The remainder of music festival Bonnaroo has been cancelled due to weather just days after the death of one of its co-founders.
Set to run through Sunday at Bonnaroo Farm in Manchester, Tennessee, the music festival was cancelled Friday evening after hours of delays and even an evacuation notice.
“Today, the National Weather Service provided us with an updated forecast with significant and steady precipitation that will produce deteriorating camping and egress conditions in the coming days,” Bonnaroo shared via Instagram. “We are beyond gutted, but we must make the safest decision and cancel the remainder of Bonnaroo.”
The festival promised at least partial refunds for all ticket holders, many of whom paid hundreds of dollars to attend.
Luke Combs was the only of the four headliners to deliver a performance. He took the stage Thursday night and performed alongside fellow country star Miranda Lambert onstage, as well as Marcus King and Jon Bellion.
The other headliners, Tyler, the Creator, Olivia Rodrigo and Hozier, have all had their sets cancelled. Additional performers slated to take the stage included Vampire Weekend, GloRilla, Tyla, Avril Lavigne, Queens of the Stone Age, John Summit, Dom Dolla, and Glass Animals.
“We have put our hearts and souls into making this weekend the most special one of the year, and cannot express how crushed we are to have made this decision,” Bonnaroo’s statement concluded. “Thank you in advance for your patience, your positivity and your unfailing Bonnaroovian spirit.”
Many fans were disappointed by the cancellation, with some noting it wasn’t the first time in recent years attendees found themselves in this situation.
“Wondering what this means for the future of bonnaroo honestly. 3 cancellations in 5 years isn’t looking good for us,” one fan wrote on Instagram.
“First and last bonnaroo. Absolute s*** show, not to mention not a speck of rain was seen after they cancelled,” another shared, while someone else agreed: “Literally spent THOUSANDS of dollars flying from Hawaii……. first roo and most likely my last.”
The fan-favorite festival’s last minute cancellation came days after the death of one of its co-founders.
Jonathan Mayers, who helped create a number of major American festivals, died earlier this week at 51. No cause of death has yet been announced.
In a statement to Billboard, Red Light Management founder Coran Capshaw said: “This is incredibly tough news for so many of us. Jon was the creative force behind so much of what people experience at Bonnaroo, Outside Lands, and many other events over the years. We’re all really going to miss him.”
Mayers co-founded promotions company Superfly with partners Rick Farman, Richard Goodstone and Kerry Black in 1996. They hosted their first concert during Mardi Gras.
The four worked together to launch Bonnaroo in 2002 after securing the festival site on farmland in Manchester, an hour outside of Nashville. They worked closely with Capshaw’s Red Light Management and other industry figures to book headliners, including the Grateful Dead’s Phil Lesh and Bob Weir.
In 2008, Mayers partnered with Another Planet Entertainment to create the Outside Lands festival in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park.
Mayers left Superfly acrimoniously in 2021, and the following year sued his former partners Farman, Goodstone and Black, accusing them of civil misrepresentation, breach of contract and fraud. Mayers alleged that they had misrepresented the value of his shares in the promotions company. The lawsuit was dismissed in 2023.
Superfly said in a statement to Billboard: “We are heartbroken with the passing of Jonathan. He was a cherished part of Superfly’s story, woven into it’s history and legacy. In addition to the role he’s played in bringing joy to millions, we will miss his razor sharp wit, infectious smile and contagious laugh. No one could light up a room like Jon.”
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