bonnaroo
Aside from the luscious fields of Manchester and the plants visitors sometimes try to sneak past security, Bonnaroo is indeed going green (and not that kind of green, at least not officially). The annual summer musical festival plans to reduce its reliance on electrical power by introducing a 50-kilowatt solar system to aid in providing approximately 20 percent of its needs.
“We did it because it was the right decision to make and the fans want it,” said Laura Sohn, Bonnaroo’s sustainability coordinator.
An “opt-in” contribution of $1 for fans, available for the last three years on Bonnaroo’s website when purchasing tickets, was launched to help improve the festival’s sustainability with such structures as a compost pad, demonstration garden and a mobile tower of power allowing visitors to charge their phones. Last year, a regular fee of $1 was added to the total cost for more green initiatives.
“As a result, Bonnaroo fans can take full credit for helping Bonnaroo expand its commitment to environmentally focused projects and programs,” said festival spokeswoman Ann Ewing.
There will also be an educational display of the new sustainability project at Plant Roo and fans will be able to see how much power is being generated on the festival website, bonnaroo.com.
Although you might not be able to see them entering into the festival this summer, 196 solar panels are already in place atop metal structures of backstage roofing and are currently taking in solar energy for the June 2013 dates.
Arguably the best music festival in the U.S., Bonnaroo will be held from June 13-16 in Manchester. The full lineup has been announced, with Paul McCartney topping the bill (see back cover for the full list of acts). As usual, The Pulse will cover the highlights of the annual festival in our Summer Guide. Look for updates on our website, chattanoogapulse.com, and on our Facebook page, facebook.com/chattanoogapulse.