MANCHESTER, Tenn. (WTVF) — Bonnaroo will not return in 2027, with organizers saying The Farm needs time to recover after back-to-back years of storms.
The Manchester music festival announced Friday that it will take a year off following a successful 2026 festival in June. The decision also comes a year after the 2025 festival was canceled partway through the weekend.
Organizers said they spent significant time and money improving the festival grounds ahead of this year's event, including upgraded drainage, 4.5 miles of new roadways and 135 acres of new grass.
Those improvements were intended to make The Farm more resilient to severe weather, but organizers said another heavy rainstorm on the Sunday of this year's festival added to the toll on the property.
"With limited time to recuperate from back to back years of storms, including the heavy rainstorm on Sunday this year, The Farm, particularly the main venue, needs a break to rest and recover," the Bonnaroo team said.
As a result, there will be no Bonnaroo festival in 2027.
"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," organizers said.
Manchester Mayor Joey Hobbs said his office had spoken with Bonnaroo officials before Friday's announcement and knew about the decision.
Hobbs said a summer without Bonnaroo will be a major change for Manchester, where the festival has been a fixture for years.
He also pointed to the impact the year off could have on local nonprofits and youth leagues that have traditionally worked festival concession stands to raise money for their programs.
"They put in long hours and raised money to support their programs and activities, and those opportunities have made a real difference for many organizations in our community," Hobbs wrote on Facebook.
Hobbs said losing those fundraising opportunities will be felt by many in the community, adding, "We'll all see what the next chapter brings."
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