MANCHESTER, Tenn. (June 14, 2025) – On Friday night, the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, one of the top cultural festivals in the country, called off its entire 2025 show because bad weather made its 700-acre farm too muddy and unsafe. The festival ended suddenly when they announced it at 7:30 p.m. CT on June 13 on social media and festival apps. It was just the second cancellation in Bonnaroo’s 24 years and 70,000 people had to pack up fast and leave.
According to organizers, the National Weather Service gave an urgent new forecast saying there would be lots of rain that would make camping more dangerous and stop people from leaving safely. “We are beyond gutted, but we have to do what’s safest,” the official note said, pointing out that non stop storms flooded the Outeroo camping spots and made things chaotic. They put people with disabilities and weak camps first and told the rest in RVs or safe spots to wait overnight so those in need could get out easier.
Evacuation Chaos and Humanitarian Response
Even though things were chaotic, the aid was quick and well-planned. Outeroo, which is the area outside Centeroo, stayed open and kept food vendors, health and safety stations, and other services running while people were being evacuated. By evening, the whole campsite turned into a swamp with water-soaking tents and everything else.
Festival teams handled crowd control and looked out for people who needed access help or whose tents were damaged. A push notification told campers, “If your campsite is fine, please stay the night. We’ll start getting you out safely tomorrow.”
Social media users talked about the rescue teams’ professionalism, pointing out how they handled “flood-zone extractions” and got everyone out safely.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation put emergency traffic plans in place and closed westbound exits 105, 110, and 111 on the interstate. Stranded attendees voiced frustration on social media, with local station WKRN quoting attendee Mackenzie Martin: “We’re stuck in muddy, lumpy soil… They definitely waited way too long to cancel.”
Financial Fallout and Refund Framework
Bonnaroo’s June 14 2025 update clearly spells out how Front Gate ticket refunds will be handled. If you bought a single-day ticket for Friday, Saturday or Sunday, or a daily parking pass, you can get a full refund sent back to the same payment you used. At the same time, people with 4-day general tickets and camping passes will get 75% of their money back, sent automatically in about 30 days. With automatic refunds and a fixed schedule, this system makes things easier for customers and promises them timely payback.
If you purchased your tickets using Ticketmaster Exchange or FEVO, Bonnaroo tells ticket holders to reach out through their support channels. Even though the FAQ doesn’t say there are special rules for these, other info shows refunds and schedules follow the usual pattern. The idea is to keep all inquiries in one spot by using the official support hub, which keeps things clear and easy.
Attendees will see their money returned but local vendors and workers are bracing for hits to their income. Food and item vendors don’t have big profit margins and can’t get back costs for things that expire. A recent report points out that lots of vendors faced quick stock shortages and didn’t have extra funds to help.
Bonnaroo usually generates hundreds of millions in economic activity locally and studies estimated a 340-million-dollar impact in 2023 so if it shuts down early that money is lost and local hospitality workers suffer.
Impact on Artists and Insurance Safety Nets
Artists and performers affected by the cancellation end up in different situations. Thursday’s shows with Luke Combs (with Miranda Lambert and Marcus King), Rebecca Black, and Insane Clown Posse are now the only big moments Bonnaroo has for 2025. The canceled roster included:
- Friday: Tyler, The Creator, John Summit, Glass Animals
- Saturday: Olivia Rodrigo, Avril Lavigne, Justice
- Sunday: Hozier, Vampire Weekend, Queens of the Stone Age
Artists went online to say they were let down, but planning problems kept them from moving the event at the last minute.
Bonnaroo’s Legacy and Uncertain Future
Since its first show in 2002 at The Farm in Manchester, Tennessee, Bonnaroo has built a name as a beloved spot for music lovers who crave freedom and community. Over four days, it brings together indie rock, hip-hop, EDM, and music from around the globe, mixed with camping, art displays, funny shows, and green awareness, which shaped festivals today. Bonnaroo has pumped money into the economy for years, hitting $340 million in 2023, and with its solar plans, recycling push, and charity wing, it blends music with a purpose.
But the 2025 edition has faced a sudden and heartbreaking change. The festival’s co-founder Jonathan Mayers died on June 11 and 12, and a tribute tree was planted at the event in his honor. Then, after a rainy and rough Friday, the bad weather turned deadly and shut down the rest of the weekend plans. Flooding and lightning risks, much like the 2021 Ida mess, caused safety fears, stranded fans, and brought a halt to a once hopeful return.
In the coming years, Bonnaroo’s path looks uncertain but hope is still alive. Everyone is mourning but the event planners now have tough choices. Should they spend more on covered stages, proper drainage, and solid weather backup or maybe pick new venues so they do not face the same mess like in 2025.