Bonnaroo organizers have pushed the pause button on future plans as they continue to deal with fallout after canceling three of the four days of the festival earlier this month.
Storms flooded the Tennessee farm that hosts the yearly festival, forcing organizers to pull the plug for the first time in the festival’s 23-year history.
Backlash from fans hoping to see headliners Tyler the Creator Friday night, Olivia Rodrigo Saturday Night and Hozier Sunday night was swift, not only over the cancellation, but the initial refund policy.
Bonnaroo’s Instagram post at the time said that all one-day passes for Friday, Saturday and Sunday would receive a full refund in 30-days or less. But holders of 4-day passes would receive a 75% refund since the first day of the festival went off without a hitch.
Organizers have backed off that and now say everyone who bought tickets will receive a full refund. Parking will also be refunded.
But that’s not the only change.
Bonnaroo Organizers Want to Improve The Farm
In a new Instagram post, organizers say they are focused on figuring out how to improve the venue for future shows. And that instead of announcing future dates for Bonnaroo, they are “listening and actively discussing plans to improve The Farm that we love so much.”
The post says, “We look forward to this show all year. It’s what reenergizes us and restores our faith in community every single summer.”
The post goes on to say, “Our main goal is to give you the most memorable weekend of your lives every year,” the festival said on Instagram June 20. “This cancellation broke our hearts beyond measure, but we knew it had to happen for your safety.”
Some Festival-Goers Support Cancellation
While Bonnaroo organizers fielded a barrage of complaints from disappointed fans, others were quick to post support for the decision to cancel the festival.
Social media filled up with pictures and videos of muddy, flooded fields and soaked fans.
One fan posted pictures of muddy festival-goers with the caption, “I believe the Bonnaroo spirit is stronger than Mother Nature.”
Organizers attempted to keep the festival going as the weather took a turn. A post on Bonnaroo’s Instagram account the morning of Friday, June 13 stated, “we’ll keep it going rain or shine, but we may pause the show if safety is an issue. keep an eye on app notifications & social media for updates!.” But the weather continued to deteriorate, making that promise impossible to keep.
According to The Tennessean., the main area of the festival, called “Centeroo,” was evacuated at 1:30 p.m. Central Time Friday, June 13.
“We are beyond gutted, but we must make the safest decision and cancel the remainder of Bonnaroo,” a push alert from the festival app read.
In an Instagram post, Bonnaroo organizers expanded on the push alert, writing, “Today, the National Weather Service provided us with an updated forecast with significant and steady precipitation that will produce deteriorating camping and egress conditions in the coming days….”
Luke Combs Made Bonnaroo History as Fest’s Only Headliner
Before the weather deteriorated, country singer Luke Combs made history, headlining the Thursday, June 12 kickoff of the festival. Miranda Lambert joined him on stage, surprising fans with their 2022 duet “Outrunnin’ Your Memory.”
In an Instagram post, Miranda Lambert put up a video of their performance writing, “Last night at @bonnaroo with @lukecombs. Thanks for sharing your stage Luke and congrats on being the first country artist to headline the festival 🤠🩵”
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Bonnaroo Organizers Consider Big Changes After Cancellation