When Luke Combs sang "When It Rains It Pours," he didn't mean literally. But sadly, his longtime favorite hit a little too close to home for those attending Bonnaroo in Manchester, Tennessee.
The 2025 edition of Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, which was slated to be headlined by Combs, Olivia Rodrigo, Hozier and Tyler, the Creator, kicked off on Thursday (June 12) under blue Tennessee skies, with thousands of eager fans pouring into The Farm for what was supposed to be four days of genre-spanning music, community and immersive art. But just as the energy on The Farm began to peak, Mother Nature had other plans.
By Friday afternoon, the entire festival was canceled due to severe weather forecasts, making Thursday the only full day of music at this year’s event (with Luke Combs as the sole headliner to perform). And as this isn't the first time weather has affected the four-day festival, its future remains uncertain. Bonnaroo previously canceled in 2021 due to flood waters, after scrapping the 2020 edition because of the pandemic.
“Everyone who works on this show loves Bonnaroo deeply," the festival said in a statement announcing the sudden change of plans on June 13. "This cancellation broke our hearts beyond measure, but we knew it had to happen for your safety.”
Initially offering a 75% refund to four-day pass holders, organizers reversed course on Friday (June 20) following public backlash, committing to full refunds for all ticket types, camping and parking passes.
But now, the question is, will Bonnaroo return in 2026? And if it does, what will it look like?
“At this time, we will not be announcing future dates. When plans for the future take shape, you all will be the first to know,” the Live Nation-owned festival followed up on social media on Monday (June 23), further adding they are seeking input from fans about the possibility of shifting dates to later in the summer or later in the year, or even opting out of an annual event altogether.
“When Bonnaroo happens each year, how that affects your experience on The Farm, and if certain times of the year might make it easier or more difficult to attend,” the post’s caption said. “We want you to be a part of this process, so we’ll keep you posted on any updates and likely ask you to weigh in on more considerations in the coming months.”
The fact that Live Nation seems to be taking unconventional measures in handling this year's cancellation suggests future editions of Bonnaroo will likely be different. Considering it's one of the three or four marquee festivals in the U.S., it's hard to imagine a future without Bonnaroo at all, but it may not be an annual gathering of sweaty, muddy fans in the middle of June when it does return.
Nonetheless, see photos from Thursday of Bonnaroo 2025 below, by Dan DeSlover.
