Whether it's your first Bonnaroo or you’re a music festival veteran, we welcome you to Inforoo.
Here you'll find info about artists, rumors, camping tips, and the infamous Roo Clues. Have a look around then create an account and join in the fun. See you at Bonnaroo!!
PLEASE if you are going to install or use a generator, fire, heater, lantern, or any other device using combustion anywhere in/near/around your tent OR rv be sure that there is a working CARBON MONOXIDE (CO) DETECTOR at ground level near your sleeping area. CARBON MONOXIDE KILLS!!
Thanks to Boomerang for putting this FAQ together...
If anyone has a question I missed, post it here, and we will answer it, and add it to the list. Thanks! ;D ;D ;D
So, I was looking at all of the first time roo-er questions, and noticed that many of them overlap. So, I thought I would put them all together here, so that all you new kids on the block can one-stop-shop for your logistics info.
Before we begin, I shall present you with this: A MAP! -----> tinyurl.com/2prmyf (Thanks for the link, wooz!)
The questions are now in categories, as it was getting a bit messy in here... 1. Food and Water 2. Shopping at the Roo 3. Camping Issues 4. Centeroo 5. Alcohol 6. Getting In and Safety
FOOD AND WATER
What should I bring food and supply wise? check out Leo's guide and Lucids backpack list for that stuff.
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 thigns 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? Its not too bad, they wouldn’t feed it to you if it wasn’t safe. If you really dont 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 camelback.
SHOPPING AT THE ROO
If I forgot something crucial would I be able to buy it? Depends on what it is, there was a whole tent last year with “groceries” Things like sunscreen, glow sticks, pens, notepads, girly products, and other necessities. I think they even had condoms.
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.
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 V? "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 werent 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, 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 likley 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 carying all of your stuff from the car. Still, its 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, 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.
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 dont poo in our woods...
If im 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 quote 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 dont have spiders in it, other than that, I wouldnt 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? Ive heard there is WiFi on farm, but that it doesnt 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 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.
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.
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 sceduled. The only one that remains ambiguoous 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 dont 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... Heres or 3497348 page thread on it: bonnaroo.proboards21.com/index.cgi?board=logistics&action=display&thread=1170445594
What about my camelback? 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 camelbacks unchecked, and I have also seen people being forced to empty those (and waterbottles) out onto the ground.
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? Bonnaroos official stance is no glass allowed anywhere on the festival grounds. Please use your best judgement, 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 cant 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 judgement.
Also, I have heard from friends who have been that people sell mind-expanding products from their tents...would you recommend doing this? There are no druqs at Bonnaroo.
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. Its said thats far, but it looker closer tha the NE corner to me.
They open the main gates off the highway around 9am on Thursday. Entering this way is most likely give you a much better camping spot than coming in earlier than that. But really it's a crap shoot.
Does it matter what time you get there?[/b] Everyone has a different opinion on this… bonnaroo.proboards21.com/index.cgi?board=logistics&action=display&thread=1169441269 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.
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 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.
Great idea. This should be pinned. The reason i 1st joined inforoo was for these types of questions and I was, by far, the most prepared of my group for our 1st Roo last year.
Thanks, Dani! This info is EXTREMELY useful. I'm a Roo newbie, and I'm really looking forward to this June. I have seen so many good tips on here already, and I'm sure I'll find and utilize many, many more in the months ahead!
thanks a bunch! this totally helped bigtime! my friends say i'm OCD, but i say i'm being prepared! when they come to me to help make their roo more comfortable, they will thank me. and so i thank you!
The FAQ is a big help. I have a few more questions, though.
(1) 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.)
(2) Are there generally Internet or WiFi sites on the premises? (Not that I plan to bring a laptop.)
(3) How safe is a woman traveling and camping alone at Bonnaroo?
Ill let Boom add those to the main post, but ill try to answer.
1. Forget it! Once you are parked all the other cars park around you and there really isn't any way out. That is unless your lucky and happen to get parked near the edges.
2. There is farm-wide wi-fi, but it is very sketchy.
3. You will be fine!
4. Dont bring anything of real high value, lock your other stuff in your car and you should be ok.
Post by canexplain on Feb 28, 2007 18:42:06 GMT -5
i totally agree with the admin .... i didnt go last year, but the year before, once in, dont even consider leaving ...you will spend over half your day getting out and then back in ... cr****
Thanks, dmbfanintn. I'll try and catch up with my hotel-dwelling pals some other way--I think they'll be on some kind of shuttle or something. Or I'll just look for that 10-dollar shower.
I bought it last year but didn't get out to any festivals. (I wish Dancin' Dave-- www.dancindave.com/ --was working at Bonnaroo! He was great at FloydFest.) I'm getting a mite antiquated to be sleeping on the ground, so being able to sleep in my little SUV will be a treat.
(I'm not connected with either of those vendors or anything, just passing the word in case it's useful to someone else.)
Post by macaroniandtuna on Feb 28, 2007 18:56:11 GMT -5
sibella said:
The FAQ is a big help. I have a few more questions, though.
(1) 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.)
(2) Are there generally Internet or WiFi sites on the premises? (Not that I plan to bring a laptop.)
(3) How safe is a woman traveling and camping alone at Bonnaroo?
(4) How safe are my possessions?
Thanky.
1) Unless you're parked right next to the road, I doubt you'll be able to get your car out without asking all your neighbors to move their tents and stuff. People tend to spread out as much as possible and just leave enough room between tents/chair circles/cars/etc. to walk. I don't think it's very likely to be easily doable. That said, my initial neighbors last year moved their car and stuff sometime overnight after everyone was set up and somebody else moved in, though I have no idea how they did it (I wasn't awake).
2) There's no Wifi on the campground, if that's what you mean. <EDIT> At least, I didn't get any last year from where my camp was. I didn't know there was supposed to be Wifi (says the mod above). ?/EDIT> There was an internet tent in Centeroo last year, but I'm not sure if that was bring-your-own laptop or if they had computers already set up and connected. (It was sponsored by AT&T I think.)
3) You should be fine, nearly everyone is nice. It helps to get to know and make friends with your neighbors; they'll probably look after you and your stuff (and probably invite you to tag along with them, too).
4) Your stuff should be perfectly safe in your car (locked and with the valuables kept out of sight, obviously - standard car security practice). Nobody's going to steal your tent or sleeping bag or whatever, no worries.
Post by trippindaisy on Feb 28, 2007 20:29:18 GMT -5
sibella said:
The FAQ is a big help. I have a few more questions, though.
(3) How safe is a woman traveling and camping alone at Bonnaroo?
Thanky.
In answer to this question, I am a single Mom going with my teenage daughter and to be quite honest the safety issue never crossed my mind. Everyone is family at Bonnaroo
"I like too many things and get all confused and hung-up running from one falling star to another till I drop. This is the night, what it does to you. I had nothing to offer anybody except my own confusion."
central park in the summertime... the closest thing to nature
2) There's no Wifi on the campground, if that's what you mean. <EDIT> At least, I didn't get any last year from where my camp was. I didn't know there was supposed to be Wifi (says the mod above). ?/EDIT> There was an internet tent in Centeroo last year, but I'm not sure if that was bring-your-own laptop or if they had computers already set up and connected. (It was sponsored by AT&T I think.
Yes, there is wi fi through out the site. It just doesn't work very well.
It was listed on roos site last year, but not this year. I would imagine they will try again, and perhps make it better this year.
I talked to a couple of people last year camped on the main site and they said it was touch and go. You could get hooked up for a while but it would drop on you anytime.
Officially, yes there is free wi fi access on the site. Reality, good luck hooking up to it!
Post by macaroniandtuna on Feb 28, 2007 21:43:45 GMT -5
Huh. I'd hoped there was wifi, I brought my laptop to write about each day. I didn't get even a hint of a signal. Hopefully it'll work better (if it's there) this year.
Post by kristind120 on Mar 2, 2007 10:49:14 GMT -5
I am a first timer to bonnaroo also, I just would like to know a little bit about the camping situation, and you cant take your car in right? Like have it by your campsite, so I wont have to drag all my stuff ????
Post by trippindaisy on Mar 2, 2007 10:52:11 GMT -5
No you have a choice. You can camp by your vehicle, or you park your car wherever they put you and then carry yours stuff to tent only (which is very close to the stages). Here is a link explaining the the parking/camping set up:
Post by kristind120 on Mar 2, 2007 11:21:38 GMT -5
can someone also email me a map of the place also....I have no idea about this, its my first time and would like to have a little information about it before I come down....also maybe some information about getting down there from Cleveland Ohio.... kristin1_20@hotmail.com thanks SOOOOO much for your help
