Bonnaroo Festival 2024
at The Farm in Manchester, TN
photos and words by Niki Davidson

Manchester, Tennessee’s twelve-thousand-person population, more than quadrupled this weekend as the yearly Bonnaroo Festival came around. The four-day festival holds upwards of eighty thousand people, all of whom are ready to see their favorite artists including Post Malone and Megan Thee Stallion, whilst enjoying the company of others and promoting environmentalism, sustainability, and harm reduction. Upon arriving at the farm, people are encouraged to get to know their neighbours, and more often than not, the campsites do feel like a big community with people willing to help at all times. After camps were set up and people made their way out of Outeroo and into Centeroo, many art installments, shops, and side attractions could be found, including the Hall of Matroomony where attendees can legally be married during the day with outfitting by Loulette Bride and the Roolywed show at night.

Night one of Bonnaroo gave us incredible acts such as Happy Landing, donning their NASA outfits which were perfect for the occasion, and GWAR, of course throwing their ‘blood’ onto the crowd which attendees lined up for hours for, hoping they would be sprayed., while also introducing the nightly Silent Disco to wrap it all up. Attendees are encouraged to visit the vendor plaza in the middle of Centeroo, which includes many non-profits as well as small businesses, as well as a booth for promoting messages close to the festival’s heart - harm reduction and recycling. As the community grew throughout the day, many camp communities started to hold side parties with each other, including one campsite even holding a side concert for attendees. Obviously, with eighty thousand people at a festival, there will be some things you may not expect - one of those being a group who had managed to bring a real couch into the festival and used it to enjoy Chappel Roan’s set as the crowd danced to her hit ‘H-O-T-T-O-G-O’

On Friday, the energy was electric. The Japanese House, Dominic Fike playing a wonder Paul Mccartney cover of ‘The Kiss of Venus’, and Grouplove, adding an appropriate, outro consisting of David Bowie’s Space Oddity to their hit ‘Tongue Tied, opened the day as non-profit, This Must Be The Place, offered Narcan training in Outeroo in The Rest Stop. As the night went on, Post Malone started to end the night with an insane performance filled with pyrotechnics and audience interaction, throwing his beers into the crowd as he finished them and ending in a ship crash with the parachute people that led into T-Pain’s final set of the night with a thirty-song set including the infamous collaboration with Lonely Island, ‘I’m on a Boat’ while attendees could be heard singing along all throughout the farm as the night closed out.

Saturday didn’t hold back either. Giving us great sets from The Maine, Renee Rapp, and Cage the Elephant, which gave probably the most energetic set of the night, opening with Broken Boy, the energy could be felt throughout the field, as brothers Brad and Matt Shultz would often jump down from the stage to interact with the crowd and allowing them to sing with them making the main stages were home to many fans of the alt/rock scene. The festival’s annual pride parade was also held at noon in the House of Yes in Outeroo followed by an afterparty before the acts went on in Centeroo.

Sunday, the farm was in full bloom. News helicopters were everywhere for those at home to see the mass of people attending as well as the crowd for Chappell Roan’s set at the Which stage after promptly being moved from This Tent just a few days before, a decision that was much needed as she even blew that stage out of the water with thousands seen dancing along to ‘H-O-T-T-O-G-O’ on news outlets across the world. Ashnikko took That Tent by storm (quite literally). After being evacuate for a thunderstorm, the tent was filled with people ready to hear hits like ‘Daisy’ and ‘Slumber Party’ along with Ashnikko’s incredible chorography made for a great set, despite the storm. Megan Thee Stallion closed out the night in an intense set opening with her diss track, ‘HISS’ and showing off her yellow bodysuit which looked incredible, including, of course, ‘WAP’ with one of many outfit changes bringing a fantastic and to the What stage.

Without a doubt, this year’s Bonnaroo was one to remember between the thousands of hilarious totems, incredible sets, attendee’s outfits, and newfound friendships and connections, Bonnaroo is something everyone should get to enjoy once in their life and truly does have something for everyone whether you’re an EDM fan, you’re more on the chill side, or if you’re a metal fan, Bonnaroo has something for you. Tickets to next year’s festival are already on sale for June 12-15 at their website.