Following this year’s abrupt cancellation, the team behind Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival has officially confirmed the long-running festival will return to The Farm on June 11th–14th, 2026.
In a statement issued via social media, festival organizers promised significant improvements to the festival grounds to ensure the site can better withstand extreme weather and provide a safer, more reliable experience for attendees:
After the cancellation from Hurricane Ida in 2021, we consulted with drainage and land management experts to improve conditions on The Farm in the event of heavy, sustained rain. We created a multi-million-dollar multi-year plan and have been tackling projects post-festival each year. These improvements have helped, but there is still more work to do.
To that end, Bonnaroo will dedicate an additional multi-million-dollar budget during the 2025–2026 off-season, with a focus on the campgrounds and other areas affected by this year’s weather. Planned upgrades include reseeding the property, expanding campground access roads, enhancing drainage systems, and reinforcing key water runoff pathways.
This plan of action follows a recent fan survey seeking input on the festival’s future—from the location and capacity to scheduling and the overall experience. While the results revealed a strong preference for keeping the event in June, organizers addressed concerns about seasonal weather, noting, “Weather experts have confirmed that we saw record-setting rainfall this spring and early summer, making what we experienced extremely uncommon.”
The statement also underscored that while some things will evolve, the festival’s essence will remain intact: Flood-prone campsites will be off-limits, reducing overall capacity; Outeroo camping and programming will begin on Wednesday, extending the festivities; a Thursday evening kickoff party on the What Stage will jumpstart the weekend; the Where in the Woods UFO Stage will take the place of the Infinity Stage in Centeroo, bringing late-night DJs and dance parties to the heart of the festival; and, finally, both Centeroo and the caliber of the artist lineup will remain consistent with past years.
With a renewed commitment to long-term sustainability, Bonnaroo’s future is looking bright. Stay tuned for further updates as the festival prepares to return in 2026—rain or shine.
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