Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival draws to an end

Ask what defines a successful Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival and you could get a variety of answers.

Organizers can look at the number of tickets sold. Vendors can look at sales numbers. Attendees leave happy if their favorite bands plays their favorite songs or if their camping experience was a comfortable one - meaning the Porta Potties were reasonably clean and they managed to get a shower or two during the four-day event.

A really good Bonnaroo, for many, might allow them to discover a new favorite band and meet some really cool people from different parts of the world.

For Coffee County Sheriff Steve Graves, a successful Bonnaroo means few people got arrested and no one died or got hurt. By midday Sunday, Graves was having a good Roo.

"It's been really calm so far, but I don't want to jinx it. We've still got about a day and a half," he said.

By the middle of today, the 700-acre site should be empty of attendees and workers will begin serious task of cleaning up the left-behind garbage, tarps, camping equipment, blown out shoes, clothing and food that the more than 100,000 people brought with them from all 50 states and two dozen foreign countries.

Graves said the 66 arrests were on par with last year's numbers.

"Most of the arrests are for drugs, but also domestic violence and theft. The citations are for misdemeanor drugs or possession."

Graves has been in charge of the county's law enforcement for all 14 Bonnaroos. His staff works with the state and the city of Manchester, Tenn., he said, and "it takes every person we've got."

How they deal with the tsunami of traffic hasn't changed much over the last few years, but he's learned to expect the unexpected. The people coming to the festival are expecting to have a good time, and they come ready to party, sometimes starting while sitting in their cars on Interstate 24, waiting to get in.

"We see the same thing every year," he said. "It seems like this is a younger crowd this year, but maybe I'm just getting older."

For artist Phoebe Ryan, a singer/songwriter from New Jersey, Bonnaroo offered several firsts.

"This is not only my first festival to play at, it's my first festival to attend," she said.

The 23-year-old was doing media interviews backstage before her performance on one of the smaller stages. She was excited about the opportunity to play.

"I came down here to Nashville about one year ago to record my first album ["Mine"], and one year later, I'm back here to play my first festival. I wish I could say it was planned, but none of it was. It's just so amazing."

Contact staff writer Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfree press.com or 423-757-6354.

Photo by Barry CourterThis past weekend's Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, Tenn., played out under blues skies and high temperatures, and finding shade was a necessity. Festival organizers have planted trees and erected sun screens for attendees over the years.