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Next week I am heading to Manchester, Tennessee for the Bonnaroo Music Festival. It is a four-day camping festival featuring a wide variety of artists. Bruce Springsteen, Phish, Beastie Boys and Nine Inch Nails are headlining this year. I’m going mostly for the indie bands but I’m hoping to catch some lesser known acts as well. This is my second time going to Bonnaroo (I first attended in 2007) and so I know more what to expect going in, but I wanted to share some survival secrets so that you can be fully prepared! I don’t claim to be a Bonnaroo veteran, so there is still much for me to learn, but here is a start…

Camping

Last year I brought a 2-man tent and it was a perfect fit for me to set up a sleeping area and also keep all my things in order. If your organizational skills aren’t that great I would recommend putting a little effort into keeping your tent/camping area tidy and organized. It’s no fun to miss your favorite band because you’re busy looking for your camera/phone/keys/etc.

When I went in 2007 we lucked out with no rain (except for a very brief shower during the Kings of Leon show that was a gift from above). I’ve heard mixed things about rain at Bonnaroo. It will cool you off, which is good, but it will also turn the entire site into a mudfest, which is bad. Make sure you bring a rain jacket or poncho and mud-friendly shoes in case it does rain, and make sure your tent is prepared for rain by following these simple steps:

• Choose a high spot on your campground to set up your tent (don’t pitch your tent in an indentation which might become a puddle if it rains).
• Put a waterproof tarp underneath your tent. Make sure you fold the ends underneath so nothing is sticking out. If any part of the tarp is sticking out, it will funnel the water underneath your tent.
• Keep your stuff away from the sides of the tent. Water will drip through in spots where there is something making contact with the walls.
• Seal any electronics or important papers in a plastic bag in case water does get in your tent.
• Set up a tarp or rain fly over your tent if you can. This will be your best form of rain protection.

Also – bring your own camping chair and flashlight!

Food & Drink

First it’s important to note that glass containers will be confiscated upon entry to the festival. They search your car, bags, glove compartment, etc., so make sure you are in full compliance. Alcohol is allowed into the festival, but again, no glass containers. I believe they allow 2 cases of beer per person, so a couple 24-packs of PBR will have to do. You can’t bring beer into Centeroo (where the bands play), but you can purchase alcohol there (although it’s expensive!). That said, if you do plan on consuming alcholic beverages at Bonnaroo MAKE SURE you drink PLENTY of water. It is extremely hot (the temperature is usually in the 90s) and alcohol speeds up dehydration so unless you want to ruin your experience, don’t make this rookie mistake. Of course, you should be drinking plenty of water whether you are drinking alcohol or not!

On that note… I highly recommend purchasing a 3-gallon water cooler such as this one…

Fill it to the brim with ice and then fill it with water. Try to keep it in the shade if possible (I kept mine in my tent). I only had to fill it up one time – the ice didn’t melt until the third day. I bought two bags of ice to refill it and then added water and I always had plenty of ice cold water at my campsite. As far as drinking water for inside Centeroo I recommend buying a 24-pack of bottled water such as this one…

You are allowed to bring bottled water into Centeroo as long as they are factory-sealed or empty (you can fill them up inside). Each day I brought 3 or 4 bottles with me and just kept filling them up throughout the day. On that note, you’ll definitely want a backpack of some sort to carry your items in. I used a drawstring backpack thing and it worked pretty well. You could also use a “camelback” which is a small backpack with a water reservoir in it.

As far as food, I stuck with canned goods and was fine. Food inside Centeroo is tasty but it is pretty expensive and also pretty greasy which is not the type of food you want to eat at a four-day camping festival. I brought a variety of Spaghetti-o’s, canned tuna, canned vegetables and such (don’t forget a can opener!!) and it was perfect. Peanut butter and bread is also a must-have. Small charcoal grills are allowed if you want to mess with cooking out, but if you’re on a tight budget like me then canned goods are the way to go.

It’s also important to bring snacks with you inside Centeroo so you aren’t tempted to buy food and suffer for it later. You are only allowed to bring in small, factory-sealed snacks though, so be warned. I brought snack crackers such as these…

I also had lots and lots of granola bars (watch out for ones that contain chocolate chips though – heat and chocolate do not mix!) and they helped keep me going.

I would advise against eating a bunch of large meals before getting to Bonnaroo because your stomach will be expecting large meals so you’ll be hungrier. I would recommend eating light meals a couple days leading up to Bonnaroo so your system is already used to that.

Hygiene

There are “water sheds” throughout the camping areas and in Centeroo where you can fill up water bottles, wash your hands, etc. The water has sulfur in it, which is safe for human consumption, but it smells like ass. It was gross at first but once you’re thirsty enough I doubt you will care. Make sure to only get drinking water from the sheds though. The “well” things they have set up are only for washing hands – the water is NOT safe to drink.

If I remember correctly, they do have some shower stations set up in the camping areas but they charge you money to use them. I did not shower the whole time I was there, which is pretty gross I agree, but that’s part of the whole experience! By Sunday the entire place reeks hardcore of sweat, body odor, shit, and weed.

As an alternative to showering, I recommend buying a couple of these…

They worked perfect for me (make sure you’re not allergic to them, of course) and I had a few people ask to borrow some wipes cause they thought it was a good idea too! They don’t leave you feeling as fresh as a shower, but they’ll definitely make you feel a lot better about standing in a crowd of strangers in the hot afternoon sun. On that note… don’t forget your deodorant.

I also highly recommend bringing a couple of rolls of toilet paper. The porta-potty’s run out of TP pretty quickly and it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Miscellaneous

• If you get really hot and need to cool off I recommend checking out the Cinema tent. It is air-conditioned and they play really great movies (some that haven’t even been released yet). There are other small tents that are also air-conditioned in case you don’t feel like watching a movie.
• USE THE MIST TENTS. They are wonderful.
• If you’re gonna do drugs, make sure you’re with a friend at all times. There are thousands and thousands of people there, so finding your group won’t be easy if you get separated.
• Have a group hand signal! You will all look retarded but at least you can find each other in the daylight.
• Bring one of these:

• Pace yourself. If you spend the whole time running around to different stages to catch as many bands as possible, you’re not going to enjoy yourself. Of course if you spend the whole time hanging out at your campsite you’re not going to enjoy yourself either!
• Don’t drink all your beer on the first night. Hangovers are no fun, but especially in the blazing hot sun.
• Talk to your neighbors! It will make the camping experience much better and you’ll get to meet new people.
• Whatever your opinion is on drugs, you should be prepared to be around lots and lots of people who are tripping their balls off, as well as lots and lots of people trying to sell drugs.
• SUNSCREEN SUNSCREEN SUNSCREEN!!!

I’m sure I forgot a few things but this is a starting point at least! For more information I suggest reading the Bonnaroo Info Guide (PDF). Thanks for reading and I hope your Bonnaroo experience is life-changing!