Alice Cooper
MANCHESTER, Tenn. — Every year, organizers of the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival look for ways to improve both the event and the site, a 700-acre farm.
This year, there can be no greater symbol of that evolution than the 110 deciduous trees planted before the festival that will provide shade in coming years, said Ashley Capps, owner of AC Entertainment, who co-produces Bonnaroo with Superfly Presents.
The sold-out event wrapped up Sunday night, and the last of the 80,000 campers are expected to be gone by this morning. Capps said unusually pleasant weather and the changes his staff made combined to make this year one of the smoothest in Bonnaroo’s 11-year history.
“It felt like a really great year,” he said. “I think our staff, many of who have been with us for all 11 years, knocked it out of the park. Experience is paying off.”
Some of the changes are subtle, and some, like planting the trees, will take time, he said. This year, for example, campers were shepherded into new walking areas near the entrances, which kept them from sharing space with the many golf carts hauling people and supplies around the site.