Out here in Tennessee, Bonnaroo is a big deal. Similar to what my West Coast friends would recognize as Coachella, Bonnaroo is a multi-day music festival full of food, friendly people, and good music.

I’ve been to many music festivals in the past, but Bonnaroo certainly takes the cake. It’s entirely unique, and takes first place for a variety of reasons:

The People– Never have I been in such a positive setting with such ethnic, political, geographical, and social diversity. The wide array of people you’ll meet is absolutely astounding.

The Food– I do have allergies to gluten and dairy, but that didn’t stop me from finding some mouth-watering food. With cuisine ranging from corn dogs to Pad Thai, there’s sure to be something to please everyone.

The Music– I was blown away by the talent of the performers. Blown away. I expected greatness from this year’s headliners—which was delivered without a doubt— but I was even more impressed with some of the “lesser known” artists I heard. A great place for discovering new music.

The Environment– Bonnaroo puts a great emphasis on “Radiating Positivity”. Though it may sound cliché, it became obvious quickly that it’s not simply a phrase. People are quick to offer guidance, a helping hand, and always a high five. Making it 10 feet without hearing someone yell “Happy ‘Roo” is highly unlikely.

HOWEVER. This being my first ‘Roo, I can say I learned a lot about what I could have done better to prepare. Things to make note of:

It is HOT. And when I say hot, I mean waking up in puddles of your own sweat, hot. The music and nightlife will last until dawn, so if you want to make it through the weekend, you need to be sleeping in until the late afternoon. That becomes an issue when the sun is out and shining by 8 AM, and you’re suffocating in a tent-turned-sauna by 8:30.

It is LOUD. As previously mentioned, the music and nightlife will go strong into the AM, so if you’re a light sleeper, you’ll definitely want some earplugs. We arrived at The Farm late Thursday night, so our campsite was about as far away from the festival as it could get. That didn’t stop the sound waves from Bassnectar’s set from traveling roughly two miles and penetrating our tent at all hours.

It is EXPENSIVE. I’m not just talking about the price for a four-day ticket, I’m talking about something I take very seriously: eating. Bringing food with you into the venue is a no-no, so unless you’re willing to make the long, treacherous journey back to your campsite every time you want to eat, you’re going to have to shell out some $$$ for festival food.

All things considered, my experience at Bonnaroo ’18 was nothing short of incredible. And, with a few tweaks here and there, I’m confident my Bonnaroo ’19 experience will be even better.