Bonnaroo, Tennessee's biggest music festival, will take a year off in 2027, the festival announced on Aug. 21through a social media post.
"This wasn’t an easy decision, and not one we take lightly, but in our hearts, we know this break will only make Bonnaroo better," the post said.
The Farm in Manchester, Tennessee, where Bonnaroo takes place "needs a break to rest and recover," according to the post.
The festival spent millions of dollars in infrastructure improvements over the past few years after inclement weather caused cancellations.
Rumors were swirling about Bonnaroo 2027 dates
Multiple close sources to Bonnaroo made auspicious announcements in the days leading up to the official news.
"The What" podcast, which began in 2018, centers entirely on Bonnaroo
and has become a source of insider information, even having festival organizers on as guests, discussed the lack of 2027 dates during a recent episode.
Barry Courter, who was a reporter with the Chattanooga Times Free Press for 37 years as a features and entertainment writer and has interviewed hundreds of artists, said he asked Bonnaroo officials why dates hadn't been shared yet.
"I did ask officially. I asked through the channels, I went all the way to the top and they just because they're dealing with other stuff is what I was told. They just don't have them yet. So read into that what you want, but yes, we don't have dates," Courter said.
Festive Owl, which has long been a source of insider information for festival news has worked directly with Bonnaroo in recent years, having organized a daily "Find the Owl" scavenger hunt during the festival that rewards fans with prizes including VIP upgrades, also made a foreboding announcement about Bonnaroo's future.
When asked about the rumors and lack of 2027 Bonnaroo dates on X, Festive Owl responded, "So — I’ll have something on this soon, hopefully by the end of the week. And I completely understand the anxiety around all of this for many people."
Bonnaroo over the years leading up to 2027 news
Over the past five years Bonnaroo has experienced three cancellations beginning in 2020. Prior to that the festival had taken place at The Farm in Manchester, Tennessee, every year since 2002.
In 2020 the festival was postponed to September 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Then, Hurricane Ida swept through Middle Tennessee causing Bonnaroo to cancel again.
Four years later, in 2025, the 'Roo was cancelled mid-festival due to more inclement weather. Concerns about weather rocked Bonnaroo again in 2026 as heavy rain was reported leading up to the festival, however organizers had spent millions of dollars on infrastructure improvements to festival grounds to help it withstand severe weather conditions.
Bonnaroo co-founded by Knoxville native
Ashley Capps, a Knoxville native, co-founded Bonnaroo 24 years ago in 2002. The festival was founded through Capps' company AC Entertainment,which he left in 2022 after selling it to Live Nation.
Capps then began the Big Ears festival in his home city in 2009. The festival is a 501(c)3 non-profit.
In 2026, Big Ears brought over 35,000 fans and 150 artists to Downtown Knoxville for a four-day music festival, March 26-29.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Bonnaroo 2027 is canceled as music festival takes a year off
