Bonnaroo festival confirms return date after weather cancellation
After Bonnaroo festival was forced to cancel only a day into the programmed schedule, the event has confirmed that it will return in 2026 with some major changes.
In June, artists like Avril Lavigne, Olivia Rodrigo, Vampire Weekend and Queens of the Stone Age could not perform for around 80,000 festival goers due to “record-setting rainfall.” When announcing the cancellation, the festival also noted that at the time, they would not be “announcing future dates,” causing many to question whether it would ever return.
In a new statement, the festival confirmed a return from June 11th to 14th in 2026 and detailed some key changes. First, “Campsites located in areas most affected by flooding will not be utilized. This will result in a reduced capacity on The Farm (more dancing space).”
They also announced an “epic welcome party” on Thursday evening on the What Stage. Additionally, “The Where in the Woods UFO Stage will be making its landing in Centeroo. This will take the place of the Infinity Stage and feature late-night DJs and dance parties. The Where in the Woods space will continue to serve as a relaxation haven in Outeroo.”
They then revealed that tackling extreme weather would now remain top of their agenda. “In the 2025/2026 off-season we’ll be dedicating an additional multi-million-dollar budget and initiating improvements that prioritize the campgrounds and other areas affected by the extreme weather in 2025.”
They added, “Some of these projects will include reseeding the property, continuing to increase access roads within the campgrounds, adding more drainage and reinforcing primary water runoff pathways.”
They noted that fans expressed a “strong preference” to keep Bonnaroo in June. “Weather experts have confirmed that we saw record-setting rainfall this spring and early summer, making what we experienced extremely uncommon,” they explained. “All things considered, our traditional June time frame remains the most optimal time of year for Bonnaroo.”
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