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There will be no Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in 2027.
That news hits hard here at Nashville.com. For more than two decades, Bonnaroo has been one of the biggest events on the Nashville-area music calendar—and one of our favorite road trips of the year. But after back-to-back years of challenging weather at The Farm in Manchester, organizers have made the difficult decision to give the legendary festival grounds a much-needed year off.
In a statement released today, the Bonnaroo team said The Farm, particularly the main venue area, needs time to “rest and recover” following severe weather in both 2025 and 2026.
The decision comes after organizers invested heavily in improving the property ahead of this year’s festival, including upgraded drainage, 4.5 miles of new roadways and 135 acres of new grass designed to make The Farm more resilient to Mother Nature. But a heavy rainstorm on the final day of Bonnaroo 2026 added to the toll of two consecutive years of storms.
“With limited time to recuperate from back to back years of storms… The Farm, particularly the main venue, needs a break to rest and recover,” organizers said.
Bonnaroo Will Be Back
The important part for Bonnaroo fans: this is a year off, not the end of Bonnaroo.
Organizers said they believe the break will ultimately make the festival better. Bonnaroo debuted at The Farm in 2002 and has grown into one of the country’s most important—and most beloved—music festivals.
And that makes the eventual return feel even more important.
The 2027 festival was expected to be a major anniversary moment for Bonnaroo, and now that celebration will have to wait. When Bonnaroo returns, the 25th anniversary celebration can become something even more special—a true homecoming to The Farm.
For Nashville.com, this one hurts.
We’ve spent years covering Bonnaroo, from the brutal Tennessee heat and late-night jams to unforgettable performances, surprise collaborations, new artists breaking out and those four-day moments that only happen on The Farm. We’ve watched the Bonnaroo community come together through heat, mud, rain and everything else Tennessee weather can throw at it.
We’ve also watched how important Bonnaroo is to Middle Tennessee. A 2024 study found the festival generated approximately $339 million for the regional economy, making it a major part of the area’s music and tourism landscape.
So yes, we’re disappointed.
But we have faith in The Farm.
Sometimes the best thing you can do is step back, let the land recover and come back stronger. Bonnaroo has always been about more than four days of music. It’s about a place, a community and the feeling you get when you walk through that arch and realize you’re home.
So we’ll wait.
We’ll miss Bonnaroo in 2027. We’ll miss the Farm. We’ll miss the heat, the dust, the music and all those crazy moments that somehow become our favorite memories.
But when Bonnaroo comes back, we’ll be there.
And after a year to heal, that 25th anniversary celebration could be one hell of a reunion.
Stay strong, Bonnaroo. Nashville.com has faith in the Farm. ❤️
–Jerry Holthouse
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