening? Is it easy to exit in the pm? We are considering hauling our camper but we are concerned about getting stuck if it rains heavily (as it seems prone to do). Not to mention the 150 camping fee when we are practically at our home. Also, we have 2 little guys at home so we would hire a sitter. Any chance that we could predict times getting in and out Bonnaroo if we drive?

We think the VIP tickets are a tad pricey but are concerned that we will be unhappy with the "crush" of people and long hikes/waits to events. Should we VIP instead of buy regular tickets?

Day parking hasn't been the most convenient in years past, on this map regular day parking is not really close to Centeroo, upper right hand corner (no guarantee that's how it'll be this year, they've been pretty consistent lately though). So that's a negative (unless you have a handicap tag, accessible day parking is MUCH closer). If you go into Centeroo in the morning and stay until late you won't have a lot of walking, but forget popping off to your camp for a short breather.

Getting into Bonnaroo on Thursday will be a pain, the line on the interstate is long; Fri, Sat and Sun may be better, you will probably still wait. Getting out will probably not be that bad until Sunday night when it turns into a clusterfark.

If you have a camper, I'd bring it and pay the $150. Staying at Bonnaroo is part of the whole experience, shows can run until 3 am, it's nice to be able to just crawl to your camp and crash afterward. I've seen very few campers get stuck, I'd not really worry about that. As far as getting a sitter for the little ones, that all depends on how comfortable you are leaving them with a sitter and the cost involved. I have 2 little guys as well (5 & 4) and I wouldn't bring them to Bonnaroo (I realize many people bring their kids to 'roo, I'm not saying you shouldn't, I just wouldn't, maybe a topic for a future post).

Finally, VIP. I would not particularly recommend it unless you really hate crowds and lines. There are some advantages to VIP.

1. You get to camp close. This is nice, but not crucial. If you really want to be close, join us in Tent Only.
2. You get a special (i.e. short) security line into Centeroo. Again, this is nice, but honestly, the line into Centeroo is rarely more than 15 min or so.
3. You get special seats for the 2 main stages. Not a bad perk, but the seats aren't that close, but they're your's for the taking. There isn't a VIP section at the 3 smaller stages. There is never really a "wait" for shows unless you need to be front row. You just show up and enjoy.
   
4. You get free amenities not available to others. VIP has free showers, but showers are available for ~$7 to the (literally) unwashed masses. VIP has free food, but from what I've heard, it is not anything amazing. There is very good food available in Centeroo and the Tent City.

Hope this helps.

PIctures of festivals past

Yours truly enjoying the fine weather at Woodstock '94

Car stuff

Most people get to Bonnaroo by car or truck, here are a few things to help keep transport as trouble free as possible.

• gas up before you get to Manchester. There will be a line of cars on the side of the interstate starting miles before Bonnaroo and you'll be sitting in the line for hours. The last thing you want is to have to sprint to the gas station with a container because you ran out. Take a bathroom break while you're at it.
• make sure your tags (license plates) are current, your brake and turn lights work, etc. There are dozens of state police on the interstate around Bonnaroo, don't start your weekend out with a ticket (or worse).
• don't let your battery run down at 'roo. Using your cigarette lighter to recharge your cell phone once or twice should be OK, but don't go overboard (i.e. using your headlights as camp illumination). If you know that your battery is getting sketchy, think about replacing it before you go. Jumper cables aren't a bad idea either. If you do run out of juice, ask your neighbors for a jump before calling a tow truck. I've helped out a few people like that, it'll save you a bunch of dough.
• if it rains a lot at Bonnaroo there will be plenty of mud. It isn't really a problem pulling out of your campsite because the grass will still be intact around your car. It could be a problem on the dirt (mud) roads within Bonnaroo. Try to keep forward momentum so you don't bog down.
  

Snacks in Centeroo

Nick asks;

I wanted to know what you knew about bringing small snacks into centeroo. I remember when I went in 2006, I didnt really see anyone with snacks inside unless they were VIP. But this past year, I saw alot of people with things like granola bars, cheese crackers, and trail mix. I was just wondering if they have gotten more relaxed on that, or if those people just got lucky. I think it would be nice to have something small to eat while I'm waiting for hours by a stage for a band to come out.

Good question, it does seem that more people are bringing snacks in.  According to the actual Bonnaroo wesite;

No food or drinks – other than factory sealed water bottles and small snacks

So it does seem like it's OK.  Now what they (or more importantly the security checkers) think constitutes "small" is a question.  As long as you don't go overboard, you should be fine.  If you do get hassled, just turn around and try a different line, you might get a more reasonable checker next time.  Just an aside, in general the security people at Bonnaroo (both the professional mounted guards and the regular people working the ground) are very courteous and reasonable.  Their job is to keep the peace, keep you safe, keep glass out of Centeroo and deal with the most egregious violations of the rules/laws.  That being said, there is always the possibility you'll run into a security person who is grumpy after working a long shift in the hot sun or just has something to prove, but that is definitely the exception rather than the rule.

Learn from Leo's Dumb Mistakes, Pt. 1

This is the first of a series of posts where I come clean and discuss the not so bright things from my own festival past, hopefully keeping at least one of you from doing it too.

If you are wearing sandals at Bonnaroo, especially if you haven't been wearing them much before 'roo, put sunscreen on your feet!  A couple of years ago I roll into Bonnaroo, slather SPF 30 over everything except my feet and start hauling my gear to Tent Only.  In a couple of hours I realize my mistake.  For a relatively small area of skin, the tops of your feet can really cause you some hurt.

How early can you get in?

SEE UPDATE BELOW

Jade writes;

What time does the line start? Does it start at the same time that they open the gates on Thursday morning? What if you get there and it's about 30 minutes or so before they open, do they start the line then with the first car that pulls up? I know a lot of people go to the Wal-Mart close by and wait. How exactly does all that work?

Interesting question (keep in mind this is all based on how things have gone down in past years, YMMV).  So officially Bonnaroo opens up Thursday morning around 8 or 9 (Central time).  It actually opens before that.  People arriving late on Wednesday are let in (I don't know how early), but they are sent to camp in "BFE" which is one of the least desirable campsites (see the "Flying in and camping" post from a few days ago).  Sometime early Thursday morning they start parking people in the regular campsites.  I usually roll into Manchester around 8am Thursday morning and there is always already at least a 2-3 hour wait on the interstate to get in.  This past year was closer to 4 hours if I remember correctly.  My guess would be you'd be fine getting there anytime after 6am Thursday.  I know a lot of people hang out at the local Walmart the night before but I've never checked it out.  If anyone has, please feel free to leave a comment.

Update:  They start letting people in Wed evening to the normal campsites (at least they have the last 2 years).  Last year (2012) I had no wait at all on the interstate getting into Manchester around 8 am on Thurs.

Some quick tips

So this is my friend and I first trip to Bonaroo. We are going to drive in and camp but what advice can you give me? Should we camp by the car or what? What do i need...etc. let me know any advice you can give me.
-ReadytogoinNC

OK, some general advice.  Try to get to Manchester (the town where Bonnaroo is located) early on Thursday.  Even at 9 am there will probably be a line of ~2-3 hours to get in, it usually gets longer as the day wears on.  Avoid getting in at night, it's pretty hard to set up your campsite by flashlight.

There is a security check of your vehicle when you drive in to 'roo.  Depending on the person conducting the search it may be more or less extensive.  They'll look in gloveboxes, consoles, door wells, coolers, backpacks, etc.  They will not usually tear your car apart without a good reason.  They are mostly looking for drugs and glass bottles.  Glass bottles will be taken, there are state troopers around to handle drugs.

Once you get in you'll be directed to a campsite to park in.  You'll not have any say about where you get parked (unless you are parking in the accessible parking camps).  You might get lucky and be parked a 2 minute walk from Centeroo (the main stages area), you might not and be 30 minutes away.  When you arrive does not seem to matter as to where you get parked.  The vast majority of people camp right in front/behind their vehicle.  There is the option to camp in Tent Only, see yesterday's post regarding that.

Some other things.  Bring some shade for your campsite!  Some people go all out and bring EZ-Up shade tents, but even just a tarp and a few poles will help.  It gets hot and sunny early in the morning at Bonnaroo, plan accordingly.  Bring sunscreen, probably an SPF higher than your think you need.  You don't need to bring a lot of food, there is plenty there, bring snacks.  Wear comfortable (and worn in) shoes/sandals, you'll do a lot of walking.  Bring a water bottle or CamelBak to take into Centeroo with you.

As we get closer to 'roo I'll go into more detail about preparing and enjoying yourself, but if you have any specific questions or advice, drop me an email or post a comment!

Flying in and camping

A reader asks:

This will be my 2nd year at Bonnaroo. went last year with my father, and this year I'm going with some friends. We are flying in and camping. Last year my father and I camped in camp 47. James Bond; which, is close to the airport shuttle pick up and drop off, but, far from centeroo. So, this is where I need advice to help out me and my friends. Should we hike into tent only and suck it up or stay with the convenient location to the shuttle? is there going to be room in tent only if we arrive at 1pm on Thursday? Is there a greater risk of theft there than if we were to camp in "bfe"? any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Here's a link to a map from a past Bonnaroo, the basic layout is still the same;
Map
So the two options that the reader is considering is camping in "BFE", which is the group of campsites way down at the lower right corner of the map; or in Tent Only which are the campsites in green near Centeroo.  BFE is some of the furthest campsites from Centeroo.  Personally, I'd haul my stuff to Tent Only.  It is a pain to haul your gear, but you only have to do it twice.  If you stay in BFE you wind up doing a lot of walking just to get to Centeroo.  That's just my opinion though.

Tent only has filled up faster and faster every year.  You should still be able to find campsites Thurs afternoon, even later there is usually room to crowd in somewhere.  There has been some theft from the Tent only campsites in the past but not much.  Just don't leave small valuables (cash, phones, cameras, etc) at your campsite when you're not there and you should be fine.  I don't know enough about BFE to say if the theft problems are greater or less than Tent Only.

Thanks for the question, keep them coming!

Safety at Bonnaroo

I've had a number of people ask me about how safe is Bonnaroo. This is a valid concern and I thought I'd address it. In general Bonnaroo is very safe. There is a professional mounted security force active around the clock at the site. The vast majority of people there are friendly and harmless.

Women thinking about going to 'roo solo have emailed me with concerns about being alone. There are so many people there no one is really ever "alone", if anyone ever has a problem with someone, hundreds (if not thousands), of people are a shout away.

The only safety related issues I've heard of is petty theft from people's tents when they are not at their campsite. Even that is really pretty rare, just don't have anything of great value out in the open (keep valuables on your person or locked in your car) and you should be fine.

Finally, I've had parents contact me wondering if they should let their teenage children go to 'roo. Ultimately that comes down to how much you trust your child's judgment and personal responsibility, as alcohol and drugs are rather easy to obtain at Bonnaroo. No one will "push" drugs on anyone, but they are available to anyone who looks for them. You are the best judge as to the maturity of your child and whether or not this is at all a concern. I've seen very mature 16 year olds at Bonnaroo, I've also seen people in their 40's passed out drunk at 11 am, so age isn't always a good metric.

Bonnaroo is a lot of fun and quite safe. In general, I think there are less "bad" people at Bonnaroo than in the general population. If you are smart you should be fine, just like anywhere else.