Bonnaroo Canceled on Day 2, Tens of Thousands Currently in Campgrounds

Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Tennessee has officially been canceled just two days in.

Following severe weather, the event initially told attendees to evacuate, but has now made the announcement that the rest of the weekend has been canceled, leaving thousands stranded.

“We are beyond gutted, but we must make the safest decision and cancel the remainder of Bonnaroo,” the official statement says. It goes on to say four-day admission holders will be refunded just 75% of their tickets, and they are prioritizing getting people out of the area, addressing that some campers’ sites “are in rough shape.”

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The festival kicked off on Thursday, with many fans and music artists in attendance. Come Friday, though, things took a bit of a turn. Although the event shared a weather report earlier today, warning that the show might get paused, they would “keep it going rain or shine.” About six hours ago, Bonnaroo posted an update on social media, saying that performances had been delayed due to lightning, but they anticipated it to be a temporary delay. Not long after, they advised attendees to exit and take shelter in their vehicles.

Despite the cancellation, Bonnaroo is urging those who are in RVs or campsites to stay the night, and they will “start working to get you out of here safely tomorrow.” They also said that the Outeroo will be operating as usual, with food vendors and health and safety infrastructures.

Artists who were scheduled to perform today include Aly & AJ, Foster the People, Tyler, the Creator, Wallows, Glass Animals, Marina, Leon Thomas, and many more. Bonnaroo was set to take place from Thursday to Sunday in Manchester, Tennessee. Similar to Coachella, many fans camp out for the entire weekend, and unfortunately, instead of leaving on Monday after four days of music, everyone is going to have to leave, at the latest, tomorrow, after only one day. Obviously, severe weather can’t be helped, but it’s certainly a disappointment for those who have looked forward to it all year and are now stranded and not fully getting their money back.

“We have put our hearts and souls into making this weekend the most special one of the year, and cannot express how crushed we are to have to make this decision,” the event said. “Thank you in advance for your patience, your positivity, and your unfailing Bonnaroovian spirit.”