Angry Bonnaroovians Get Full Refunds After Cancellation

Photo Credit: FoldRevolutionary958 / reddit

After the 2025 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival was canceled due to bad weather, organizers announced 75% refunds—pissing off long-time Bonnaroovians in the process.

Tens of thousands of attendees found themselves caught in relentless rain and flooding, with the festival grounds quickly turning into a muddy morass. Videos and social media posts showed festivalgoers wading through ankle-deep water and struggling to navigate the chaotic campground. Organizers made the decision to cancel the final two days of the festival in the interest of safety after receiving a weather report that rainfall would continue.

While some fans lamented the loss of the festival spirit, others camped in the outer grounds acknowledged the necessity of the move given how muddy their campgrounds had become. Many attendees expressed their frustration online, not just because of the cancellation, but because of the logistics and financial fallout. Attendees who invested in tickets, travel, and accommodations for four days lost out big time.

Initial refund plans compounded the disappointment experienced by those in attendance. Four-day ticket holders only received a 75% refund initially, prompting immediate backlash. A petition that circulated online quickly amassed 5,000 signatures, demanding full refunds for all attendees. The petition itself criticized Live Nation for poor communication, mismanagement, and insufficient support getting stuck Bonnaroovians out of the morass.

Attendees took to the comments section under the petition to detail their struggles with money spent and lost on the venture. Others argued that Live Nation should eat the financial burden of the canceled festival rather than passing on the cost to fans. In a statement posted to social media, Bonnaroo’s organizers announced every attendee would receive a full 100% refund—including those with four day passes and campground accommodations.

“We want you to know that we’re still listening and actively discussing plans to improve The Farm that we love so much,” the statement begins. When plans for the future take shape, you all will be the first to know. For now, we are updating the refund to 100% rather than the 75% originally offered.”

The 2025 cancellation marks the third time in five years that Bonnaroo has been disrupted, following cancellations in 2020 for the pandemic and 2021 for severe weather.

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