SPOTLIGHT: A Bonnaroo Survival Guide
WRITTEN BY EITAN OHANA
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Do you want to camp at a music festival but are concerned, worried, intrigued or anything in between about doing it? Don’t worry. I’m here to quell or excite, whatever your needs may be.
I spent a mid-June weekend braving and enjoying the Bonnaroo experience, and it’s my mission, for however long this article lasts, to make or break your mind on it.
So, no more introduction. Let’s dive headfirst.
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Camping Rules
The thing about Manchester, Tennessee, in mid-June is that it rains. It pours, rather. My group thought we were prepared for that, but our tent flooded on the first day.
Between cleaning up the mess and rebuilding stronger than before, our first morning was gone. We had to go buy tarps, cut holes and other shenanigans that distracted from what we wanted to do, which was drink and listen to music before it was time to head into the main grounds.
In other words, get a canopy tent.
Don’t Fret About Food
Nutrition should not be and will not be a concern for you. Get what’ll get you by.
A few recommendations from me: PB&J mixes, Nutella, lots of bread, ramen noodle cups and a small camping stove.
It also turns out that Bonnaroo’s food scene is pretty distinguished. Plenty of people we met had recommendations for vendors they love. And for the most part, those recommendations landed. Now, this next part is very, very important. It might be the most important thing you can take away from all of this.
Do not, under any circumstance, no matter how fun it might seem or the value it presents, order the Mondo Bucket.
The Mondo Bucket, for the uninitiated, is a giant bucket full of everything imaginable, from chicken and steak to rice and potatoes and vegetables and sauces and an innumerable amount of other food groups. It could probably feed six people. It should be feeding none. You don’t want to be walking around trying to digest the Mondo Bucket.
Everything else - go for it! And make sure you’re fueled for all the walking, dancing and moshing you’ll be doing.
Bring the Right Shoes
Allow me to transport you to the evening of Saturday, June 13. It’s the second day of the festival. I’d spent the past 36 hours throwing caution to the wind, jumping in every moshpit, dancing around and moving all over the place.
Suddenly, both my legs, all the way from the knees down to the feet, erupted in immense pain. In the next three hours, I experienced a deterioration so brutal it left my ankle swollen, and my walk back to the campsite was tortoise-paced and colored by a noticeable limp.
In short, I was miserable.
We can all only point the finger at one person, and that’s me. I brought my old pair of Reebok sneakers and no other shoes. Dumb of me. Next time, I’ll be buying a pair of hiking boots and calling it a day. They’d take care of me and allow me to make the 2 a.m. Snow Strippers set.
Then again, I saw plenty of people wearing sneakers and they seemed fine. But maybe they’re just better at hiding it than me. Either way, I’m not subjecting myself to that again.
Be Social Everywhere
Everyone’s so nice at Bonnaroo. Familiarize yourself with the term “Happy Roo,” because you’ll be saying it 30 times a day.
If you’re camping, talk to your neighbors. You’ll find that, especially if they’re festival veterans, they’ll have tons of advice and suggestions for you. Kind of like what I’m trying to do with this article. Consider me your neighbor for a few minutes, I suppose.
Our neighbors were on their fifth time camping and helped us out a ton, especially on that aforementioned morning we spent fixing up our site.
You’ll also accumulate hours waiting in lines or crowds, especially for headliners you want to be up close to. Get to know the people around you. The conversation starter is already there–you’re waiting for the same artist–so start that conversation. I had a great time talking to people in line for The Strokes’ pit and waiting for Role Model to start.
Don’t close yourself off or sink your head into your close circle. Part of the experience is the social haven that the environment creates.
Turn Yourself Over to Your Whims
This is my final piece of advice. If even a tiny, minuscule, microscopic piece of you wants to do something - do it. If you see that moshpit opening up and you think you’ll regret not being part of it, go be part of it. You have one weekend to get everything out of your system. Have fun.
Disclaimer: If you really don’t want to throw yourself in, or have any concerns regarding the safety of it, listen to your instinct. Only do things you want to do. It’s your experience.
Bonus Take: the Non-Headliners You Should Give a Listen To
Part of the fun of Bonnaroo or any other music festival is discovering new artists or experiencing young artists finding their live performance voice.
VILLANELLE
These guys rock. When my friends and I first gave them a listen in preparation for their set, we had no idea the frontman was Gene Gallagher (Liam Gallagher’s son). Give their EP Measly Means (which has a sick cover, by the way) a listen.
ARCY DRIVE
I’ve been listening to Arcy Drive for a while now, and their set lived up to my fandom. They were so much fun. If you’re into indie rock, you’ll probably be into them. Their 2025 album The Pit is a good entry point.
AUDREY HOBERT
This one’s not much of a sleeper. Hobert’s been gaining popularity since her debut album Who’s The Clown? released last year. She’s been blowing up even more since her song “Sue Me” was featured in tv show Off Campus. The thing is, this album is the only music she has released at the moment, so it’s all she plays in her set. And trust me when I tell you it is absolutely electric.
The set was 45 minutes of energy and good vibes, and ended up being probably my third favorite of the entire weekend. It was also the first set on Sunday after thunder and rain had delayed and/or cancelled the early part of the day, so people had all their excitement bottled up and ready to release.
Listen to her music and, if you can, go see her live.
That’s all for the 2026 edition of my Bonnaroo Survival Guide. I hope to write more of these in the future, because I truly had the best time at the festival and couldn’t recommend it more. And if you plan on going next year, have a happy Roo!