Bonnaroo Camping: What You Need to Know

Across the country, summer brings outdoor festivals with unique collections of music, food, people, and art. Many are multi-day events where onsite camping is offered. I’ve attended several outdoor festivals, but Bonnaroo 2013 in Manchester, TN was definitely the largest. Festival camping, at Bonnaroo and other festivals, can propose some unique challenges, and living conditions can be similar to that of a third world country.

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Problems with Bonnaroo Camping and other Musical Festivals

• limited space
• lots of (dirty) people
• unsanitary conditions
• dehydration
• limited resources
• Etc.

Camp Site

Festivals can be huge draws; Bonnaroo had over 60,000 attendees. With that many people, campsite logistics are bound to be a nightmare. We essentially got a space equal to two car lengths. Our car had to fit into that space as well, and we had borrowed my mom’s suburban. We also brought our family McMansion tent,  so my brother and I had to configure our tent by only setting up the main room and not putting up the three “bedrooms” of the tent. The first time it rained. We were flooded, so we had to reconfigure our tent so that rain would run off correctly.

Your neighbors will also have the same amount of space and will be trying to use every available inch. In the picture posted, the tent to the right of ours illustrates the tight living conditions. I wish I had taken another picture when our neighbors to the left had put up their grey and blue tent. First rule: ensure that your tent and car will fit in the allotted space. If you have a group of 5-7, it may be beneficial to bring two cars instead of all crowding in your mom’s suburban to maximize space.

Weather and Heat

Most festivals are in the summer when it is hot! Manchester is no exception with humidity and hot temperatures during the day. Temperatures for Bonnaroo were in the 90s all week. Portable, battery-operated fans were invaluable during the day. I’m not talking about the small fans you hang around your neck. I’m talking about a 5 or 10-inch portable fan. We had two of them, and they were great at creating a cross-breeze in the tent. I would also put one in my backpack to use during the concerts.  Hats, sunscreen, and cooling towels are essential for dealing with hot weather. Umbrellas are great rain or shine to provide shade or keep you dry.

Also, keep in mind that the temperatures can drop at night. I decided to take a shower one night at Bonnaroo because there was no line. With no blowdryer,  I thought I would die of hypothermia before morning.

Portable Toilets

If I never use a port-a-toilet again, hallelujah! Bonnaroo holds all top 10 of my worst bathroom experiences, so be warned if you are attending a large festival. It goes with the territory of third world festival camping life.

Even though Bonnaroo provided toilet paper, it often ran out in between cleanings. I had a gallon size bag with a roll of toilet paper, a small bottle of hand sanitizer, and a flashlight. I took it everywhere I went, and I often inspected 5-6 toilets before I found one clean enough to use. Then, I would squirt hand sanitizer on a piece of tissue and clean the toilet seat. (If you read my backpack article, you’re probably wondering why I didn’t use wet wipes. I forget them, so I had to improvise!)

Ladies, if you notice guys walking into a large walk-in port-a-toilet with no door, that is a community urinal. I was waiting in line, and I just noticed a guy walking out. I thought it was a handicap accessible port-o-toilet. Don’t make my mistake of walking in!

Showers

Showering at most music festivals costs money. Most of the time, you will also have to wait in line for an empty shower every morning. At Bonnaroo, I used the volunteer showers, and the water had a heavy, rotten egg sulfur smell. I was told that the paid showers did not have the same smell, so maybe they purified that junk first. With 6 showers running in a cramped trailer, my showers were quick. Some people brought a portable shower, but you have to make sure you bring enough water to fill the tank.  A lot of festival goers would use the Bonnaroo fountain as a free, but public shower. It was not uncommon to see girls in bikinis and guy in shorts lathering up under the fountain.  In the afternoons, I used the fountain to cool down, but I always made sure I had enough time to dry before the sun set.

Inflatables

During my festival experiences, I carried a blanket with me everywhere to sit on. Since 2013, the inflatable lounger has become very popular at festivals to have comfortable seating while you enjoy the show (some people carry around backpack chairs). For additional comfort at night, we brought an inflatable air mattress for in our tent to sleep on with an air pump with vehicle plug.

Food

Our neighbors at Bonnaroo were jealous of the meals we ate during the festival. Most people don’t think about packing fruits, vegetables, nuts, and canned tuna when camping. Zucchini, oranges, avocados, tomatoes, and apples all travel well and were included in our grocery supplies. I pack produce because it’s healthier than convenience snacks like potato chips and cookies, and produce contains water that helps with staying hydrated.

Also, there is a Walmart within walking distance of the Bonnaroo grounds. In 2013, I went out the “walkers gate” (make sure you have a Bonnaroo staff member scan your bracelet before you leave.) Besides restocking food essentials, I got a few precious moments in air conditioning, use a flushing toilet with a sink, and bought a bag of ice for $2 a bag instead of the Bonnaroo price of $7 a bag. (The ice was heavy in my backpack, but I didn’t mind because it cooled me down.)

Water

Drink plenty of it. It’s easy to get dehydrated at festivals with the heat and all the walking you will do. If you drink alcohol or soda, both will dehydrate you. Simply put: you need 2 bottles of water for every bottle of beer.  I brought 4 gallons of water with us, but we took advantage of the water stations and refilled water bottles numerous times during the day. Bonnaroo has free water stations, but you definitely want to ask about the availability of water at other festivals and take extra if it will not be readily accessible on site. We also brought powdered Gatorade to give us some variety while keeping hydrated.

Have any other Bonnaroo or festival camping stories to share? Comment below! Don’t forget to pin!