It was crunch time for crews at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival as they prepared for the fun-filled days ahead.
On Wednesday, crews were working ahead of gates opening that night. Performances were set to begin on Thursday.
"It's beautiful weather this week. We couldn't have asked for better weather this week," said Krystin Ferracci, a festival goer.
Some changes have been added this year, including what they called the “Other,” a stage dedicated to dance music. They’ve also added the “Oasis,” which looks like a beach, and they’ve amplified the “Beehive,” the epicenter for communal experience to show what being at Bonnaroo is all about.
"Every year we're constantly evolving and changing and to support what the fans want," said Jeff Cuellar, AC Entertainment.
In addition to the music acts on the lineup, festival organizers said they understand the excitement behind the Predators playing in the Stanley Cup Final. They will have screens set up for festival goers to watch games five and six.
"We're excited and rooting the Preds and we want them to take the Stanley Cup, and if they can hear us from Manchester, we'll try to make sure they hear us from Manchester," Cuellar said.
The festival has been at a crossroads as organizers deal with 2016’s plummeting ticket sales while engaging in talks to extend their agreement with Coffee County.
According to the Knoxville News Sentinel, the festival's current deal to pay Coffee County $30,000 plus $3 per ticket sold has been set to expire after this year's festival. Ticket sales at the festival fell by 28,000 in 2016, reaching an all-time low of 45,553.
Ashley Capps, whose company AC Entertainment co-founded the festival, has contended the festival landscape has become more competitive, but said ticket sales were up this year.
Both the Tennessee Department of Transportation and the Tennessee Highway Patrol have been preparing for the influx of traffic due to the festival. The map below was released to help motorists traveling to the festival and in that area.
VIDEO: A very long line of @Bonnaroo festival goers on the shoulders. Gates open in less than 2 hours. @NC5 pic.twitter.com/h3EVZ0ZtUO
— Matthew Torres (@NC5_MTorres) June 7, 2017
Paul Fischer, a music business professor at Middle Tennessee State University, said Bonnaroo has booked a good lineup this year with bands appealing to younger fans.
The festival has been set to run from Thursday till Sunday. To see the full lineup of bands, click here.
