It’s not lost on Bonnaroo’s organizers that drastic measures must be taken to prevent a repeat of this year’s weather disaster.
Bonnaroo has dropped the dates for its 2026 edition — and fittingly, this is a different announcement than that of any previous year. That’s because it outlines of the steps organizers are taking to ensure they will never again have to call the Manchester, Tennessee festival off on account of severe weather.
In spite of murmurs that the festival might move its dates, its next edition is slated to take place on June 11-14, 2026. “We appreciate your feedback on future Bonnaroo dates,” reads the organizers’ statement, “and we heard you loud and clear that your strong preference is to keep Bonnaroo in June.”
What, then, do they plan to do differently to better prepare for inclement weather? According to the statement, organizers have enlisted “drainage and land management experts” to help them devise a “multi-million-dollar” and “multi-year” initiative to reseed the property as well as expand its access roads and increase its drainage.
“Weather experts have confirmed that we saw record-setting rainfall this spring and early summer, making what we experienced extremely uncommon,” reads part of the statement. “All things considered, our traditional June time frame remains the most optimal time of year for Bonnaroo.”
Organizers also mentioned that the campsites most affected by this year’s severe rain will instead add to the dancefloor space. They also mention a series of changes not related to the weather, namely that campground entry will begin on Wednesday, a Thursday pre-party will take place at the What Stage, and the Where in the Woods UFO Stage will replace the Infinity Stage in the campgrounds.
No headliners have been announced for Bonnaroo 2026 at the time of writing. If next year is anything like this one (in the good ways, at least), the lineup can be expected sometime in January.
