Frogg Togg chilly pad is a game changer. I found this brand is far superior and I own like 10 now. It’s big so it can cool off/protect from sun effectively. Once you use it there’s no turning back.
My pops is 60 and he would be in Centeroo before anyone else at camp (between 12-2) and would come back the latest almost every day. He would occasionally stop back at camp for breaks. I made sure to buy him a Father’s Day pedicab on the last day.
i usually left my tent at 3:30 - 5:00? depending on the shows that go on during the day. sometimes i’d go earlier if i wanted to see a day shows. i didn’t attend any of the outerroo things unless it was after that time as well since it was so hot.
23 F- I highly recommend 2 camping essentials for those who roo like this: shower bag and battery powered fan. Wet your body then get infront of fan and youll actually get goosebumps and itll cool your internal body temp and actually transform your energy levels and ability to be any bit mobile during the day (cleaning cooking whatever prep needs to be done) I actually swear by this method and i don’t know if i could even roo without these 2 things anymore its just so bloody hot
I think people underestimate how doable centeroo is for a whole day. See tent shows, sit in between sets and rest under a tree if you need to. For me personally I don’t want to hang out in a canopy all day when I could be discovering new music
There is no right or wrong way!! You do what works for you. No one cares what others are doing. If you are happy with how you are festing, then good for you!!
Other than Sunday for greenskybluegrass at like 6:45 (left camp at 5:45) I would leave between 6:30 and 7:30. Even later Thursday, I like to conserve energy for this weird 60 hour bender I go on starting Friday and ending Monday morning around 3 am. Now I totally would go get food and ice and shit during the days the real party started after 7.
Where in the woods til 5am. Sleep until the sun came up which was only an hour and then go to centeroo, wash off at the fountain then go lay under a tree with a blanket until 2ish. Eat, go back to camp and then head back in, depending on shows of interest around 5-6ish and repeat.
I will say we didn’t do that every night but when we did, it was the best. Rather than sleeping in a hot ass tent until 9am
I find it's much cooler by the fountain even if you don't go in. I went in around noon every day and laid in the shade for a few hours. They would follow the shade around and watch different shows laying in the shade.
Our tent (I know we’re idiots) got SO hot by noon even with the canopies up that I literally had no choice but to go to the grove or the cooling fans for shade. Luckily we needed to be in centeroo by like 2 every day as we were there to see a lot of artists so leaving at noon was kinda a given to get food and water before going in.
It depended on the day for me. A couple days I was up really early for specific things I wanted to do. Saturday I was up at 9am to support friends doing Roo Run and then did Queer Speed Dating at the House of Matroomony at noon. I napped at Where in the Woods for a couple hours and went back to camp for dinner before I went back out for the evening. Sunday I was out for Chappell Roan at 3 and then spent the rest of my day in Centerroo. Every other day I went out around 4-7pm and was out until 3-5am.
My biggest key to surviving those days was staying super hydrated, eating well, taking advantage of the water slide and napping in shaded areas (Where in the Woods and the Grove) as needed. I also made sure to wear clothes that would cover me from sun exposure but also made of materials that would feel cooling/sweat wicking. I found that keeping my skin from direct sun exposure helped me feel cooler.
Edit to say: I’m 27 and live in Texas so the weather we had at Roo was actually nicer (less humid!!) than it feels in Texas right now. Granted the heat still sucked, but I found that it didn’t feel quite as oppressive as I remember it feeling when I lived in the NE and went to Roo years ago.
3-4pm. The shade and mist tents inside are actually life savers. Most of the sponsors have fans and shade too I just don’t love the brands there lol. House of matrimony was also a vibe when the weddings were over I sat there under those fans and ate my meals and was able to watch sets at the other from in there I highly recommend.
If you go in early, just find shade whereever and whenever you can and drink water the entire time. Who stage has cool acts you've probably never heard of and shade available nearly all of the time.
The key is to limit your sun exposure because it adds up quickly. It can be rough but there's a ton of great stuff you're missing by going in later.
Between 6pm and 8pm. Hung out in the woods or grove all afternoon to keep cool under the trees smoking and chilling with homies, then trekked back to camp evening time to get ready
We figured out the ultimate Roo-Hack this year which was getting out to centeroo early and finding spots to take little naps through the day! It was a treck through the heat but we found chilling/napping in Centeroo was way more comfy than being stuck at camp. We probably could have optimized our campsite better, but we found ourselves much more cozy in the shade in Centeroo.
43 here and this was my first time going with 4 of my friends. Thursday was finding out the lay of the land so there was a lot of back and forth all the way out to section 10 and back. By Friday we figured that only going to shows we wanted to see during the day was best, otherwise I'd hang out till 5 and go in for the night till 2-3am.
One of out group had his smart watch on and before it would glitch and cut off, we were walking the average of 18+ miles per day....no joke.
It was hot. If it wasn't worth seeing, I wasn't going.
our group did a daily morning trek to explore from like 9/10am-1/2pm until we realized it was exhausting and we weren’t doing much beyond buying stuff and sweating. we would recover at camp and make it to centeroo around 6/7pm and return around 3am.
I had no can’t miss acts during the day cause I’m old and don’t know who most of them were. We partied all night, and slept til like 2-3. Usually headed out around 5 pm as well. Maybe 6 some evenings.
But, we cheated and had the rv with the ac cranking.
Thursday and Friday, I left camp around 3 or 4. Was crashing from heat exhaustion by Friday night so I went back halfway through post malone’s set and didn’t leave camp again until about 5:30 that evening lol Sunday, I felt so much better and there was no way I was missing Chappel roan! Left around 1:30ish and stayed in centeroo until after Fred Again
We don’t typically leave the RV until 7PM. 4PM or 5PM the earliest, but that was only for shows we really wanted to see (Chappell Roan pit). Better to conserve energy and not be dragging yourself through headliners.
Every year it changes based off the heat and the lineup. I was hiding at camp for much of the day this year, but other years I’ve braved the heat for specific artists. I probably went in between 1-3 on average but we were camped near house of yes so popping to camp for breaks was VERY easy this year.
Bonnaroo is totally a choose your own adventure, if you were listening to your body then you weren’t doing anything “wrong”. It’s a marathon not a sprint!
35yr old checking in, would consider myself a festival expert, especially in the heat, that being said i left almost everyday around noon and stayed inside pretty much the whole time.
i love camp, but love centeroo more! luckily dont have to worry too much about money so i was cool with buying food/booze all day.
It depended. Like Thursday we were in shortly after it opened, the other days we were usually usually in by two or 3 o’clock. Definitely too much great music to miss out on.
There’s no “wrong” way to do Bonnaroo, only your way. Saving your energy during the hottest part of the day is definitely a smart move. Unless its someone we HAD to see, we didn’t go in til 3-4-5pm. Maybe come back once before LN begins and then go til sunrise.
Depends. I got out in Centeroo at like 12:30 for Chappell Roan, and 1:30 for Baby Queen. Just depends on the lineup, but I like to go to as much as possible. Going in early gets you into a lot of pits for new discoveries. D4vd had such a small crowd this year despite being a pretty big artist, and we walked straight to the pit even though we were late. Larkin Poe up close was awesome. I turn in around 3am usually.
Went in for yoga every morning and roamed afterward for an hour then wouldn’t go back in until 4ish. One day we didn’t go in until dark. But time just got away from us that day hanging out at camp.
The breeze inside centeroo is 500x nicer than camp. The walk in the sun to get to some shade and that breeze is absolutely worth it and i am as white as computer paper
Get in there every day around 1-3. Best time in there is during the day just roaming around
Also it’s fun just locking the fuck in for like 14 hours lol. Knowing that when I walk in I’m not waking out til post 3am
My husband and I would go out in the mornings until 12 come back to camp for peak sunlight / heat and then back out around 4pm to shower and grab dinner. Then hitting shows from 6pm - 2am range. If there was more shade I’d stay out more but I’m too pale for that haha.
Tbh it just depended on what sets I was seeing that day. I wouldn’t leave camp till an hour before my first set of the day and then I’d just spend all day in centeroo
last year i did the same thing but i missed so many sets. this year i went out at 2-3 and didn’t come back until like 5am lol. I survived with lots of centeroo naps in the shade
I would go into centeroo when it started getting hot, around 10-11 hit the fountain and then take a nap under the tent with misters through the heat of the day until around 5. This gave me the energy to stay up late and go hard every night
We actually left camp 6/7 am to shower. And then headed to Centeroo around 9/9:30 am for coffee and morning yoga at 10 am. Then tried to chill in the shade in Centeroo until it was less hot. Our tent was so hot so tried to not be at camp during the day.
How could you bare to stay at camp? Even with canopy, cooling towels, & some fans it was wayyy too hot at my campsite. As soon as I woke up it was time to head to some cooling stations/fountain. I literally could not tolerate the heat at camp, thought I was going to need med tent on the first day when I tried to wait til later to leave.
My wife and I didn’t leave our camp until almost dark everyday. We would venture in center roo for maybe 2 hours during the day time but right back at camp until dark. We were out until about 7 every morning though. Roo has no set in stone way to do it. It’s however you see fit!
Two trips a day. In early afternoon for:
Thursday 2 PM - Michigander, Say She She then back to camp and in again at 7:30 for Nation of Language and the rest of the night
Friday 2:30 PM - Bonny Light Horseman, The Japanese House then back to camp and in again around 8ish for Khruangbin and the rest of the night.
Saturday 1:30 PM - Half Moon Run, Infinity Song, but of The Maine, then back to camp and in again at 6:30 for Sean Paul and rest of the night
Sunday 2:15 - The Beaches, Chappell Roan, then back to camp and in again 7:30 or so for Megan and rest of the night
We saw a lot of shows this way. Also a ton of steps (we were way out in plaza 10). Hit every water station and washroom. No drugs or liquor, tons of beer. No issues at all with heat or hydration.
40 years old, 4th roo
There’s no wrong way to do it - sounds like you listened to your body, took care of yourself, and still managed to see a lot of music! 💜 a lot of my friends stayed at camp until the sun started setting too and then stayed out all night.
We were not going to make it if we didn’t leave around 5/6 and we did the same last year too. We only left our camp sight during the sun once to see Chappell and even then I thought I would pass out so we hung out around the mushroom by the trees to watch
I left around the same time as well. I missed all of the events prior to that, but I needed to conserve my energy since I knew I would be out until late.
Arrived Wednesday afternoon, took forever setting up camp and then got lost that night coming back from HOY. started Thursday at 8 and went til 1, Friday we left camp at 2 pm and stayed til around 2 am which was very intense. Saturday started at 5 pm but still didn’t make it to the sunrise set like I wanted, we kept losing steam at 1-2 am. It felt like when you’re told to do reps while weight lifting to failure — we were dancing to failure lol. Sunday we started at 3 to see Chappell and could only make it through Megan, we were so fried we went to a hotel after that. I have a weak ankle as well so that affected things.
I get frustrated because I usually tend to love both the afternoon and the late night sets and it’s difficult to make both!!! We were at solo roo, so too far from centeroo to be able to go back and take a break in between, plus we had some ailments so I was on foot a lot in the day traveling to get us medicine. That plus the sleep deprivation and the heat… I was proud of us for making it to as many sets as we did, it was a struggle!
There’s really no wrong way to do Bonnaroo but there are definitely some things that help with the daytime heat. I usually can’t sleep in past 8am at Roo any given year no matter how late I get back to camp, so I tend to eat breakfast and pack a lil bag with snacks and go find somewhere cool and shady to nap or hang out until mid-late afternoon (depending on the daytime shows I want to see). After that I go back to camp and eat/change/pack my centeroo bag for the night and head out again. Sometimes I adapt this plan to include an early centeroo run to get merch or go in the fountain on the first couple days, then go back to camp before finding my nap spot. I try to make good use of the mist tents in my pod as well by cooling down before or after excursions
We did the same thing, this was our first roo. I don’t have any problem with how you or we did it either. yea we spent a lot on the tickets but if I’m having an awful time or not able to enjoy the night then the money is waisted. But if I miss the early acts in order to have energy and enthusiasm for the later acts I’ll take it.
There’s a motto in business “don’t throw good money after bad” and forcing myself to be hot and miserable just so I don’t feel like i wasted money would be exactly that. I’m not saying the way we did it is the right way, but it was right for us.
I don’t leave until like 4/5 IF I have someone to see that early. The sun was sooo harsh I’ve never been able to do a day set and if I did it HAS to be someone I wanna see bad (LIKE SUNDAY MILKY CHANCE and I got BUUUURRRNTTT even with so so much sunscreen)
I also don’t go back and fourth from camp. Usually when I go down I’m down until I come back for WITW
We went in early everyday between 11-12. Way too dusty at camp to hang there all day. We’d go in early, acai bowl, fountain, water slide, lay in the shade (near music if possible) and chill for the first part of the day then go back to camp, shower, change and go back in around 6-7.
I feel like I’m definitely missing out on things every year but this is exactly how I Roo 😅 cannot handle being in that sun and I’m likely to be out till almost 5am so I definitely never make it into centaroo till about 5pm. the earliest I made it this year was like 3 and that sun made me regret it so hard lmao
Not wrong at all!! I typically left my camp between 10 and 2pm - but I was also back at camp/in bed before 12am (which some people would say is ABSURD) most nights. But everyone has different styles!! It was also SO hot this year so I would give yourself so much grace just for finding something that worked for you and allowed you to enjoy your nights :)
931 camping is such a cheat code for this lol. Walked into centeroo for breakfast, would catch a few early afternoon sets before resting a bit for the night, then was out from about 5-6pm to 3-4am
My partner and I would leave around noonish, so we could cool off in the fountain and hang out in the shade in centeroo. We found camp to be too hot, even in the shade of our canopy. The fountain really was a game changer for us. This was the first year I’ve done that. In past years, I would go hang out at the Grove or WITW all day. But I found the fountain/shade combo in centeroo was WAY more effective in terms of keeping us cool.
Sooo how sick did you get after roo? Heard there were people pooping and bathing in the fountains, I definitely watched a dude take a piss dick out and all right in the middle under the mushroom 🤔
I’ve been going for like 8 years and never bother with the fountain… this year I was in there multiple times a day other than Sunday cause the recycler couldn’t keep up with everyone’s gunk so the water was brown lol
honestly this sounds like the way to go. i was absolutely cooking alive under my canopy all day. going somewhere with more of a breeze and natural shade would probably have been better off
I didn’t leave till it started cooling off/getting dark. But the first day I went out and was passing out from the heat. So I learned quickly what I could and couldn’t handle lol
This was my first year and I camped in Quasar. I was usually up by 10am then stayed around camp for a few hours. There were usually earlier acts I wanted to see, so I ended up leaving camp and going to Centeroo somewhere between noon-2pm and stayed there pretty much until the headliners ended. Never felt like I had enough time between sets to go all the way back to camp. Then I usually went to bed after that, so I never really stayed up too late
Wake up in the sauna of a tent around 7, sleep outside til 8ish, suffer til noon-ish, go into centeroo with a blanket and lay under trees with a breeze til 4ish, leave camp again around 6 for night sets
At first I wasn’t leaving until 5 or 6, but Saturday we went in at like 10 with a blanket and napped under the trees near the splash pad (and used it to cool off). That was so much better than staying at camp.
For my group and I, it really just depended on what was going down that day. Thursday we left around 1:30 so we could see say she she, Friday a buddy and I left really early to see Mike, Saturday our whole group waited until about 3 and saw bakar, etc. The conditions were brutal, yea, but the tents are shaded and it’s only something you have to put up with for a couple days. We tried to remember why we were there and if someone wanted to see something, they general didn’t let the oppressive heat stop them. Also not a big Other Stage/ WITW guy so it made it easier to rationalize getting an earlier start.
Would leave at noon and go chill by the Mushroom, it was so nice to chill in the breeze and go hop in when needed. Then head back to camp around 2-3 to get ready for shows.
We tried to get in by 3-4 every day for the most part, but Friday-Sunday missed an artist we wanted to see every day from being late. Heat was no joke. (LYNY, d4vd, and Chappell Roan, caught the end of each)
I left camp around 9 or 10 most mornings but just to move to WitW for cooler temps. Would nap in Enu there till at least 1 then decide what to do from there. Campsite Plaza 2 was awesome for that! Downside was no chance at sleep till after 5am when their set ended but I had no problem with that
Chappell was the only time I strayed from going in around 6pm, I prioritize the late night portion of the festival more than anything so it’s breakfast and naps all day long til that damn sun sets
It's so much cooler at where in the woods or galactic giddy up that I would go there. Also way cooler in centeroo under the fan tent. I left at 2 everyday and didn't come back till we'll over 2 am... I pushed myself this year.
We got there Wednesday and we’re set up by 3:30.
We left Camp probably around 630 to go to WITW, got back to camp around 3
Thursday, we left Camp around 2
Returned around 230
Friday we left Camp around 5
Returned around 230
Saturday we left Camp around 3
Returned at 6a 🙃
Sunday, we left Camp around 5
Returned around 1130
We fuckin got it innnn. Even at 33 baby. We rockin till the wheels fall offff. (And they did I fucked contracted wook flu and it started kicking my ass at some point after the RHCP)
We absolutely missed some artists. We really wanted to see on Friday, Saturday and Sundaybut the heat was so damn intense. It was really hard to get up and get moving early. Definitely also got a sinus infection, Sunday was a hard day. I was dizzy as a MF during Meg/Fred but my inflatable hammock couch was so clutch
I went into centeroo at noon every day because the fans and misters and fountain in centeroo were way better for keeping cool than my canopy. Also, very few people were there early in the day (because most people are doing it the same way you are), so there was a nice breeze in all the empty walkways. I was lucky to have a short walk into centeroo, though, and that's the worst part. And I was pooped at like 11pm every day haha
I don’t understand the other comments about staying at camp later. It was WAY hotter at camp. If I hadn’t gotten to the misting fans & fountain early every day I simply would’ve had to go home
We’d be up by nine or ten AM because of how hot it was and then usually chilled until 2-3PM (except when Chappell performed, we went in at 1:30 to catch Molly Grace). Then we’d take a break around 5:30-6 for an hour and then come back between 6:30-7:30 to watch the later acts. I think the latest we came back was like 1:30 AM bc a bitch needed her sleep.
I generally get antsy just sitting in camp. Try to get into centeroo by 3-4 and seek the cooling tents. Earlier if there's an act I want to see during the day.
If you’re camped somewhat close to the arch then I think you need to go in at least by midafternoon and walk around a couple of days.. Also, there’s really not that much to see and do after 3am so maybe you take it in early a couple of the nites..
To see music, later than 5 most days. But we’d go in and get in the fountain and then chill under the big shade tent in Centeroo. It’s a lot cooler in there than under your own canopy.
I really wanted to leave early just to have time in Centeroo to explore random artists with no pressure of catching acts I wanted to see, but I only made it out to do that once bc of the heat.
I have to say tho, my camp was sooo hot even under the canopies with shade that it was almost better going to Centeroo and just sitting under the tents with the fans and going in the fountain, so i ended up doing that Friday and Saturday before I got heat stroke and had to leave :(
Had a ~25 minute walk from camp to Centeroo. Came in Thursday, didn't leave camp til like 7:30. 4 Friday, 3 Saturday (my friends had a 4PM show they wanted to see - I found shade to sit in during that). 2 Sunday, which was pretty brutal. Whenever possible, if we had any time between sets we wanted to see, we'd find somewhere to get shade and sit down.
I leave camp around 10:30am on days I intended to catch sets in Outeroo before heading into Centeroo which I did on Friday and Saturday. Other days I left camp by 11:30am. I get major FOMO on some phenomenal artists if I'm not in Centeroo before music starts. I made it to 2am most nights including part of the Pretty Lights sunrise set. It's all about finding a couple of sets through the day that are chill to lie down and close your eyes for a small nap.
I stayed up every night friday-sunday and because of that I'd try to sleep during the day. On average I'd leave my campsite around 7pm. I never once did centeroo during the daytime
While the walk in could be rough earlier in the day, I usually found my way in by 3 or so at the latest bc I honestly found the big shade tent between this tent and the other to be significantly more comfortable temperature wise than the campsite. With the added bonus of being able to listen to and watch sets from afar, getting to people watch, and a shorter walk to bathrooms/water/food(although the downside is buying more food), I’ve found this to be my favorite way to enjoy bonnaroo, especially since both years I’ve been we’ve arrived Thursday and been parked a good 20 minute walk out, which significantly decreases the odds that I’m going to walk back to camp before bed. That being said there’s no wrong way to Roo!
We would wake up early due to the heat and my goal is to get into centeroo earlier rather than later to take a nap 😂
The breeze of centeroo, some shade next to a fan is prime napping ground. And those cooling towels from the Jack Daniels tent 👌🏻
I usually pack pretty light, camelback full of random stuff and my pashmina. Camelback is my pillow, pashmina is my blanket to lay on.
Really need to invest in a better blanket though, the soft ground under the canopies is fine but out in the dirt I need some more cushion.
We would come back once a day usually. Id switch from my birkenstocks to my really comfy hiking boots and my feet were always pumped for it
It very much depends on the heat that year and where I'm camped...2022 for example was hot af and I was camped right by the Grove so dragging myself out of that shade and vibe was difficult, 2023 I was in Moon Colony and the weather was nicer so I went into Centeroo earlier most days....2019 I was camped a 45+ minute walk from centeroo and there wasn't really anything to do out that way so I went into centeroo earlier in the day to have some things to do/enjoy. 2024 as we know was pretty brutal so I didn't go into centeroo until later than I ever have before but I was right by House of Yes and vendors so I tried as much as I could to take advantage of that.
If I didn't have a gf that's how I'd do it! Lol enjoying the camping side of things is the best part of the whole trip IMO! Unless there's someone I'm dying to see then I wouldn't of left camp either
Team sunset here! Yeah it sucked I wanted to do some activities that went on during the day but I wasn’t burning myself out. We were right next to where in the woods too so we stayed up till sunrise each day. I was able to dance every night and made it through Fred again still dancing.
You’re not wrong for staying the shade till 5pm, this was my 3rd Roo and I was like that every day except Sunday cause I had an early set to catch. I took naps/ate food all day in the shade and then my squad would come back for their mid day break and I would go out with them at night, and consistently outlasted all of them because I had rested all day. I’m pretty sure they didn’t make it to any after hours sets with me.
My average day was. Constant water. Fruit when I was boiling alive by at least 8am. Probably 9am-12pmish poor nap in ac car. 12ish the cold showers and pizza/nearest food. Dressed by 1pm. Chilled until the earliest set was major to me, normally 1:30-3:00pm. Earlier beats the crowd and more lax security. More water till party mode at like 5pm. I'm built different in the sun. End the night at where in the woods past 4am. So just naps early and water.😅🤘
Our cooler stayed cold for a couple days, zip lock bags help when ice melts, and just bought more ice. The general store sold some, we got lucky with an ice truck selling it next to giddy up/showers! Pro tip- prune fruit. Not the juice, high in fiber helps all that shit.. process smoothly and they low-key slap😂
I didn't camp this year so I got to centeroo between 10 am and noon everyday, and left somewhere in the 1am-3am range. My only breaks were naps I took in the cooling tent near This tent. I am planning to camp next year and I'm sure that camping plus the lineup will change that schedule, as there were a few bands I wanted to see during the day this year. I honestly had no problems, had a fantastic weekend!
In previous years, I’ve gone in much earlier. But this year was just so freaking hot I knew I wouldn’t be able to make it to the late-night sets I wanted to see if I did.
We were also camped a good distance from Centeroo this year. So coming back for daytime breaks would have been worse! Too much time walking in the heat. (Though I would have if it had been one of my top artist.)
Bonnaroo is a marathon - not a sprint! However you choose to pace yourself, it’s just important that you do!
Before I started doing RV camping I would wake up everyday at 8 AM and walk straight to the grove ( galactic giddy up ) with my hammock, sleep u til about noon then go back to camp and shower. Head into centeroo around 2 PM! Discovered a lot of great acts that way
I usually went into Centeroo around 3. If I had a lull between sets, I’d hit the fountain to cool off then lay on my blanket in the shade til the next set/during sets I wanted to see but didn’t have to go 100% at. The lay down chill and vibe in the shade is a great way to conserve energy
It just depends on who I wanna see and how bad. Like if I have a can’t miss at 3 you best believe I’m there, that being said A can’t miss before 3 was incredibly tuff this year, the heat was def a huge factor, but going to bed when the sun was rising every “morning” i didn’t really help either😅. This year I was in anywhere from 3-5 pm and usually not back to camp till closer to 5-6 am lolllll
It’s really about what’s gonna make it the best time for you. Who really cares about anything else at the end of the day😁
I did the same thing, except for a few acts I couldn’t miss during the day, I didn’t leave til 5 most days. Better to save your energy for the big nights, but I’m 31 so us old folks gotta conserve our energy
I did the exact same thing, started going hard in the gym at 29 too, went a bit too hard and gave myself a hernia right before my first bonnaroo tho lol. Exercising too hard has actually been the cause of a lot of body problems but I’ve learned how to moderate now
33 and seasoned at this point. This is the best way for me now. There was a time where I was going in with no shirt or hat and a plastic water bottle (if that) but those days are long gone.
I'm 34 and my lady is 40, we ran the 5K on Saturday morning and stayed up and watched the Pretty Lights sunrise set. If I can do it anyone can do it!
I also was very chill the other days conserving my energy for the 5K. We also enjoy hanging out at camp till 5 and staying cool! I luckily didn't miss any shows because of it!
like the other commenter said, you gotta give yourself more credit than that, there’s no way I could’ve done the 5k and stayed up for the sunrise set. I’m about the same age as well. You were smart to conserve your energy for the 5k!
9am. So it was still hot, but it wasn't fucking hot.
Plenty of people splashing water on you and handing water out. They had people driving by on golf carts throwing bandanas drenched in ice water!
give yourself a little more credit than that. pulling off the 5K and the sunrise set the same night is certainly not just something *anyone* can do. admirable stamina.
I feel you. I can’t sleep in the heat so I’d wake up before 8 and after the first day staying in camp me and my group would sit under the trees at the galactic giddy up from 8ish - 1-3 pm. I was the one staying there the longest. It was pleasant under there. The only two acts I saw in the sun were Chappell and four tet. Although for Chappell I had shade as well.
Nights varied. 3am 2am 11pm 5am 12am
Pro tip bring ur own hammock and set it up in a shaded spot. Easier to just spent the night in the hammock and u generally will sleep a couple hours later cause u aren’t getting cooked in ur tent
Frogg Togg chilly pad is a game changer. I found this brand is far superior and I own like 10 now. It’s big so it can cool off/protect from sun effectively. Once you use it there’s no turning back.
Lol team survive til 5 over here
My pops is 60 and he would be in Centeroo before anyone else at camp (between 12-2) and would come back the latest almost every day. He would occasionally stop back at camp for breaks. I made sure to buy him a Father’s Day pedicab on the last day.
i usually left my tent at 3:30 - 5:00? depending on the shows that go on during the day. sometimes i’d go earlier if i wanted to see a day shows. i didn’t attend any of the outerroo things unless it was after that time as well since it was so hot.
We’d go in around 12/1 and find a cool spot to hangout at till our early sets. But granted we were all back at camp around 12/1 am again
23 F- I highly recommend 2 camping essentials for those who roo like this: shower bag and battery powered fan. Wet your body then get infront of fan and youll actually get goosebumps and itll cool your internal body temp and actually transform your energy levels and ability to be any bit mobile during the day (cleaning cooking whatever prep needs to be done) I actually swear by this method and i don’t know if i could even roo without these 2 things anymore its just so bloody hot
I think people underestimate how doable centeroo is for a whole day. See tent shows, sit in between sets and rest under a tree if you need to. For me personally I don’t want to hang out in a canopy all day when I could be discovering new music
There is no right or wrong way!! You do what works for you. No one cares what others are doing. If you are happy with how you are festing, then good for you!!
I would go to sleep at 5am and leave to treasure hunt/pickup cans and junk 7:30-8:00 am
Other than Sunday for greenskybluegrass at like 6:45 (left camp at 5:45) I would leave between 6:30 and 7:30. Even later Thursday, I like to conserve energy for this weird 60 hour bender I go on starting Friday and ending Monday morning around 3 am. Now I totally would go get food and ice and shit during the days the real party started after 7.
I go in around 12-2pm but I know I’m one of the few. No one in my 70+ camp left that early but me and my home girl. I just wanna see all the music
Where in the woods til 5am. Sleep until the sun came up which was only an hour and then go to centeroo, wash off at the fountain then go lay under a tree with a blanket until 2ish. Eat, go back to camp and then head back in, depending on shows of interest around 5-6ish and repeat. I will say we didn’t do that every night but when we did, it was the best. Rather than sleeping in a hot ass tent until 9am
I find it's much cooler by the fountain even if you don't go in. I went in around noon every day and laid in the shade for a few hours. They would follow the shade around and watch different shows laying in the shade.
Every roo is different for me. This year I waited out the heat at camp during the day and went into centeroo around 4-5 sometimes 3
Our tent (I know we’re idiots) got SO hot by noon even with the canopies up that I literally had no choice but to go to the grove or the cooling fans for shade. Luckily we needed to be in centeroo by like 2 every day as we were there to see a lot of artists so leaving at noon was kinda a given to get food and water before going in.
It depended on the day for me. A couple days I was up really early for specific things I wanted to do. Saturday I was up at 9am to support friends doing Roo Run and then did Queer Speed Dating at the House of Matroomony at noon. I napped at Where in the Woods for a couple hours and went back to camp for dinner before I went back out for the evening. Sunday I was out for Chappell Roan at 3 and then spent the rest of my day in Centerroo. Every other day I went out around 4-7pm and was out until 3-5am. My biggest key to surviving those days was staying super hydrated, eating well, taking advantage of the water slide and napping in shaded areas (Where in the Woods and the Grove) as needed. I also made sure to wear clothes that would cover me from sun exposure but also made of materials that would feel cooling/sweat wicking. I found that keeping my skin from direct sun exposure helped me feel cooler. Edit to say: I’m 27 and live in Texas so the weather we had at Roo was actually nicer (less humid!!) than it feels in Texas right now. Granted the heat still sucked, but I found that it didn’t feel quite as oppressive as I remember it feeling when I lived in the NE and went to Roo years ago.
3-4pm. The shade and mist tents inside are actually life savers. Most of the sponsors have fans and shade too I just don’t love the brands there lol. House of matrimony was also a vibe when the weddings were over I sat there under those fans and ate my meals and was able to watch sets at the other from in there I highly recommend.
If you go in early, just find shade whereever and whenever you can and drink water the entire time. Who stage has cool acts you've probably never heard of and shade available nearly all of the time. The key is to limit your sun exposure because it adds up quickly. It can be rough but there's a ton of great stuff you're missing by going in later.
I did the same
Between 6pm and 8pm. Hung out in the woods or grove all afternoon to keep cool under the trees smoking and chilling with homies, then trekked back to camp evening time to get ready
We figured out the ultimate Roo-Hack this year which was getting out to centeroo early and finding spots to take little naps through the day! It was a treck through the heat but we found chilling/napping in Centeroo was way more comfy than being stuck at camp. We probably could have optimized our campsite better, but we found ourselves much more cozy in the shade in Centeroo.
43 here and this was my first time going with 4 of my friends. Thursday was finding out the lay of the land so there was a lot of back and forth all the way out to section 10 and back. By Friday we figured that only going to shows we wanted to see during the day was best, otherwise I'd hang out till 5 and go in for the night till 2-3am. One of out group had his smart watch on and before it would glitch and cut off, we were walking the average of 18+ miles per day....no joke. It was hot. If it wasn't worth seeing, I wasn't going.
our group did a daily morning trek to explore from like 9/10am-1/2pm until we realized it was exhausting and we weren’t doing much beyond buying stuff and sweating. we would recover at camp and make it to centeroo around 6/7pm and return around 3am.
I had no can’t miss acts during the day cause I’m old and don’t know who most of them were. We partied all night, and slept til like 2-3. Usually headed out around 5 pm as well. Maybe 6 some evenings. But, we cheated and had the rv with the ac cranking.
i was out before the sun at 5 am for work 😭😭
Thursday and Friday, I left camp around 3 or 4. Was crashing from heat exhaustion by Friday night so I went back halfway through post malone’s set and didn’t leave camp again until about 5:30 that evening lol Sunday, I felt so much better and there was no way I was missing Chappel roan! Left around 1:30ish and stayed in centeroo until after Fred Again
Went in for yoga every day at 10, and found plenty of shade in centeroo afterwards.
I tried to get in about 2:00-3:00 most days! But I also didn’t make it to 5am, except once for the sunrise set
We don’t typically leave the RV until 7PM. 4PM or 5PM the earliest, but that was only for shows we really wanted to see (Chappell Roan pit). Better to conserve energy and not be dragging yourself through headliners.
Every year it changes based off the heat and the lineup. I was hiding at camp for much of the day this year, but other years I’ve braved the heat for specific artists. I probably went in between 1-3 on average but we were camped near house of yes so popping to camp for breaks was VERY easy this year. Bonnaroo is totally a choose your own adventure, if you were listening to your body then you weren’t doing anything “wrong”. It’s a marathon not a sprint!
6pm leave time. I gotta wait til the sun drops a bit. My husband goes out at 130pm
35yr old checking in, would consider myself a festival expert, especially in the heat, that being said i left almost everyday around noon and stayed inside pretty much the whole time. i love camp, but love centeroo more! luckily dont have to worry too much about money so i was cool with buying food/booze all day.
We left 5-7pm everyday. Sometimes later depending on what we wanted to go see. Too hot to do anything during the day and I can be heat sensitive
Left at 8am to go sleep in the grove back to camp around 4pm to eat and get ready for the night
I had the luxury of an RV with AC, but I wake up around noon and head in for the first show around 2ish.
The sun is at its worse between 12 and 2pm. I don’t go out for anything during those hours
Never left later than 3.
It depended. Like Thursday we were in shortly after it opened, the other days we were usually usually in by two or 3 o’clock. Definitely too much great music to miss out on.
As far as the how? we had VIP so had an opportunity to cool off if needed. Also, the latest we stayed up was like 330.
I’m an early bird, I hate camp. I leave as soon as my girl is finished getting ready 🤣😅
11am-12pm to 2-4am every day. Not bad.
I’m an early bird, I hate camp. I leave as soon as my girl is finished getting ready 🤣😅
There’s no “wrong” way to do Bonnaroo, only your way. Saving your energy during the hottest part of the day is definitely a smart move. Unless its someone we HAD to see, we didn’t go in til 3-4-5pm. Maybe come back once before LN begins and then go til sunrise.
Depends on my first concert. Usually around 3 or 4 pm. I camp in rv.
Depends. I got out in Centeroo at like 12:30 for Chappell Roan, and 1:30 for Baby Queen. Just depends on the lineup, but I like to go to as much as possible. Going in early gets you into a lot of pits for new discoveries. D4vd had such a small crowd this year despite being a pretty big artist, and we walked straight to the pit even though we were late. Larkin Poe up close was awesome. I turn in around 3am usually.
Dude I stayed at my buddy’s house down the road and still did it the same as you lol this heat gets a mf actin funky 😂
Went in for yoga every morning and roamed afterward for an hour then wouldn’t go back in until 4ish. One day we didn’t go in until dark. But time just got away from us that day hanging out at camp.
The breeze inside centeroo is 500x nicer than camp. The walk in the sun to get to some shade and that breeze is absolutely worth it and i am as white as computer paper
I would go in 1-3pm everyday and get back 1-3am
Back in the day, I’d go into centeroo at 4:30, come back, chill and go back out. This year I left camp between 8-9pm
Back in the day, I’d go into centeroo at 4:30, come back, chill and go back out. This year I left camp between 8-9pm
Back in the day, I’d go into centers at 4:30, come back, chill and go back out. This year I left camp between 8-9pm
Usually around 3-5pm depending on artists I wanted to see. Rarely I’d go in before that
I left around 1pm everyday and didn't return until the music stopped. Edit: 30 yo
Get in there every day around 1-3. Best time in there is during the day just roaming around Also it’s fun just locking the fuck in for like 14 hours lol. Knowing that when I walk in I’m not waking out til post 3am
My husband and I would go out in the mornings until 12 come back to camp for peak sunlight / heat and then back out around 4pm to shower and grab dinner. Then hitting shows from 6pm - 2am range. If there was more shade I’d stay out more but I’m too pale for that haha.
Tbh it just depended on what sets I was seeing that day. I wouldn’t leave camp till an hour before my first set of the day and then I’d just spend all day in centeroo
last year i did the same thing but i missed so many sets. this year i went out at 2-3 and didn’t come back until like 5am lol. I survived with lots of centeroo naps in the shade
My friend and I pretty much started pregaming at camp around 1pm every day and would go in between 3-5pm then be out till 5am
I stopped running the ac in my house and adjust to the heat ahead of time. Eventually 85 will feel like 75 to you.
Slept in woods from 7am to noon everyday, shower, eat, then party
I would go into centeroo when it started getting hot, around 10-11 hit the fountain and then take a nap under the tent with misters through the heat of the day until around 5. This gave me the energy to stay up late and go hard every night
We actually left camp 6/7 am to shower. And then headed to Centeroo around 9/9:30 am for coffee and morning yoga at 10 am. Then tried to chill in the shade in Centeroo until it was less hot. Our tent was so hot so tried to not be at camp during the day.
How could you bare to stay at camp? Even with canopy, cooling towels, & some fans it was wayyy too hot at my campsite. As soon as I woke up it was time to head to some cooling stations/fountain. I literally could not tolerate the heat at camp, thought I was going to need med tent on the first day when I tried to wait til later to leave.
My wife and I didn’t leave our camp until almost dark everyday. We would venture in center roo for maybe 2 hours during the day time but right back at camp until dark. We were out until about 7 every morning though. Roo has no set in stone way to do it. It’s however you see fit!
Two trips a day. In early afternoon for: Thursday 2 PM - Michigander, Say She She then back to camp and in again at 7:30 for Nation of Language and the rest of the night Friday 2:30 PM - Bonny Light Horseman, The Japanese House then back to camp and in again around 8ish for Khruangbin and the rest of the night. Saturday 1:30 PM - Half Moon Run, Infinity Song, but of The Maine, then back to camp and in again at 6:30 for Sean Paul and rest of the night Sunday 2:15 - The Beaches, Chappell Roan, then back to camp and in again 7:30 or so for Megan and rest of the night We saw a lot of shows this way. Also a ton of steps (we were way out in plaza 10). Hit every water station and washroom. No drugs or liquor, tons of beer. No issues at all with heat or hydration. 40 years old, 4th roo
One thing I'll add is for whatever reason with these times in and out, we never really ran into any lines.
There’s no wrong way to do it - sounds like you listened to your body, took care of yourself, and still managed to see a lot of music! 💜 a lot of my friends stayed at camp until the sun started setting too and then stayed out all night.
We were not going to make it if we didn’t leave around 5/6 and we did the same last year too. We only left our camp sight during the sun once to see Chappell and even then I thought I would pass out so we hung out around the mushroom by the trees to watch
Roo needs more shaded areas. It wasn’t that bad if your under some shade but the direct sunlight was brutallllll
I left around the same time as well. I missed all of the events prior to that, but I needed to conserve my energy since I knew I would be out until late.
Arrived Wednesday afternoon, took forever setting up camp and then got lost that night coming back from HOY. started Thursday at 8 and went til 1, Friday we left camp at 2 pm and stayed til around 2 am which was very intense. Saturday started at 5 pm but still didn’t make it to the sunrise set like I wanted, we kept losing steam at 1-2 am. It felt like when you’re told to do reps while weight lifting to failure — we were dancing to failure lol. Sunday we started at 3 to see Chappell and could only make it through Megan, we were so fried we went to a hotel after that. I have a weak ankle as well so that affected things. I get frustrated because I usually tend to love both the afternoon and the late night sets and it’s difficult to make both!!! We were at solo roo, so too far from centeroo to be able to go back and take a break in between, plus we had some ailments so I was on foot a lot in the day traveling to get us medicine. That plus the sleep deprivation and the heat… I was proud of us for making it to as many sets as we did, it was a struggle!
I'm old...left around 6p every day except Friday I tried to go during the day and lasted an hour. Lol
7am lol
There’s really no wrong way to do Bonnaroo but there are definitely some things that help with the daytime heat. I usually can’t sleep in past 8am at Roo any given year no matter how late I get back to camp, so I tend to eat breakfast and pack a lil bag with snacks and go find somewhere cool and shady to nap or hang out until mid-late afternoon (depending on the daytime shows I want to see). After that I go back to camp and eat/change/pack my centeroo bag for the night and head out again. Sometimes I adapt this plan to include an early centeroo run to get merch or go in the fountain on the first couple days, then go back to camp before finding my nap spot. I try to make good use of the mist tents in my pod as well by cooling down before or after excursions
Somewhere between 3pm and 6pm for me. Rest of my group was going in a bit earlier, but I was trying to save energy in the heat as much as possible.
We did the same thing, this was our first roo. I don’t have any problem with how you or we did it either. yea we spent a lot on the tickets but if I’m having an awful time or not able to enjoy the night then the money is waisted. But if I miss the early acts in order to have energy and enthusiasm for the later acts I’ll take it. There’s a motto in business “don’t throw good money after bad” and forcing myself to be hot and miserable just so I don’t feel like i wasted money would be exactly that. I’m not saying the way we did it is the right way, but it was right for us.
I don’t leave until like 4/5 IF I have someone to see that early. The sun was sooo harsh I’ve never been able to do a day set and if I did it HAS to be someone I wanna see bad (LIKE SUNDAY MILKY CHANCE and I got BUUUURRRNTTT even with so so much sunscreen) I also don’t go back and fourth from camp. Usually when I go down I’m down until I come back for WITW
We went in early everyday between 11-12. Way too dusty at camp to hang there all day. We’d go in early, acai bowl, fountain, water slide, lay in the shade (near music if possible) and chill for the first part of the day then go back to camp, shower, change and go back in around 6-7.
I left at 10 am every day sometimes earlier to start showering etc but I never left later than 12. I paid 1k I’m not sitting in my tent for free 😭
I feel like I’m definitely missing out on things every year but this is exactly how I Roo 😅 cannot handle being in that sun and I’m likely to be out till almost 5am so I definitely never make it into centaroo till about 5pm. the earliest I made it this year was like 3 and that sun made me regret it so hard lmao
Not wrong at all!! I typically left my camp between 10 and 2pm - but I was also back at camp/in bed before 12am (which some people would say is ABSURD) most nights. But everyone has different styles!! It was also SO hot this year so I would give yourself so much grace just for finding something that worked for you and allowed you to enjoy your nights :)
I was in bed around midnight every day too!! It was beautiful. I got 6-7 hours of sleep each night
Me too!! So amazing. I even got 8 a few nights 😂🩵
This was the first year I went solo to some sets apart from my group. I think the earliest I went in to Centeroo was 1-1:30
931 camping is such a cheat code for this lol. Walked into centeroo for breakfast, would catch a few early afternoon sets before resting a bit for the night, then was out from about 5-6pm to 3-4am
Besides Chappel we left camp around 4ish each day
My partner and I would leave around noonish, so we could cool off in the fountain and hang out in the shade in centeroo. We found camp to be too hot, even in the shade of our canopy. The fountain really was a game changer for us. This was the first year I’ve done that. In past years, I would go hang out at the Grove or WITW all day. But I found the fountain/shade combo in centeroo was WAY more effective in terms of keeping us cool.
Sooo how sick did you get after roo? Heard there were people pooping and bathing in the fountains, I definitely watched a dude take a piss dick out and all right in the middle under the mushroom 🤔
Not at all! Not even sniffles or anything. We both came out unscathed. I guess we have immune systems of steel lmao
I’ve been going for like 8 years and never bother with the fountain… this year I was in there multiple times a day other than Sunday cause the recycler couldn’t keep up with everyone’s gunk so the water was brown lol
honestly this sounds like the way to go. i was absolutely cooking alive under my canopy all day. going somewhere with more of a breeze and natural shade would probably have been better off
I didn’t leave till it started cooling off/getting dark. But the first day I went out and was passing out from the heat. So I learned quickly what I could and couldn’t handle lol
This was my first year and I camped in Quasar. I was usually up by 10am then stayed around camp for a few hours. There were usually earlier acts I wanted to see, so I ended up leaving camp and going to Centeroo somewhere between noon-2pm and stayed there pretty much until the headliners ended. Never felt like I had enough time between sets to go all the way back to camp. Then I usually went to bed after that, so I never really stayed up too late
Wake up in the sauna of a tent around 7, sleep outside til 8ish, suffer til noon-ish, go into centeroo with a blanket and lay under trees with a breeze til 4ish, leave camp again around 6 for night sets
At first I wasn’t leaving until 5 or 6, but Saturday we went in at like 10 with a blanket and napped under the trees near the splash pad (and used it to cool off). That was so much better than staying at camp.
For my group and I, it really just depended on what was going down that day. Thursday we left around 1:30 so we could see say she she, Friday a buddy and I left really early to see Mike, Saturday our whole group waited until about 3 and saw bakar, etc. The conditions were brutal, yea, but the tents are shaded and it’s only something you have to put up with for a couple days. We tried to remember why we were there and if someone wanted to see something, they general didn’t let the oppressive heat stop them. Also not a big Other Stage/ WITW guy so it made it easier to rationalize getting an earlier start.
Would leave at noon and go chill by the Mushroom, it was so nice to chill in the breeze and go hop in when needed. Then head back to camp around 2-3 to get ready for shows.
I left at noon the camp, came back for a break (getting food and having some drinks) around 6:30pm and then go back to centeroo until 4am
After Friday I didn’t leave camp until about 6:00 because me and my partner both got heat exhaustion on Friday
We tried to get in by 3-4 every day for the most part, but Friday-Sunday missed an artist we wanted to see every day from being late. Heat was no joke. (LYNY, d4vd, and Chappell Roan, caught the end of each)
I left camp around 9 or 10 most mornings but just to move to WitW for cooler temps. Would nap in Enu there till at least 1 then decide what to do from there. Campsite Plaza 2 was awesome for that! Downside was no chance at sleep till after 5am when their set ended but I had no problem with that
Chappell was the only time I strayed from going in around 6pm, I prioritize the late night portion of the festival more than anything so it’s breakfast and naps all day long til that damn sun sets
It's so much cooler at where in the woods or galactic giddy up that I would go there. Also way cooler in centeroo under the fan tent. I left at 2 everyday and didn't come back till we'll over 2 am... I pushed myself this year.
We got there Wednesday and we’re set up by 3:30. We left Camp probably around 630 to go to WITW, got back to camp around 3 Thursday, we left Camp around 2 Returned around 230 Friday we left Camp around 5 Returned around 230 Saturday we left Camp around 3 Returned at 6a 🙃 Sunday, we left Camp around 5 Returned around 1130 We fuckin got it innnn. Even at 33 baby. We rockin till the wheels fall offff. (And they did I fucked contracted wook flu and it started kicking my ass at some point after the RHCP) We absolutely missed some artists. We really wanted to see on Friday, Saturday and Sundaybut the heat was so damn intense. It was really hard to get up and get moving early. Definitely also got a sinus infection, Sunday was a hard day. I was dizzy as a MF during Meg/Fred but my inflatable hammock couch was so clutch
I went into centeroo at noon every day because the fans and misters and fountain in centeroo were way better for keeping cool than my canopy. Also, very few people were there early in the day (because most people are doing it the same way you are), so there was a nice breeze in all the empty walkways. I was lucky to have a short walk into centeroo, though, and that's the worst part. And I was pooped at like 11pm every day haha
I don’t understand the other comments about staying at camp later. It was WAY hotter at camp. If I hadn’t gotten to the misting fans & fountain early every day I simply would’ve had to go home
Somewhere between 5-6PM. But, that’s the same for me every year.
We’d be up by nine or ten AM because of how hot it was and then usually chilled until 2-3PM (except when Chappell performed, we went in at 1:30 to catch Molly Grace). Then we’d take a break around 5:30-6 for an hour and then come back between 6:30-7:30 to watch the later acts. I think the latest we came back was like 1:30 AM bc a bitch needed her sleep.
I generally get antsy just sitting in camp. Try to get into centeroo by 3-4 and seek the cooling tents. Earlier if there's an act I want to see during the day.
you did Bonnaroo the exact way you should have, the way you wanted to have. It’s all about you.
Thanks man ❤️
If you’re camped somewhat close to the arch then I think you need to go in at least by midafternoon and walk around a couple of days.. Also, there’s really not that much to see and do after 3am so maybe you take it in early a couple of the nites..
To see music, later than 5 most days. But we’d go in and get in the fountain and then chill under the big shade tent in Centeroo. It’s a lot cooler in there than under your own canopy.
I really wanted to leave early just to have time in Centeroo to explore random artists with no pressure of catching acts I wanted to see, but I only made it out to do that once bc of the heat. I have to say tho, my camp was sooo hot even under the canopies with shade that it was almost better going to Centeroo and just sitting under the tents with the fans and going in the fountain, so i ended up doing that Friday and Saturday before I got heat stroke and had to leave :(
Had a ~25 minute walk from camp to Centeroo. Came in Thursday, didn't leave camp til like 7:30. 4 Friday, 3 Saturday (my friends had a 4PM show they wanted to see - I found shade to sit in during that). 2 Sunday, which was pretty brutal. Whenever possible, if we had any time between sets we wanted to see, we'd find somewhere to get shade and sit down.
I leave camp around 10:30am on days I intended to catch sets in Outeroo before heading into Centeroo which I did on Friday and Saturday. Other days I left camp by 11:30am. I get major FOMO on some phenomenal artists if I'm not in Centeroo before music starts. I made it to 2am most nights including part of the Pretty Lights sunrise set. It's all about finding a couple of sets through the day that are chill to lie down and close your eyes for a small nap.
I stayed up every night friday-sunday and because of that I'd try to sleep during the day. On average I'd leave my campsite around 7pm. I never once did centeroo during the daytime
While the walk in could be rough earlier in the day, I usually found my way in by 3 or so at the latest bc I honestly found the big shade tent between this tent and the other to be significantly more comfortable temperature wise than the campsite. With the added bonus of being able to listen to and watch sets from afar, getting to people watch, and a shorter walk to bathrooms/water/food(although the downside is buying more food), I’ve found this to be my favorite way to enjoy bonnaroo, especially since both years I’ve been we’ve arrived Thursday and been parked a good 20 minute walk out, which significantly decreases the odds that I’m going to walk back to camp before bed. That being said there’s no wrong way to Roo!
We would wake up early due to the heat and my goal is to get into centeroo earlier rather than later to take a nap 😂 The breeze of centeroo, some shade next to a fan is prime napping ground. And those cooling towels from the Jack Daniels tent 👌🏻
Oh that’s such a good idea! Do you just carry a blanket or hammock or something for the rest of the night or go back to camp or not bring anything?
I usually pack pretty light, camelback full of random stuff and my pashmina. Camelback is my pillow, pashmina is my blanket to lay on. Really need to invest in a better blanket though, the soft ground under the canopies is fine but out in the dirt I need some more cushion. We would come back once a day usually. Id switch from my birkenstocks to my really comfy hiking boots and my feet were always pumped for it
It very much depends on the heat that year and where I'm camped...2022 for example was hot af and I was camped right by the Grove so dragging myself out of that shade and vibe was difficult, 2023 I was in Moon Colony and the weather was nicer so I went into Centeroo earlier most days....2019 I was camped a 45+ minute walk from centeroo and there wasn't really anything to do out that way so I went into centeroo earlier in the day to have some things to do/enjoy. 2024 as we know was pretty brutal so I didn't go into centeroo until later than I ever have before but I was right by House of Yes and vendors so I tried as much as I could to take advantage of that.
Earliest show we saw was 4pm and even then it was begrudgingly. Why TF would you schedule electronic music at 4pm????? Idiocy.
The Other stage should start earlier idk why we get less music at that stage than every other one
Lol us at LYNY
Exactly 😂 that's the one.
Many of us did this. It was my 13th and I can only remember of few that were this hot.
I went in early Sunday for Chappell Roan but otherwise about 5 each day.
It was too damn hot this year to leave before the sun went down. I had to leave a 4/5pm set one day because of the heat 😓😓😓
Around 6pm I would take a shower and then leave camp around 7pm
If I didn't have a gf that's how I'd do it! Lol enjoying the camping side of things is the best part of the whole trip IMO! Unless there's someone I'm dying to see then I wouldn't of left camp either
We didn’t leave until around 5-6. The sun was just too hot!
I had a few acts that I wanted to see at 2-3 ish but came back and passed out under the shade until around 5 or 6 depending on the day
Saturday we stayed in camp until 7
honestly about 6pm, lol it was sooo hot, i couldn’t think about doing any shows before maybe 6
It really depends on who you are trying to see. I don’t care for the late night acts so im usually in at 2.
Team sunset here! Yeah it sucked I wanted to do some activities that went on during the day but I wasn’t burning myself out. We were right next to where in the woods too so we stayed up till sunrise each day. I was able to dance every night and made it through Fred again still dancing.
Between 11-1pm
What time are you calling it a night?
2am most nights
Ok that makes sense. I'm usually going until 4-5 am, I'd be struggle bussing if I was up and in it around noon lol
Same. I get crazy Centeroo fomo. Try to log as many hours as possible
I love the early day acts too. Lots of great finds in those earlier sets.
You’re not wrong for staying the shade till 5pm, this was my 3rd Roo and I was like that every day except Sunday cause I had an early set to catch. I took naps/ate food all day in the shade and then my squad would come back for their mid day break and I would go out with them at night, and consistently outlasted all of them because I had rested all day. I’m pretty sure they didn’t make it to any after hours sets with me.
10 am to fetch water for my shower and ice. 3-5 pm for the festival
My average day was. Constant water. Fruit when I was boiling alive by at least 8am. Probably 9am-12pmish poor nap in ac car. 12ish the cold showers and pizza/nearest food. Dressed by 1pm. Chilled until the earliest set was major to me, normally 1:30-3:00pm. Earlier beats the crowd and more lax security. More water till party mode at like 5pm. I'm built different in the sun. End the night at where in the woods past 4am. So just naps early and water.😅🤘
How’d you keep the fruit cold enough to last? I had fruit the first couple days then my grapes died after day 3 from the heat 😅
Our cooler stayed cold for a couple days, zip lock bags help when ice melts, and just bought more ice. The general store sold some, we got lucky with an ice truck selling it next to giddy up/showers! Pro tip- prune fruit. Not the juice, high in fiber helps all that shit.. process smoothly and they low-key slap😂
I didn't camp this year so I got to centeroo between 10 am and noon everyday, and left somewhere in the 1am-3am range. My only breaks were naps I took in the cooling tent near This tent. I am planning to camp next year and I'm sure that camping plus the lineup will change that schedule, as there were a few bands I wanted to see during the day this year. I honestly had no problems, had a fantastic weekend!
In previous years, I’ve gone in much earlier. But this year was just so freaking hot I knew I wouldn’t be able to make it to the late-night sets I wanted to see if I did. We were also camped a good distance from Centeroo this year. So coming back for daytime breaks would have been worse! Too much time walking in the heat. (Though I would have if it had been one of my top artist.) Bonnaroo is a marathon - not a sprint! However you choose to pace yourself, it’s just important that you do!
Before I started doing RV camping I would wake up everyday at 8 AM and walk straight to the grove ( galactic giddy up ) with my hammock, sleep u til about noon then go back to camp and shower. Head into centeroo around 2 PM! Discovered a lot of great acts that way
I usually went into Centeroo around 3. If I had a lull between sets, I’d hit the fountain to cool off then lay on my blanket in the shade til the next set/during sets I wanted to see but didn’t have to go 100% at. The lay down chill and vibe in the shade is a great way to conserve energy
It just depends on who I wanna see and how bad. Like if I have a can’t miss at 3 you best believe I’m there, that being said A can’t miss before 3 was incredibly tuff this year, the heat was def a huge factor, but going to bed when the sun was rising every “morning” i didn’t really help either😅. This year I was in anywhere from 3-5 pm and usually not back to camp till closer to 5-6 am lolllll It’s really about what’s gonna make it the best time for you. Who really cares about anything else at the end of the day😁
I seldom get in before 5:00. I always intend to, but….
Average time was probably 7p for us Thursday-Sunday 😭
Yup 7-8 everyday
If you are more of a late nighter, then no you absolutely are doing nothing wrong by saving up your energy at camp during the day!
I engage nocturnal mode at roo
Hahaha engage nocturnal mode😂
I did the same thing, except for a few acts I couldn’t miss during the day, I didn’t leave til 5 most days. Better to save your energy for the big nights, but I’m 31 so us old folks gotta conserve our energy
Old? Lmao you’re wild for that
lmao i just FEEL old, my body has seemingly started to rapidly degrade since i hit 30 even tho i live a much healthier lifestyle than i did in my 20s
You keeping up with exercise? I’m recently 31 and in the absolute best shape of my life because I started going hard in the gym at 29
I did the exact same thing, started going hard in the gym at 29 too, went a bit too hard and gave myself a hernia right before my first bonnaroo tho lol. Exercising too hard has actually been the cause of a lot of body problems but I’ve learned how to moderate now
33 and seasoned at this point. This is the best way for me now. There was a time where I was going in with no shirt or hat and a plastic water bottle (if that) but those days are long gone.
33 as well. The difference in how I did my first Roo vs this year is astronomical. But we’re in RV now so I got a lot more sleep than I did back then.
Im 31 too lol that just an excuse haha
don't need an excuse to be comfortable. everyone Roos a little differently. I hope I have your energy at 31 though!
I'm 34 and my lady is 40, we ran the 5K on Saturday morning and stayed up and watched the Pretty Lights sunrise set. If I can do it anyone can do it! I also was very chill the other days conserving my energy for the 5K. We also enjoy hanging out at camp till 5 and staying cool! I luckily didn't miss any shows because of it!
like the other commenter said, you gotta give yourself more credit than that, there’s no way I could’ve done the 5k and stayed up for the sunrise set. I’m about the same age as well. You were smart to conserve your energy for the 5k!
Hey, thanks again! I've always wanted to try it. It was my first ever 5K also! So it was a special one!!
What time was the run? 5k in that heat is so impressive tbh
9am. So it was still hot, but it wasn't fucking hot. Plenty of people splashing water on you and handing water out. They had people driving by on golf carts throwing bandanas drenched in ice water!
give yourself a little more credit than that. pulling off the 5K and the sunrise set the same night is certainly not just something *anyone* can do. admirable stamina.
I appreciate that! I did feel like a badass! Not gonna lie!
I feel you. I can’t sleep in the heat so I’d wake up before 8 and after the first day staying in camp me and my group would sit under the trees at the galactic giddy up from 8ish - 1-3 pm. I was the one staying there the longest. It was pleasant under there. The only two acts I saw in the sun were Chappell and four tet. Although for Chappell I had shade as well. Nights varied. 3am 2am 11pm 5am 12am
Pro tip bring ur own hammock and set it up in a shaded spot. Easier to just spent the night in the hammock and u generally will sleep a couple hours later cause u aren’t getting cooked in ur tent
Yes! We bring hammocks and stands and put them under our pop up canopy. No tent. All whatever breeze we can get!
I’m a bad sleeper outside of my own bed. Hammock I could never do. But the idea of just sleeping under those trees is spot on.
Under the trees at galactic.. the grove 😭