After Bonnaroo 2025 was cancelled due to severe weather, organisers have now offered festival goers full refunds after backlash.
Last week, the Manchester, Tennessee festival was abruptly cancelled, with organisers saying an updated weather forecast was showing unsustainable conditions for on-site campers, with heavy thunderstorms occurring throughout the area.
The festival’s first day went smoothly, but the decision to cancel the remainder of the event was made on Friday night in light of the extreme weather.
Bonnaroo kicked off Thursday June 12 with performances from Luke Combs, Rebecca Black and more. Friday night’s headliners were scheduled to be Tyler, The Creator, John Summit and Glass Animals, while Saturday’s line-up was intended to be led by Olivia Rodrigo, Avril Lavigne and Justice.
Sunday, meanwhile, would have wrapped up with Hozier, Vampire Weekend and Queens of the Stone Age.
“We are beyond gutted, but we must make the safest decision and cancel the remainder of Bonnaroo. We are going to make things right with you, and you will find refund information at the end of this message, but let’s start with the next steps.”
It later emerged they had planned to issue 75 per cent refunds (per The Hollywood Reporter), and appeared to address the significant backlash the proposed refunds caused in an Instagram post shared Friday (June 20).
Writing that they were “still listening and actively discussing plans to improve The Farm,” they shared that they were “updating the refund to 100%, rather than the 75% originally offered.”
The statement appeared to suggest the festival would be taking some time off after several turbulent years, with this year’s edition marking the third time in five years Bonnaroo has been cancelled.
“At this time, we will not be announcing future dates,” the post continued. “When plans for the future take shape, you all will be the first to know.”
Elsewhere in the statement, the organisers thanked fans for bearing with them. “This cancellation broke our hearts beyond measure,” they said, “but we knew it had to happen for your safety.”
Just days before the festival was cancelled, news emerged that Jonathan Mayers, co-founder of events company Superfly Entertainment and co-creator of Bonnaroo and Outside Lands, had died.