What's all this then?
I came up with a little guide for the Bonnaroo first-timer.
I want to thank the many people who have helped me out at festivals,
many of the tips here have come from other good folks. Any
questions or suggestions rooguide[at]gmail[dot]com
(replace [at] and [dot] in the
email address). This page is licensed under the Creative Commons,
please feel free to link to it or
repost it, just let people know where you got it, click here
or at the bottom of the page for full license info.
Leo
Getting There
Plan on waiting a long time to get
into the site. Coming from
Knoxville Thursday morning I usually wait ~3-4 hrs in traffic on the
interstate. Some people say the backroads in were better but who
knows
(I've also heard people say that they are worse). Have a decent
amount
of gas in your car (and have made a rest stop) before you get into
traffic so that you don't run out while waiting in line. People
who
come later on Thursday sometimes wait more than 8 hrs to get in, so try
to
get
there early. Definitely try to get off work on Thurs. I'd
avoid
trying to hitchhike, the state troopers have hassled people about it in
years past. Try to hold off on the serious
partying until you get into the site, open containers of alcohol (and
of course drugs) are illegal in Tennessee and the cops aren't blind to
what people do in their cars while waiting in line.
Camping
If you've never been to a fest like
‘roo, it can be a little overwhelming at first. There is a place
to camp in front (or behind) of where you park your car. People
can get a little unkind in a mad rush to claim space, but you are
entitled to the area in front of your parking space. That said,
try to get along with your neighbors.
Tent
A good tent is important, really
important. We've had deluges of rain and wicked winds at 'roo and
many people had their tents
wrecked. A mesh picnic shelter is not enough. They are very
nice to have and make good sunshelters, but you
cannot rely on it as your primary
protection. They simply can't stand up to strong winds (
for example).
Ozark Trail (a WalMart brand) tents are garbage, if they
don't blow down in a storm they leak like hell. I generally don't
judge things on how much they cost, but I have to say a tent cheaper
than about $100 (for a 2 man) is probably not a very good tent. If you
don’t have a quality tent, consider investing in one. Good tents
last a
long time. I just
recently retired a ~$110 2-man Eureka Timberlite that I bought before
Woodstock ’94. It's been through countless festivals and lots of
backpacking and held up great, it's still my backup tent.
Right now I camp with
this
one and I'm very happy with it.
Sierra Trading Post,
Campmor,
REI, and local outdoors
stores (where you can usually get
very good advice) are some of your best bets for tents. Better tents
are generally easier to set up as well.
Before going to the ‘roo try setting
up your tent in the backyard. This is especially important if
it’s a new tent. Much easier to learn how to pitch it at home
than at the site, maybe in the rain or in the dark. Even if
you've used the tent before, it never hurts to double check that all
the hardware is there and everything is in good shape. MAKE SURE
YOU HAVE THE TENT STAKES! More than one tent went airborne in
storms in the past years. Doesn't hurt to bring a hammer to
secure the stakes (although a soup can will work in a pinch).
Campsite
Folding chairs are key. The
cheap ones from Wallyworld, Target, etc. seem to hold up pretty
good. If you plan to spend any
time at your site during the day, you should get some sort of sun
shelter. This is a case of cheap doesn't necessarly mean
bad. I picked one up (a decent size, bout 8x10’) for ~$15 at the
‘mart. Not the sturdiest thing in the world, but it was great to
be able to sit back in the shade and not have to retreat into the
tent. Keeps light drizzles off as well. It was, however, a
pain to set up, so definitely try setting it up before you go.
Water
The single most important thing at
‘roo. It can get so damn hot you have to work at it to stay
hydrated. In the stage and camping areas they have water stations
where you can get as much water as you want for free. It's well
water and sometimes has a rather displeasing sulfur taste, but its
drinkable. Bring bottles or a camelback. Just make sure you drink
plenty of water. I talked with the medicos working there and they
said that heatstroke/dehydration was the most common reason they saw
people. I've seen people hooked up to IV fluids in the med tents
because of dehydration, they didn't seem to be having a real fun
time. Lots and lots of water.
Food
There is plenty of food to buy there
but personally I like to pack most of my food in. I bring a mini
Weber charcoal grill to make hamburgers and dogs, good energy
food. Also a little backpacking stove for cans of soup and
morning coffee. If you want to go simple, energy bars are
good. Even if you plan to buy most of your food there, it doesn't
hurt to bring a little for nighttime munchies.
Drugs
I’m not espousing drug use nor am I
condemning it. You will however most likely see it at
Bonnaroo. You have to decide for yourself if you are OK being
around it.
Alcohol
They sell beer at ‘roo and it
actually is pretty good. They have microbrews and the normal
domestic pilsners. Not all that expensive, maybe a little above
bar prices. Don’t think they sell anything harder but there were
informal bars set up in the tent city. One neat thing about ‘roo
is that you can bring your own beer. The important thing is that
they forbid glass containers. The past couple of years they have
really started looking for them when you drove into the site (looking
into coolers, etc.). If you can stand canned beer (or live
somewhere where you can get good beer in cans), I'd recommend going
that route. If you get caught bringing glass containers in they
will take them. If you do manage to get glass in, don’t be an
asshat and go breaking bottles all over the place. Those foam
beer coolies keeps the brew nice and cool in the TN sun. Make
sure you drink PLENTY of water if you’re drinking.
Sunscreen
This has to be one of the most
important things. It can be very very sunny in Tennessee in the
summer. I bring SPF 15 to start with and 40 for later in the
weekend. Put it on as soon as you get there. I made the
mistake of not putting it on until after I got my site put up and got a
little red and remember to put it on your feet if you're wearing
sandals (ouch). Make sure you completely
cover you back if you are going shirtless, it's easy to spot the guys
who put their own sunscreen on, big burnt patches on their back where
their hands couldn't reach.
Clothes and stuff
It's probably going to be hot.
Shorts and t-shirts are perfect. Bring some warmer stuff (i.e.
sweats) in case it does get chilly. It may rain so a waterproof
shell isn't a bad idea either. Teva sandals are good, be careful
with flip-flops though, if it gets muddy (which it will if it rains) it
can be easy to lose them. The mud can get
quite deep.
Some people have no problem wearing sandals and having muddy feet, I
got nasty case of foot rot after doing that at a festival once so I try
to avoid it. Several folks have mentioned that bringing a pair of
knee high mudder boots (along with knee high socks) would be a mighty
good idea, I think they're right. A wide brimmed hat will keep
the sun out of your eyes and off your neck. Remember the shades
as well. Bring a ziplock bag (sandwich or quart) to keep your map
and schedule in to keep them from turning to pulp in your pocket if
(and when) it rains or you are drenched in sweat. A garbage bag
stuffed in your pocket makes a passable emergency raincoat.
Bathrooms/Portajohns
On the subject of portajohns… well
the best I can say is Bonnaroo is better than most fests I've seen at
getting them cleaned out. That said, we are talking about piles
of excrement stewing in 95+ degree heat. When you can, go for the
clean ones. The best ones (when you can plan it) are the ones in
Centeroo in the morning. The ones in the campsites go bad
quickly, but they clean the ones in Centeroo in the morning and there
are a lot of them. Bring handy-wipes, you’ll thank
yourself. Don’t forget a roll of TP or two (in ziplock
bags). Those Clorox wipes are nice to wipe the seat down with (I
wouldn't use them on skin though). Bringing a pee jug for late
night calls of nature can save you a walk in the dark (at least if
you're a guy). Please don't just go anywhere (and dispose of pee
jugs appropriately), someone will probably be downhill of you.
Getting around at night
Bring a flashlight (or two), nothings
worse than trying to pee in a (potentially extremely nasty) portajohn
in the middle of the night when you can’t see a thing. On a
related note, cyalume nightsticks are great to bring, they’re cheap,
they give off enough light to get around, and they’re
a lot of fun. I put one or two
on my tent and flagpole when I go out at night, makes it MUCH easier to
find your way back home, like a much needed lighthouse (especially if
you are under the influence of anything that makes to harder to find
your way home). I've found that the off-brand ones from
Wallyworld don't give off much light, I'd recommend the actual Cyalume
brand (made by Omni-glow). If you have a problem finding them
locally, you might want to try
this
store, (great prices on one color 50 packs and if you ask they'll
do mixed packs for a couple dollars more) or
flashlightsunlimited.com
(good prices on smaller packs), I've had excellent experience buying
from both of them. On another related note, do something to make
your campsite easy to find, one tent among fifty thousand can be hard
to find. I've seen people float helium filled mylar balloons
above their sites. If you are able to take the time, putting a
flag up on a pole is one of the best ways to find your way back to your
site (it really can be harder than you'd think). There's a link
at the
top of the page for a guide on making a flagpole from stuff you can get
at Home Depot for about $15.
Misc
Pace
yourself! It's a long weekend, you don't need to drink all
the beer and do all the drugs the minute you get there. Seriously
though, unless you're an ironman you won't be at a stage every minute
that someone is playing. Rest while you can, the nights can get
late. Some of the best shows are the late night, 1-4 am
ones. Try to sleep late into the morning (this can be hard if
it's very hot). Bring earplugs, 'roo is noisy 'round the clock,
being able to put some plugs in and go away for a few hours is a
lifesaver.
Here’s a tip on ice to keep your
coolers cold. Instead of bringing bags and bags of ice (or paying
high prices there) buy a case or two of bottled water (~$0.15 a bottle
at the warehouse store), throw it in the freezer and use that instead
of ice. Doesn't turn into a mushy mess and you can drink it when
it thaws out. The 5-day coolers are very nice, will keep ice all
weekend if you don’t open it up every 5 minutes. Joe from the
'roo listserv suggests
"Another tip
for keeping things chilly. Pick up a pound or so of dry ice, wrap it in
an old towel and throw it in the bottom of your cooler. Then throw your
frozen bottles in on top of that, (add another towel) then whatever you
want to keep cold on top of that. The dry ice will keep the water
frozen which will keep the rest of the stuff cold. And it will last all
weekend even if you do open the cooler every 5 minutes. Just dont
stick your head inside the cooler right after you open it. . . ."
If you are having problems finding dry ice try your local welding or
gas supply company
(like Praxaire or Airgas) or click
here. Be careful, dry
ice is very cold and can freeze your beer solid (which really, really
sucks) or give you frost burns on your fingers (which also sucks).
Get to know people!!!
‘roo is one big party, go mingle. Wander up to people and
introduce yourself, they won’t mind… really! Help people
out. Something that surprised me was that more than half of the
folks I met at ‘roo had never been to a festival before. A lot of
them didn't really know what they were doing. Give them a
hand. It’s amazing how much easier it is to set up a tent when
you have a new friend or two to help. This is one of the greatest
things about ‘roo, it’s a little society (albeit a brief one) and you
can decide what kind of society its going to be. And if nothing
else, the person you loan a can opener to on Thursday might be the
person who runs over and keeps your tent from blowing away when there’s
a storm on Saturday.
Bring a large garbage bag or two for
trash, it’s amazing how many people just left crap all over the place
when they left. Body powder (Goldbond, etc.) will help keep the
funkyness to a manageable level. If you are planning on smoking
anything, bring lighters. A multitool (like a Leatherman) is nice
to have for all those things that seem to crop up. If you are
bringing bottled beer, bring an opener (or two), bottled wine of
course needs a corkscrew.
There are ATM's at 'roo but there can
be hellacious lines and they might run out of money, so it's a good
idea to bring any that you need. How much to bring is up to
you. I usually don't spend more than ~$120, but I bring most of
my own food and beer. The beer and food prices aren't awful, but
they're not cheap either. There is plenty of official and
unofficial stuff to buy there as well.
Although almost all of the people at
'roo are good
folks, don't leave valuables out in plain sight when you aren't at your
camp. If you're camped right by your car, just throw anything
important in the trunk. It's a little tougher if you are in the
tent only area. I bring an
ActionPacker
and a bike lock (the
metal cord kind), lock the ActionPacker and lock it to a cooler.
It would be easy for someone to grab either one alone, but a lot more
difficult if they are locked together.
Music
Go see some of the smaller
acts. If nothing else it will get you out of the sun (the arena
size stages are out in the open, the club size stages are under
tents). Plus you get much closer to the acts. And you never
know who you might meet, I bumped into Chris Robinson from the Crowes
by one of the small stages after he performed one year.
Leaving Bonnaroo
Alot of people leave Sunday
evening/night. It can get kinda hairy with 1000's of people
getting out (and getting cars stuck in the mud) in the dark, I stay
until Monday morning (which I know isn't an option for everyone).
Monday morning it's much easier to get out, I've also been able to pull
my truck right up to my campsite in the tent only area then (ask the
traffic people nicely). The cars and tents are packed in pretty
tight, it would be EXTREMELY
difficult to try to drive out before Sunday night. It could
probably be done in an emergency, but don't plan on easily leaving
early. DON'T try to
drive home if you are still messed up from drugs or booze. A few
years ago some girl still tripping ran into and almost killed a state
trooper who was on foot. I don't imagine things went well for her
after that.
Don'ts
Don’t bring a dog. It is much
too hot. Really, don’t bring the dog, please. Don’t
get so fubared that you can’t enjoy the shows. The funniest (or
saddest depending on how you look at it) thing was overhearing someone
saying “dude, we shouldn't have eaten that many mushrooms” at 9:30 am
on Friday. Don’t judge people. Don’t worry about that damn
cell phone.