After the unprecedented cancellation of Bonnaroo 2025, fans have had big questions about the future of the festival and in this episode, we get real answers straight from C3 Presents, the team that puts on the festival. Brad Parker, Festival Director and Cory Smith, Marketing Manager join us today for an in-depth look at the changes to Thursday programming, the removal of Tuesday entry, campground changes, stage updates, and more.
Many thanks to our Discord members for submitting questions for Brad and Cory! Fan feedback definitely plays a role in shaping the future of Bonnaroo, and we are very fortunate for Brad and Cory to sit down with us and answer all these questions and more. Join our server at: https://thewhat.co/discord
Listen to this episode with Brad and Cory here or watch it on YouTube. As always, subscribe to The What Podcast wherever you get podcasts for weekly updates on Bonnaroo and festival news!
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CHAPTERS
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:02:54) Recapping 2025's cancellation
(00:22:10) Thursday welcome party
(00:27:43) Removal of Tuesday entry
(00:34:36) How many less tickets will be sold
(00:35:09) The Infinity Stage
(00:38:25) Kalliope, Outeroo, and the Who Stage
(00:44:51) 2025 artists returning for 2026
(00:46:17) Missed performances this year
(00:49:12) Roo Residency and jam bands
(00:52:49) Lineup, ticket sales, and pricing
(00:55:33) Vibe check
(01:01:39) Changes to camping and 1-day ticket sales
(01:03:36) Outro
LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
When Bonnaroo Breaks Your Heart: Our Reaction to the 2025 Cancellation
Bonnaroo Community Spotlight: How Church Boners Became a Festival Family
Bonnaroo Lineup Behind the Scenes - Interview With AC Entertainment
How Bonnaroo Changed Manchester Forever: Live from Planet Roo
Thumbnail photo by: Evan Brown
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