By Nikole Dugger
Staff Writer
MANCHESTER, Tenn. —; Anyone expecting to find bottled water on retail shelves in Coffee County this weekend may find it a tougher task than usual.
With more than 80,000 concertgoers in town for the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, the earth’s natural refresher, at least in bottles, has become a luxury here.
For Sam Vile, however, water was not the issue. Having driven since Wednesday afternoon, the Philadelphia resident and his friends arrived at the Manchester Wal-Mart before beer sales began at 8 a.m. Thursday.
“It’s a dilemma: either to go on and not have beer, or stay here and get some,” said his friend, Ed Fagan, 21.
The group said they found out about the festival while perusing Radiohead’s Web site and decided to head down, though Mr. Vile had never been south of Washington, D.C.
Residents said the traffic congestion visitors bring to Manchester is worth suffering because of the festival’s economic impact.
“I think we should make more things like this,” said Leon Arnold, a 60-year resident. “I get stuck in traffic sometimes, but people always leave an entrance to get in and out.”
Marlena Martin agreed traffic is much better than it was during the festival’s first years.
“It’s not very much of a nuisance because it really brings money into the county,” she said.
With about half of the participants on-site Thursday, Coffee County Sheriff Steve Graves said traffic has been better so far.
“But there are still several more people left to come,” he said Thursday afternoon. “If they all come at the same time, we could get backed up.”
As of 4 p.m. Thursday, TDOT maintenance crews in Coffee County said the festival site was about half full and traffic was flowing smoothly on Interstate 24.
“Bonaroovians were utilizing the interstate’s shoulder, both eastbound and westbound, to reach the venue,” said Tennessee Department of Transportation spokeswoman Jennifer Osborne.
“The interstates are moving good, but the county roads are pretty much at a standstill going into the Bonaroo site,” said Sgt. James Van Dyke of the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
“We do have extremely heavy traffic on the interstates, a powerline fell across westbound I-24 at the foot of Monteagle Mountain, causing delays.
As of Thursday morning, Sheriff Graves said 17 adults and two juveniles had been arrested in connection with the festival, which he classified as “normal.”
The music began Thursday, and early arrivals also could take advantage of Bonnaroo’s discotheque, visit the fountain and market and the Sonic Village, see a movie or take advantage of many entertainment venues.
John Rubey, 23, said Bonnaroo has been a tradition for him since its inception.
“I have a bunch of friends from all over who come meet back up,” he said.
Though the West Virginia resident has not missed any Bonnaroo festivals, he said this will be his final one at least for a while.
Three days after the last chord is struck at this year’s festival, Mr. Rubey is set to depart for Fort Knox and begin a career in the U.S. Army.
“This is kinda my last hurrah,” he said.
Mike O’Neal contributed to this story.
E-mail Chloe Morrison at ndugger@timesfreepress.com
Staff Photo by Ashlie White
Mark Spironello, Emily Spironello, John Dupuy and Gary Howard, from left, walk down Interstate 24 near Manchester, Tenn., Thursday as Bonnaroo-bound traffic creeps slowly toward the festival gate entrance.
Staff Writer
MANCHESTER, Tenn. —; Anyone expecting to find bottled water on retail shelves in Coffee County this weekend may find it a tougher task than usual.
With more than 80,000 concertgoers in town for the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, the earth’s natural refresher, at least in bottles, has become a luxury here.
For Sam Vile, however, water was not the issue. Having driven since Wednesday afternoon, the Philadelphia resident and his friends arrived at the Manchester Wal-Mart before beer sales began at 8 a.m. Thursday.
“It’s a dilemma: either to go on and not have beer, or stay here and get some,” said his friend, Ed Fagan, 21.
The group said they found out about the festival while perusing Radiohead’s Web site and decided to head down, though Mr. Vile had never been south of Washington, D.C.
Residents said the traffic congestion visitors bring to Manchester is worth suffering because of the festival’s economic impact.
“I think we should make more things like this,” said Leon Arnold, a 60-year resident. “I get stuck in traffic sometimes, but people always leave an entrance to get in and out.”
Marlena Martin agreed traffic is much better than it was during the festival’s first years.
“It’s not very much of a nuisance because it really brings money into the county,” she said.
With about half of the participants on-site Thursday, Coffee County Sheriff Steve Graves said traffic has been better so far.
“But there are still several more people left to come,” he said Thursday afternoon. “If they all come at the same time, we could get backed up.”
As of 4 p.m. Thursday, TDOT maintenance crews in Coffee County said the festival site was about half full and traffic was flowing smoothly on Interstate 24.
“Bonaroovians were utilizing the interstate’s shoulder, both eastbound and westbound, to reach the venue,” said Tennessee Department of Transportation spokeswoman Jennifer Osborne.
“The interstates are moving good, but the county roads are pretty much at a standstill going into the Bonaroo site,” said Sgt. James Van Dyke of the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
“We do have extremely heavy traffic on the interstates, a powerline fell across westbound I-24 at the foot of Monteagle Mountain, causing delays.
As of Thursday morning, Sheriff Graves said 17 adults and two juveniles had been arrested in connection with the festival, which he classified as “normal.”
The music began Thursday, and early arrivals also could take advantage of Bonnaroo’s discotheque, visit the fountain and market and the Sonic Village, see a movie or take advantage of many entertainment venues.
John Rubey, 23, said Bonnaroo has been a tradition for him since its inception.
“I have a bunch of friends from all over who come meet back up,” he said.
Though the West Virginia resident has not missed any Bonnaroo festivals, he said this will be his final one at least for a while.
Three days after the last chord is struck at this year’s festival, Mr. Rubey is set to depart for Fort Knox and begin a career in the U.S. Army.
“This is kinda my last hurrah,” he said.
Mike O’Neal contributed to this story.
E-mail Chloe Morrison at ndugger@timesfreepress.com
Staff Photo by Ashlie White
Mark Spironello, Emily Spironello, John Dupuy and Gary Howard, from left, walk down Interstate 24 near Manchester, Tenn., Thursday as Bonnaroo-bound traffic creeps slowly toward the festival gate entrance.
