Jason Aldean
The Bonnaroo Farm over in Manchester will move the annual music and arts fest down the New Bushy Branch a ways while things seemingly continue on a path of trickling progress and social leniency, hopefully restoring a sense of normalcy in time for the Bonnaroo-bound to safely celebrate the 20th anniversary of Tennessee’s revered Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, scheduled for Sept. 2–5.
Until then, the Bonnaroo Farm is keeping music fans fixed with a summer series, Concerts on the Farm, which will have special guests set up shop for weekend shows throughout the 2021 summer leading up to Bonnaroo in September. Four shows are already green-lit.
Country superstar Jason Aldean kicks off Concerts on the Farm the weekend of May 14–15. Aldean is promoting 14 years worth of hits spanning nine studio albums, as well as his latest release, 9, released in 2019. Special guest, Kentucky country singer Elvie Shane, of “My Boy” fame, will join Aldean for the weekend.
Aldean’s Saturday, May 15, show is already sold out at the Bonnaroo Farm homesite, but Friday’s show has not as of yet, and both Friday and Saturday’s shows will be live-streamed online. Ticket prices for Friday’s show range from $99 to $450—that is for a group of four. Advance live-stream tickets are $15 each. Aldean and Shane’s weekend, May 14–15, are the only Concerts at the Farm series shows scheduled to live-stream.
One field sweep later, in runs that carpetbaggin’ Michigan boy Billy Strings on Friday, May 28. After all that calms down, California-born Nashville country singer Jon Pardi, with special guest, Mississippi country singer-songwriter Jameson Rodgers, play the next night, Saturday, May 29.
Bonnaroo veterans and genre-fusing forces of nature The Avett Brothers are booked for the weekend of July 2 through 4, undoubtedly sounding like they swallowed amplifiers before taking stage (the boys are loud). Ticket prices for all shows range from $99 to $450 (for four tickets).
All of these shows already scheduled (with the exception of Aldean’s live stream) are in-person, socially distanced shows with tickets sold in four-person “pods,” according to the Bonnaroo Farm website.
INFORMATION OF NOTE:
The Farm is located at 1560 New Bushy Branch Rd. in Manchester, Tennessee. Directions, tickets and official expedited passenger drop-off and pick-up locations, as well as a proper venue map, can be found at bonnaroofarm.com.
Will call at the Bonnaroo Farm box offices open an hour prior to the events.
Everyone, their stuff, and their vehicle(s) can be searched. Security will screen your belongings upon entry, take any banned items, and/or kick you out. There is no protocol set by Bonnaroo Farms to get your stuff back, so they advise leaving it at home or with a vehicle. There are no bags permitted unless they’re the transparent, clear plastic kind. Remove your foldable carrying chairs and blankets from any carrying bags before entering and make sure they are empty.
Allowed in only are carry-able, non-obstructing unbagged chairs (up to four) and/or blankets. Phones are allowed in, but no proper cameras. This list is subject to change without notice.
All security measures and lists are subject to change without notice.
Masks are required when roaming around outside of designated “pod” personal bubble areas at the Bonnaroo Farm, which are socially distanced.
No backpacks or coolers, smoking or vaping, outside food or beverage (including water, as food and beverages are sold at the venue via mobile ordering and pick up from the chosen vendor’s stand), weapons, illegal substances, explosives or fireworks, animals (except service animals), professional audio/video recording devices, drones or umbrellas. You’re there to look at a music performance and hang out in an open field with people.
As a rain-or-shine event, if the weather becomes unruly or severe, the Bonnaroo Farm staff will post so on their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.
The Bonnaroo Farm is ADA-accessible. Children under two do not require a ticket. There are no ATMs onsite.
PLAN YOUR TRIP:
Bonnaroofarm.com’s information section has a pull-down, “Experience Tennessee – Lodging & Accommodations.” The “Where to Stay” link pops up a tnvacation.com tab, opening their “Plan Your Trip” tab for “Things to Do” around Manchester, featuring cultural sites, Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park and Arrowheads to Aerospace Museum, for some neat, quick local history; Manchester’s extensive parks and recreation scene, an ongoing municipal endeavor with a multi-million-dollar rec complex thought to be modeled after the early ’90s Donelson “Y” on Lebanon Pike; also touted are Manchester event venues The Church @ 117 and their county conference center for those needing to gather. The Willowbrook Golf Club and Myer’s Pond (Manchester’s catch-and-release fishing hole) are around for sport, as well as plenty of shopping with antique malls, craft shops, children’s shops and local food shops.
Back at the bonnaroofarm.com information section’s tnvacation.com link “Where to Eat and Drink” pops up with just that, showing options for Manchester restaurants Jiffy Burger, West Main Street Brick Oven, Prater’s Bar-B-Que, Boskey’s Grille, Crazy Daisies, Bites of Europe and The Mercantile Cafe and Sweet Simplicity Bakery (insiders call it The Mercan). There’s also Common John Brewing Company and Beans Creek Winery.
The next bonnaroofarm.com information section link, “What to Do,” brings up the “Places to Stay” option for the Manchester area at tnvacation.com. There, you’ll find options for The Comfort Suites Manchester and Manchester KOA, a free local campground. Both are just off I-24 at the southern edge of Manchester right next to the Bonnaroo Farm. Camping accommodations are not available at the Bonnaroo Farm.
Little afternoon trips to Manchester area’s surrounding areas Tullahoma, McMinnville, Cookeville and Murfreesboro can be fun, too!
All information about the Bonnaroo Farm’s Concerts at the Farm series, updates and all, can be found at bonnaroofarm.com. Tourism information to help guide your way through time spent in Manchester can be found at tnvacation.com.
