Bonnaroo VS Electric Forest

*I want to go ahead and apologize in advance to you all- I initially wanted to record this as a video and put it on the ‘Tube, however, I’ve come across some unfortunate issues with my computer and won’t be able to record this one for you all*

Planning out festival season always get’s a little stressful. When I first started, I was very monetarily aware of what I was spending, and in the beginning, I crossed my fingers that I wasn’t wasting money on a bad experience. One of the biggest things I used to struggle with was “Which festivals do I go to? If I don’t go to this one, this year, I’m going to have to wait an ENTIRE year and IDK if I can do that.”

So, this post is going to give you all EVERYTHING you need to know when you start planning out festival season next year! I’m comparing and contrasting two very beautiful, but very different, festivals for you all: Bonnaroo VS Electric Forest.

* PSA: Bolded text within the sections is to highlight the DIFFERENCES between the festivals. *

Tickets & What’s Included

Obviously- this undoubtedly THE most important part of either of these festivals. Both have their own unique options when it comes to tickets and what’s included in the said ticket. So make sure you know what you’re getting with your purchase.

The other factor to take into consideration is the PRICE of the events. Bonnaroo tickets can be snagged for a cheaper price the earlier that attendees buy, however, Electric Forest tickets are a set price, starting around $350 (GA) before fees, and go upwards with different tiers, etc.

My suggestion: If you’re unsure which festival you want to attend, I would encourage you to purchase tickets to Electric Forest before Bonnaroo. EF sold out in about 30 minutes this year, and people were selling tickets later on for a much more elevated ticket price ($450+). Bonnaroo is always a safe bet as this festival does not USUALLY sell out. In 2019, they did about 2 weeks before the festival, but attendees should more or less have an idea of if they’re going to be attending or not by this point.

The Camping Experience

This is where things start to get a little complicated with both of these festivals. Since Bonnaroo and Electric Forest have both been around for a while, they’ve had plenty of time to get a groovy list of options for festival-goers camping experiences. This is the one part of EACH of these festivals that people are constantly confused about- so make sure you PAY ATTENTION when you’re purchasing for next year.

Bonnaroo

• Entry level camping is considered GA. This means that you’re placed in one of the 10 (or 11) pods within the grounds.
• There are separate camping sections for VIP, Platinum, RV, ADA, Tent Only, Groop, and Community camping. All of these options allow you different perks. (More camping descriptions over here)
• There is no shaded camping within Bonnaroo. The Farm is completely flat and the only trees/forested areas are The Grove & Where In The Woods, however, there is NO camping in these areas.
• Bonnaroo offers Community camping. This is essentially where large groups of people can camp together with like minded/interested people. There are groups such Soberoo, SheRoo, ReddiRoo, etc. It’s a GREAT way to meet other people who share similar interests or ideas!

Electric Forest

• Entry level camping is considered GA. This means that you’re placed in one of the 15 ‘camps’ within the grounds.
• There are separate camping sections for Good Life, Maple Woods, RV and Tent Only. All of these options allow you different perks.
• One notable camping option for EF is Maple Woods Camping. This camping option allows attendees to actually camp within a forest. That means shade, and lots of it people!
• Good Life (VIP) is also located WITHIN the Forest. That means no lines to get in, shade all day every day, and easy access to the venue whenever! Not to mention that Good Life has their own village full of exclusive food vendors, drinks, and even secret DJ surprise sets. Talk about getting your monies worth!

Between these two festivals, I would say that Electric Forest definitely has Bonnaroo beat when it comes to camping options. When it comes to festing in the summer, camping in the shade is pretty much unbeatable. However, one thing that makes Bonnaroo stand out from EF is their Community camping. This goes hand in hand with the overall encouragement of ‘community’ and ‘togetherness’ that Bonnaroo promotes, and is known for.

The Music

Obviously, if you’re going to be dropping a couple hundred on a festival, you want to listen to music you love. Bonnaroo and Electric Forest boast a very different lineup to each other.

The Venue & Experience

I left this one for last because I think it’s personally the make or break factor when it comes to attending a festival or not. Bonnaroo and Electric Forest offer very different things for attendees.

Bonnaroo

• The Farm is about 120+ acres of literally farm. There are plazas spread throughout the grounds. Each plaza is home to different EXPERIENCES that attendees can go too. This means comedy acts, movie showings, glitter/glam stations, etc.
• There are several art installations set up throughout The Grove and within the Plaza barns for attendees can look at and sometimes interact with. However, within the music venue there are not as many ‘art installations’.
• The vibes of the Farm are very communal. People really do make it a point to talk to strangers, to radiate positivity and just overall be there for one another- strangers or not.
• There are several different clothing/accessory/etc. vendors, as well as tons of amazing food vendors to go along with it.

Electric Forest

• The Forest is also relatively large in terms of space. Unlike Bonnaroo, there are not Plazas or hubs of activity within the campgrounds. The RV grounds are home to several personally curated events throughout the weekend though, and is home to the late night/surprise sets.
• Within the venue is where all the art installations and interactive activity are located. Everything within the Forest venue is completely interactive and fully immersive.
• The curators of Electric Forest also provide TONS of activities for the attendees to do while in the venue. There are scavenger hunts, surprise parties, as well as games, villages, and experiences with actors to keep everyone entertained and engaged.
• Within the Forest venue there are limited numbers of food vendors. For me, this wasn’t an issue because I prefer to cook my own food at festivals and save my money for merch.

So, there it is everyone! These festivals are hands down two of my favorite festivals. These are BY NO MEANS the only things that differentiate these two festivals, but they are the big factors. I’m a huge lover of these festivals, and each of them holds a special place in my heart, however, they both offer their own positives and negatives. I encourage you to go to each at some point in your life!