MANCHESTER, Tenn. — As Trombone Shorty performed on the Which Stage, 51-year-old Mark H. Smith danced with his 53-year-old wife, Anita Hartel.
Back in the couple’s campsite, their 16-year-old son Wilder was asleep, resting up after listening to music until 5 a.m.
The couple is part of a growing trend at Bonnaroo: older couples either reliving their youth, making up for missing out on Woodstock or looking for an adventure along with their children.
“This is our first festival in 36 years,” Mr. Smith said. “This is a wonderful festival and we are having a ball.”
Ben Barron, 57, of Dallas, Ga., said that when he and his wife, Kathy, 55, told their 28- and 25-year-old sons that they were coming to Bonnaroo, the boys thought they were kidding.