Bonnaroo FAQ
This page is a little old but the info should still be
valuable. The Survival
Guide and Bonnaroo
Bound are updated more frequently.
Boomerang and the rest of the
Inforoo board put together a first timer FAQ and gave me
permission to repost it here. I haven't written this and
it is not covered under the Creative Commons license like the
rest of the Survival Guide. My comments are {italicized in curly
brackets}. The original lives here
, I've done some minor editing on this version. Leo
1. Food and Water
2. Shopping at the Roo
3. Camping Issues
4. Centeroo
5. Alcohol
6. Getting In and Safety
1. FOOD AND WATER
What type of food is available to buy?All the typical festival food,
pizza and gyros and the like. There is indeed a good selection
of veggie food for those of you who go that route. Check out
the grilled cheese on shakedown, I hear it delicious, and
super affordable. Other things to check out: mozzadillas and
smoothies.
How are the prices for various foods/objects?
Not too bad… typical festie
prices. Beer is around bar prices. Food on shakedown is
cheaper than Centeroo food, but not a whole lot.
Is the water they give out for free alright for
drinking? Is there a bad taste? Is the taste bearable?
It's not too bad, they
wouldn’t feed it to you if it wasn’t safe. If you really don't
do well with well water (haha) then you can bring as much as
you want. I've seen people walking around with milk jugs full
of water. Look into a CamelBak.
2. SHOPPING AT THE ROO
If I forgot something crucial would I be able to buy it?Depends on what it is, there
was a general store tent last year with “groceries”.
Things like sunscreen, glow sticks, pens, notepads, girly
products, and other necessities. I think they even had
condoms. Prices are very high for most things.
How much money should I bring with me?
That’s up to you, if you want
to go cheap you can do it for around $100, though I’ve heard
estimates for as high as $600. Personally, I take $250.
3. CAMPING ISSUES
How do I stay cool in my tent?(1) some kind of fan is a
really good idea; (2) really elaborate fans might be too much;
and (3) those air-conditioning things that use cooler ice to
chill you don't work in the Bonnaroo humidity.
Can I park a car next to my RV?
"The Companion Vehicle pass
will allow an accompanying vehicle into a designated camping
area next to the RV camping areas. Companion Vehicles will not
be allowed to park directly next to an RV. The Companion
Vehicle must arrive together with the RV so it can be parked
in the appropriate corresponding area. Make sure you stay
together as you approach the site. Companion Vehicles will not
be allowed to park in the RV area fire lanes. Any vehicles or
obstructions will be removed at the owner’s expense."
How big can my tent be?
If you go tent only, as big as
you want. Car camping is a little more cramped, but still not
bad, a lot of people bring shade tents and ez-ups. The people
next to me last year had a huge four room cabin tent and an
ez-up, and they weren't crowding anyone.
What kind of tent should I bring?
That’s up to you, make sure
you seal the seams so its waterproof. Also, throw a tarp under
it {this shouldn't be
necessary with a good tent, if you do use a tarp make sure that none of it
sticks out from the sides of the tent otherwise it can
collect rain and funnel it under where it will stay
-Leo}, and make sure you keep it closed up when you
leave. Nothing worse than coming 'home' at night to a wet
tent.
How's the weather/what type of clothing should I bring?
Its HOT in the daytime, make
sure you stay cool. Bring a hoodie for sleeping, it can get
chilly at night. The sun/heat will likely wake you at 8am.
Tent-only definitely sounds appealing...can you tell me more about it?
You have all the space you
want, and its super close to centeroo. Only drawback is no
car. The thing about tent-only that is not so fun is carrying
all of your stuff from the car. Still, it's probably worth it.
So I was reading the Bonnaroo website and it states
that there can be no open fires. However I thought I saw in
one of these threads someone talking about a mini-weber
grill. Is it ok to bring something of this nature to cook
some foods?
Yes, you can bring a small
charcoal grill, but
no gas grill {this
doesn't seem to be the case anymore, small gas grills are
OK}, just be careful with it. Let your neighbors use
it!
Is it a horrific trek from parking to the camp area?
It varies from 3 minutes to 50.
Is there a limit to how much stuff you bring in?
Nope {there may be a limit of 3 cases of beer per person that you are allowed to bring in Bonnaroo in general -Leo}.
How do you usually carry your tent, coolers, etc to tent-only?
Either with a friend, or a
cart of some sort. Some people bring wheelbarrows or wagons.
Its up to you.
Are there plenty of porto-jons in the camp area or do I poop in the woods?
There are plenty of potties
for ya, bring toilet paper! Please don't poo in our woods...
If I'm in BFE how far a walk is it REALLY??
I think I said this above, but
if not... it really can be up to 50 minutes, depending on how
fast you walk. I was not quite all the way out there last
year, and we walked 30 minutes, I think.
Are there a lot of bugs at Roo?
I have never seen anything
other than spiders, and this seems to be the general consensus
that I have heard here on the board. Keep the tent zipped so
you don't have spiders in it, other than that, I wouldn't
worry about it too much.
How easily will I be able to get my vehicle in and
out of the camping area during the festival? (I have a
friend staying in a hotel, and I'm hoping to run over and
use his shower and the laundry facilities one morning.)
They park all the cars in
super long rows, one after another, so unless you are on the
edge (which is unlikely) you wont be able to get out.
Are there generally Internet or WiFi sites on the premises?
I've heard there is WiFi on
farm, but that it doesn't work well. Last year there was a
tent with computers to check email and the like, if need be.
What are you supposed to do with your trash?
They give you a trash bag when
you go in, and they collect it later. Last year they did this
thing where for every bag of trash you turn in, you get a
raffle ticket. If you can, try and spend a little time picking
up trash, keep our Bonnaroo clean!
Is there enough space in regular camping to have an
ez up shade and a 2 person tent side by side?
Yep {maybe}What's the best way of bathing? Is there a way?
Baby wipes!! Or get a portable
shower. There are also wash stations scattered around, where
there is a trough and a zillion faucets. They work out okay
for most people. Its drinkable too. Lastly, there are usually
mist tents around, which are cold, and crowded. {there are also shower trailers,
it's ~$7 for a cold water shower}
Alright, so the VIP tickets, yes, expensive... like
$1100 for two tickets. If you bought those two, and had two
cars, each with 4 people in them and gave one ticket to each
car, couldn't you park both cars in VIP and just tell The
Gate Keeper that the other 3 people are going to be tent
camping? You'd end up splitting the cost between 8 people
and have two spots... any thoughts on this? Yes, I realize
the other 6 people in your party still have to purchase
regular tickets, but it seems that VIP is not needed for
everyone.
You must have a VIP bracelet
for each member of your group, otherwise they will not be
allowed into the VIP area. So, on VIP ticket per person, not
per car.
4. CENTEROO
What is Centeroo?Centeroo is the main area where all of the shows and other official activities take place.
What kind of activities are there other than just the concerts?
There is a playground, art to
view, the VW garage had instruments to play… They will post it
all on the roo website later.
Is there cell service (i figure there is, just want to make sure so i have a way to keep up with my group)?
Personally, I have Verizon,
and my phone worked well all the time. I have heard that
T-mobile works well, but Cingulair can have some problems
during the day. The other good way to keep up with your group
is to have a meeting place and time, you'll find them that
way. Walkie talkies are sketchy, if you use one, make sure it
has a ton of channels, otherwise all you will hear is everyone
except your friend.
Are late nite acts scheduled or just by chance?
All of the acts are scheduled.
The only one that remains ambiguous is the superjam.
What is the Superjam?
The superjam is a chunk of
time set aside (used to be on a stage, last year in a tent)
where we don't know who is playing. It tends to be a bunch of
random artists from the bigger bands at roo, who get together
and well, jam.
Is there a security checkpoint on the way into Centeroo?
Yes, its not too bad. They
will allow you to bring in sealed water bottles and small
snacks. Alcohol is not permitted into Centeroo. They want you
to buy their beer.
Are you not allowed to bring in any beverages to
Centeroo, or just alcohol? What about food?
Snacks are okay, and so are sealed water bottles. Everything
else Is a no-go. I've also read about folding chairs...do you bring
these to shows, or just use them by your tent? Is it a pain
in the butt to lug them around?
They are awkward to carry, and
most people leave them at the camp. You can take some into
centeroo if they are low ones. There are also little stools
and things that are easier to carry.
Are their vendors close to/inside the camping area that sell ice?
Yes, or, freeze your water
bottles and drink them later. Dry ice is an option too... Here
is a thread
about
it:
What about my camelbak? Can I roll into Centeroo with
it filled? Should I take it up there empty along with a
sealed gallon of water?
It really depends on the line
that you get in... I have seen people go in with their
camelbaks unchecked, and I have also seen people being forced
to empty those (and water bottles) out onto the ground.
5. ALCOHOL
Sure I like beer, but what if I want to drink wine or
rum. How do you recommend bringing it in without bringing it
in glass?
Will plastic containers work
for both wine and rum? Bonnaroo's official stance is no glass
allowed anywhere on the festival grounds. Please use your best
judgment, and recycle all your empties.
They sell beer in Centeroo do you have to drink it in
the beer tent, or can you carry it around? (there's nothing
better then watching music with a beer in hand).
Yep, go for it. They only thing you can't do is take it from the
camp to Centeroo. Of course, we are all underage, but we will probably
bring some beer (in cans). Will they give us a hard time at
all if we just brought in coolers without trying to hide it?
Underage drinking is illegal.
If you are caught in the Tennessee roadways with alcohol, and
you are underage, you will be taken to jail. Use your best
judgment.
6. GETTING IN AND SAFETY
How early can I arrive?They've opened the gates at
7-7:30 Wed each year but, whether it's out of convenience for
them or as punishment for the early-birds, the Wed night
arrivals seem to be stuck in the SE corner of the farm.
Whether this is good or bad, its hard to say. It's said that's
far, but it looker closer than the NE corner to me.
Is there a map of Bonnaroo available? ,
Yep, here's a map of 2012 Bonnaroo (thanks to the folks at Inforoo msg boards) and last year's Bonnaroo and Centeroo.
Does it matter what time you get there?
Everyone has a different opinion on this…
How much do they search one's car upon entry?
All vehicle entering the roo
grounds are subject to search. There have been reports from
folks who had little or no search at all, to those whose
vehicle was torn apart.
Is there a shuttle from the airport?
Yes, there is, I hear its around $55.
How safe is a woman traveling and camping alone at Bonnaroo?
You should be fine, we are all
family at the Roo! I am likely going by myself this year, and
having been last year, I can tell you honestly that I'm not
worried at all.
How safe are my possessions?
Most of the people at Roo are
nice, and wont mess with your stuff. That said, use your
common sense, keep anything valuable out of sight and in your
car, and ask your neighbors to look out for your site, and
offer to do the same for them. You should be fine.
Yo, day parking was closed on Thursday last
year..Will it be closed on Thursday again this year?
This is an email
that an inforoo member sent to Bonnaroo about this:I already purchased my
pre-sale tickets and plan on driving into Bonnaroo each day
because I live locally. Last year I heard of people being
turned away on Thursday for day parking and having to park
elsewhere and walk almost a mile to get in. I just want to
confirm that day parking will be open on Thursday.
It does say on your Ticket page the following: All tickets are 4-day weekend passes, which include camping and parking (except for RVs, and other oversized vehicles, which will require an additional pass, see below).
Hi xxxxxxx,
This year, day parking will be available for you all 4 days. {this was from a year or two ago, no guarantees that it is the same this year}
Best,
Bonnaroo.com
www.bonnaroo.com
For more info, check out the excellent Inforoo forums