What Bonnaroo Is and When It Happens
Bonnaroo is a four-day music festival held every summer in Manchester, Tennessee, on a 700-acre farm. The festival runs Thursday through Sunday and features dozens of musical acts across multiple stages, along with art installations, camping areas, and food vendors. It typically takes place in mid-June, though the exact dates shift year to year.
The festival draws around 80,000 to 100,000 attendees and is known for its mix of genres — rock, hip-hop, electronic, country, and indie acts all perform on the same weekend. Most people camp on-site rather than commute from nearby towns, which means your ticket cost is only part of your total expense.
Key Takeaways
- Bonnaroo tickets typically cost between $300 and $500 depending on the tier you choose, and prices rise as the festival date approaches.
- You can pay for your ticket in full upfront or use a payment plan that spreads the cost over several months, though payment plans charge a fee.
- Camping passes, parking passes, and vehicle passes are sold separately from your admission ticket and add $100 to $300 to your total cost.
- The festival runs Thursday through Sunday in mid-June each year, so plan your time off work and arrange transportation well in advance.
- Tickets go on sale in the fall or early winter for the following summer's festival, and early-bird pricing is cheaper than regular pricing.
Ticket Tiers and Pricing
Bonnaroo offers several ticket levels, and the price you pay depends on when you buy and which tier you choose. Early-bird tickets — sold first, usually in the fall — cost less than regular general admission tickets sold later. General admission gives you access to all stages, camping areas, and the festival grounds for the full four days.
VIP tickets cost significantly more than general admission but include perks like a dedicated camping area, shorter bathroom lines, a VIP lounge, and sometimes a meal voucher or parking pass. Premium camping options — glamping tents or RV spots — are priced separately and can run $500 or more on top of your ticket.
Prices are not fixed and rise as the festival date gets closer. Buying in the fall or winter when early-bird sales open locks in the lowest price. Waiting until spring or early summer means paying a higher rate, and tickets often sell out entirely before the festival date.
Payment Plans vs. Paying in Full
Bonnaroo allows you to split your ticket cost into monthly payments rather than paying everything at once. A payment plan typically breaks your ticket into four to six equal installments spread over several months, with the final payment due before the festival begins.
The trade-off is that payment plans charge a fee — usually $15 to $30 depending on the number of installments — on top of your ticket price. If your ticket costs $400 and you choose a payment plan with a $25 fee, your total cost becomes $425, split into monthly chunks. Paying in full upfront avoids this fee but requires the full amount at the time of purchase.
Payment plans are processed through the ticketing platform (usually Ticketmaster or a similar vendor) and charged to the credit or debit card you provide. If a payment fails, you may lose your reservation, so make sure your payment method has sufficient funds on each due date.
Camping and Parking Costs
Most Bonnaroo attendees camp on the festival grounds rather than staying in hotels. A standard camping pass — which gives you a tent spot in a general camping area — costs between $80 and $150 depending on when you buy it. This pass is separate from your admission ticket and must be purchased in addition to it.
If you bring a vehicle, you also need a parking pass, which typically costs $40 to $80. An RV pass costs more — usually $150 to $300 — and includes a dedicated RV parking spot with hookups in some cases. Glamping options like pre-set tents or cabins run $300 to $800 or more and are marketed as a premium alternative to bringing your own tent.
All of these passes sell out as the festival approaches, so buying early is important if you want a specific camping type. Buying everything together — ticket, camping pass, and parking pass — is often cheaper than buying them separately later.
How to Buy Tickets and Complete Your Purchase
Tickets go on sale through Bonnaroo's official website, which links to the ticketing vendor handling sales that year. You create an account, select your ticket tier and quantity, add any camping or parking passes, and proceed to checkout. At checkout, you choose whether to pay in full or select a payment plan option if available.
You provide a credit or debit card, billing address, and email address. After your purchase is confirmed, you receive a confirmation email with your order number and details. Your ticket is tied to the email address you used, so keep that email account active — you will need it to access your ticket closer to the festival date.
Tickets are typically sent to you digitally a few weeks before the festival, either as a barcode you scan at entry or as a digital pass in a mobile app. Print a backup copy or take a screenshot in case your phone dies on arrival day.
What Happens If You Need to Resell or Transfer Your Ticket
Bonnaroo allows ticket transfers through its official resale platform, which is the only legal way to sell your ticket if your plans change. You cannot straightforward hand your ticket to someone else or sell it on a third-party site — the festival tracks ticket ownership and may deny entry to tickets sold outside the official system.
To transfer or resell your ticket, log into your account on the Bonnaroo website and select the transfer option. You can transfer to a specific person by their email address, or you can list it for resale at a price you set. The platform takes a fee from the sale price, and the new owner receives the ticket in their own account.
If you have already paid off a payment plan, you can still transfer the ticket, but the new owner does not inherit your payment plan — they must pay the full current price to take ownership. Transfers typically process within a few days.
Transportation and Getting There
Bonnaroo is held in rural Tennessee, about 60 miles southeast of Nashville. Most people drive and park on-site, which requires a parking pass. If you do not want to drive, some festivals offer shuttle services from nearby towns or partner with ride-share companies for discounted rates, though these are not always available and should be researched closer to the festival date.
If you are flying in, you would fly into Nashville International Airport and rent a car or arrange ground transportation to the festival grounds. The drive from Nashville to the festival site takes about 90 minutes. Plan to arrive a day or two early to set up camp and get oriented before the music starts Thursday evening.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a refund if I can't go?
Bonnaroo's refund policy varies by year and ticket type. Generally, the festival does not offer refunds for general admission tickets, but you can transfer your ticket to someone else through the official resale platform. Check the festival's terms and conditions for the specific year you purchased to see if any exceptions explore.
Do I need to buy my camping pass at the same time as my ticket?
No, you can buy your camping pass separately, but it is often cheaper to buy everything together during early-bird sales. Camping passes sell out as the festival approaches, so buying early gives you more options. You can add a camping pass to your order at checkout or purchase it later through your account.
What if my payment plan payment fails?
If a payment fails, contact the ticketing vendor when ready — usually Ticketmaster — to update your payment method. Repeated failed payments may result in your reservation being cancelled. Set a reminder for each payment due date to avoid missing a payment.
Are there discounts for groups or early-bird buyers?
Early-bird pricing is the main discount available, and it is offered to the first wave of buyers in the fall. Some years the festival offers group discounts if you buy a certain number of tickets together, but this varies. Check the official Bonnaroo website closer to sale time to see what discount options are available that year.
Can I bring my own tent, or do I have to use glamping?
You can absolutely bring your own tent — that is the standard camping option. You buy a general camping pass, set up your tent in the designated area, and camp for the weekend. Glamping is an optional premium upgrade, not a requirement.