Bonnaroo 2026: A Weekend of Roo-demption in Manchester

Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival is one of those pinnacles of live music that has fostered countless legendary moments in music history on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee. The festival started in 2002 as a bluegrass and jam band-based event, after a Knoxville-based festival was cancelled. Since then, it has grown into one of the most coveted music festivals for fans and artists alike.

Known for its diverse lineups and expansive programming, this year was no exception. 2026 was headlined by EDM giants like Skrillex, GRiZ, and Rüfüs Du Sol; rock legends-in-the-making like YUNGBLUD, The Strokes, and Turnstile; and indie and pop stars like Noah Kahan, Kesha, The Neighbourhood, and Role Model.

After the festival’s cancellation in 2025, fans and artists were especially energetic as they started the weekend. Campsites spanned all across the farm land, referred to as “Outerroo,” beginning on Wednesday before artists took the main stages in Centerroo starting Thursday. Festival promoters didn’t shy away from mentioning last year’s cancellation; instead, they invited back the unlikely hero and viral sensation of the soggy weekend, Squeegee Guy.

The culture around Bonnaroo could be summarized as quirky and friendly. Squeegee Guy is one of many inside jokes that Bonnaroovians share. From marriages in the House of MatROOmony, the many art installations that span the grounds, signing the yearbook, 2 pm meet-ups for Shotgunaroo (yes, that is a gathering to shotgun beers at the start of the festival), there’s always something to see or do. All these little traditions and sayings, down to the naming of the stages, create a feeling of inclusion for festival goers. It might take a minute to get your bearings on which stage is “Which,” “What,” “This,” “That,” or “Other,” but once you get the hang of it, you are a part of the Bonnaroo family, which is exactly why fans come back year after year.

Spiritual Cramp *(Ismael Quintanilla III for Bonnaroo)*

This year, Spiritual Cramp had the honor of kicking off the entire weekend with a captivating set of post-punk-inspired pure energy. The next act on was, sonically, a sharp turn into Hip-Hop, with Vince Staples stealing the show. As of late, the Long Beach rapper has been trying out a full backing band. A sound that suits him quite well, as he gave his all during his performance, fresh off the back of his brand new LP, Cry Baby. Just before electronic act Four Tet took the stage, the festival had a partial power outage that sidelined his performance. But festival workers moved quickly and got it all back up and running.

Late Thursday night, for the first time in over a decade, the father of modern dubstep, Skrillex, returned to the Bonnaroo stage. The set started out with simple back lighting that silhouetted the music industry giant, his frame never quite matching the size of his reputation. As his 90-minute set progressed, the crowd was met with pyro, lasers, and progressively more intricate lighting, while playing hits like “RATATA” and sampling other artists’ songs like “Sandstorm,” “Levels,” and many more. But his set didn’t stop once he stepped off the What Stage; he teamed up with ISOKNOCK for a surprise set at the Other Stage later that same night.

Lambrini Girls *(Pooneh Ghana for Bonnaroo)*

This year’s “high five Friday” was surely not one to forget. Morning rain showers cooled off the grounds while setting the stage for what would continue as quite a muddy weekend. English punk-rock outfit, Lambrini Girls, took full advantage of the familiar weather by separating the crowd and encouraging them to slip and slide on the mud, turning heads from patrons refueling with lunch from one of the many nearby food vendors.

PawPaw Rod christened the This Tent with his funky hip-hop and commanding stage presence. By 2:30, all 5 of the main stages were hosting talented artists left and right. Before Wednesday’s set on the That Tent, festival workers hustled to dry up the ever-growing mud pit, trucking in dirt and mulch, while relaying plastic floor panels to keep calm listeners and moshers alike safe.

By the time the sun started to break out of the clouds, it was time for Wet Leg. The avant-garde indie rock’s striking frontwoman, Rhian Teasdale, entered the stage flexing her candidly very impressive muscles. Her platinum blonde, tinted pink hair, bright blue contacts, and stark white clothing matched with her laissez-faire delivery of lyrics create a feeling of otherworldliness. The band first gained international attention when Harry Styles covered “Wet Dream,” but the breakout success of the single “mangetout” from their recent record ensured they will not be another flash in the pan.

Among the weekend’s standout rock performances was YUNGBLUD, whose larger-than-life stage presence matched the scale of Bonnaroo itself. Rarely standing still for more than a few seconds, he bounced between each side of the stage and eventually made his way into the crowd, taking the camera streaming to the massive screens on each side of the stage with him. Somehow, the British rocker made a crowd of tens of thousands feel like the basement of a club show, in the best way possible.

New York City rockers, Geese, and their frontman, Cameron Winter, have been taking the world by storm as of late. Despite critical acclaim and admiration from fans, the quartet never seems to take itself too seriously. Long before they took the stage, they proudly displayed a New York Knicks logo over their screen calibration graphics, and their set intro was mostly just a Knicks hype edit. They did make sure to take time during their set to call out a Knicks flag waving proudly at the back of the tent and another totem too lewd to put into writing.

Few artists can manage such a dynamic set as GRiZ did, all while being one of the most charismatic performers of the weekend. He opened his set with a bass-heavy remix of “Feeling Good” by Michael Bublé, while managing to end it by giving nearly half the festival goose bumps. In 2023, alternative cult favorites, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, were set to perform at Bonnaroo. A dream come true for the southern-born band that calls the state of Tennessee home. But due to an unexpected medical crisis, the band had to forfeit their mainstage performance just three days before. GRiZ was the act that ended up taking their place. Three years later, after a tumultuous few years of cancelling shows, RKS is back on the bill, back in form with a beyond strong fifth studio album. For the very last song of GRiZ’s headlining, mainstage set, he brought out frontwoman, Ela Melo, to sing their emotional hit, “It’s Called: Freefall.” Fans buzzing at the nearby tent in anticipation of Blood Orange quickly quieted and turned to look behind them. By the time the hook rang out across the main field of the grounds, the entire crowd, on both stages, sang along.

Back on the What Stage, The Strokes proved exactly why they are hailed as one of the most influential bands of the 20th century. Seemingly deaf to the roar of cheers, they took the stage in near darkness and began singing their laid-back hits. The enigmatic Julian Casablancas took little time for ramblings between songs; he swished and spat water before carrying on with “The Adults Are Talking,” transforming the sea of people into a choir singing back to them.

While The Strokes embody the legacy of indie rock, Turnstile looks to the future. The Baltimore hardcore outfit delivered one of the most explosive performances of the entire weekend, turning the packed crowd into a sea of movement from the very first song. Frontman Brendan Yates sprinted across the stage with relentless energy, throwing up the mic stand, twirling, and jumping off the drum platform.

After the first song, the band’s iconic color block background appeared on the screen behind them, evoking an outburst of cheers from the crowd. The band refuses to be defined, starting in hardcore and recently moving over to a more accessible sound. The most shocking aspect of the band is how they have managed to maintain their original audience through it all, and even gain more respect after completely changing sonic directions.

The energy carried on late and into the morning with viral sensation The Dare, new wave, electronic music. The aptly named Lumasi played the coveted sunrise set, ending Friday’s programming around 6 in the morning.

Bonnaroo is so much more than what goes on in Centeroo. Nearly all day and night sets play across the grounds into Outerroo. DIY promoters, Rock Nite, brought an all-local lineup to Plaza 5 on Friday and Saturday that included next up genre benders, Veaux, indie-shoegaze underdogs, Joiner, and even a guest appearance from Cage the Elephant.

Saturday afternoon was sweltering. With the June heat beating down, Arcy Drive brought a dose of sun-soaked indie rock to the farm. Before their set, the band’s drummer could be seen pouring a bottle of water on her head, side stage. The lead singer entered the stage carrying a bright pink flamingo pool float before tossing it into the crowd and challenging fans to see if they could crowd surf with it. Their lead singer’s energy, alongside anthemic choruses were perfect for festival season.

Holly Humberstone *(Georgia Lingerfelt)*

Holly Humberstone followed with an emotionally charged performance, her vulnerable songwriting cutting through the noise of the weekend and drawing one of the most attentive crowds of the day. Her smiles and quiet thank yous could only be interpreted as a deep and genuine sense of gratitude.

Later, Australian punk outfit Amyl and the Sniffers unleashed pure chaos, with frontwoman Amy Taylor commanding the stage like a force of nature, before Passion Pit turned back the clock with a nostalgia-filled set that had thousands dancing to favorites like “Sleepyhead” and “Take a Walk.”

Rainbow Kitten Surprise *(Georgia Lingerfelt)*

Rainbow Kitten Surprise continued their long-awaited return with a triumphant hometown-state performance, proving why fans had waited so patiently for their comeback. Ela Melo has always been an expressive performer; she was a dance major in college after all, but this performance took that to another level. There was a new level of confidence to her stage presence, maybe having to do with the shiny new rock that sat upon her ring finger. She showed off the engagement ring she received just early that day, during the line in “First Class” that states, “we’ll get married on a porch in Vegas.”

Vince Staples’ new record wasn’t the only crybaby of the weekend. Indie rock extraordinaires, The Neighbourhood, drew a massive crowd to the What Stage on Saturday night for a set of a decade and a half worth of hits. The band spared no expense with a shocking stage setup. They brought to life their iconic logo by creating a realistic-looking set of a house flipped upside down. As the set began, the garage opened to reveal the drummer, the curtains were ripped open by another band member, and the grill to the side of the house was really an elaborate facade for instruments. Lead, Jesse Ruthorford, came out the front door before heading up to the roof, or rather, the foundation.

SuperJam is one of those Bonnaroo traditions that is truly one of a kind. Hosted by a featured artist on the lineup, SuperJam allows that artist to hand-select friends and fellow musicians to join them on stage, performing songs that tie into each year’s theme.

This year’s theme was The Alchemy of Pop, presented by none other than Kesha. Having spent much of her childhood and teenage years in Nashville, Kesha pulled out all the stops, bringing out special guests including her mother, Mountain Grass Unit, Flipturn, Wyatt Flores, Del Water Gap, Margo Price, Blondshell, Chromeo, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Grouplove, “Weird Al” Yankovic, and the newest signees to Kesha’s record label, Boythrob.

The set featured songs from Kesha’s own discography, guest originals like Grouplove’s “Tongue Tied,” and covers ranging from classic rock hits to Harry Styles’ “Watermelon Sugar.” One fan held up a T-shirt with a phrase that perfectly encapsulated the message of the set: “Hating pop music doesn’t make you deep.”

Wyatt Flores (Andrea Escobar Garcia for Bonnaroo)

Rapidly rising and highly respected country artist Wyatt Flores spent the entire set grinning from ear to ear, clearly overcome with joy while sharing the stage with a pop legend. Margo Price hopped behind the drums to perform “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes, while parody music pioneer Weird Al gave his all, belting out Sia’s “Chandelier.”

Artists from every corner of the music industry came together for a night of fun, celebrating the music that has soundtracked all of our lives and proving that no one is too good for pop.

Bonnaroo 2026 *(Charles Reagan for Bonnaroo)*

As the weekend rounded the corner into Sunday, Australian electronic trio RÜFÜS DU SOL transformed the increasingly muddy What Stage into a dance floor. Their atmospheric blend of house, indie, and live instrumentation was met with one of the most visually stunning performances of the festival.

Sunday morning brought rains that gave many roo-loyalists flashbacks to the floods and subsequent cancellations that ended the festival last year before it even got a chance to begin. Campers gathered together to help each other find safe shelter to wait out the storm. Videos of the main field completely submerged quickly began spreading on social media, along with rumors that the last set of Bonnaroo 2026 had, unknowingly, already been played. Lighting in the area forced the fest to stop for a few hours. Eventually, the rain subsided, and the sun broke. The festival promoters decided to run the rest of the day as best as possible and to give Bonnaroo 2026 the last day it deserved. Once Centeroo was reopened, event staff were already hard at work, pumping out water from viewing areas.

The mud that had been a topic of discussion all weekend tripled all at once. Navigating high traffic areas without slipping was not an easy feat, yet spirits remained high, as ticket-holders couldn’t help but feel relieved that they were getting their last day after all.

Audrey Hobert *(Charles Reagan for Bonnaroo)*

Audrey Hobert brought her sharp wit and infectious charm to Bonnaroo, proving why she has quickly become one of indie pop’s most intriguing new voices. She treats her on-stage talking moments more like confessionals between friends than anything else. Few words describe her set and overall brand quite like “camp.” She’s not your typical pop star, bringing out a tiny trampoline to intro her hit “Sue Me.”

Sunday’s lineup was not one for the artist who likes to pretend to be “too cool.” Role Model took the main stage just before sunset as a sea began to roll in; yes, for the “Sally” star, but clearly in anticipation of the last act of the weekend, which would shortly follow. Role Model, or otherwise known as Tucker Pillsbury, knows how to engage an audience. His quippy talking moments break up the dancy ballads. The energy is so high that the crowd almost forgets the songs are about the loss of a soulmate.

Noah Kahan *(Ismael Quintanilla III for Bonnaroo)*

The final act of the entire weekend was none other than Noah Kahan. Last time he played Bonnaroo was in 2023, shortly after the extended version of his smash hit record, Stick Season, came out. He made the bill for the festival before he exploded into one of the biggest names in music. He played the smallest tent, while drawing a crowd so large it backed up to the concessions and restricted the flow of traffic, fest-goers who had no idea who he was were forced to pay attention. This year, fresh off the back of his new record and a glowing success, The Great Divide, he closed out the entire festival.

His cutting, poignant lyrics are met with funny and borderline outrageous talking moments between songs. After moving to a B-stage, somewhere in the sea of people that not long before was an open mud-pit, Kahan cracked jokes about how bad it smelled over there and asked if fans had been defecating on the ground, all before playing the downtrodden ballad, “Orbiter,” he wrote after feeling like he’d never quite amount to his goals after losing a Grammy nomination. Hard to imagine he could ignore his achievements, staring at a crowd of 45,000.

Kahan ended the set with the song that started his meteoric rise, “Stick Season.” As the band took their final bows, fireworks erupted behind them. Fans wiped tears from their eyes, not only hearing the songs that mean so much to them, but also because of the growth they have been able to witness from one of the most genuine voices in music.

After a year of waiting and wondering whether they would ever get their return to the farm, Bonnaroovians finally got their redemption. They got the surprise sets, the emotional reunions, the sunrise dance parties, the sing-alongs, and all the absurdities in between. Despite the mud, sweat, and tears, for fans of live music, nothing can replicate the feeling of a successful weekend in Manchester, Tennessee.