Bonnaroo contributed $339 million to regional economy

With the announcement of this year’s lineup, a recent economic impact study showed that in 2023 the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival contributed over $339 million into the regional economy.

According to the economic impact study, provided by officials to The News, the 2023 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival contributed $339.8 million to the regional economy, which included more than $5.1 million in tax revenue to the region. Per the study, the festival’s activities was responsible for 4,164 full-time job equivalents, including full-time employees and part-time employees working full-time hours. The report also revealed that regional employees were paid more than $105.5 million in labor income.

During the festival, Bonnaroo brought in over 70,000 attendees during the four day period, which featured over 100 artists from around the world and dozens of premier local food and drink vendors, per the report.

The top sectors by the economic output were food and beverages ($103.8 million), car rental ($29.1 million) and ground passenger transportation ($28.8 million). Similarly, the top sectors by jobs created or sustained were food and beverages (1,402 jobs), ground passenger transportation (1,104 jobs) and entertainment (277 jobs).

As for the impact of attendee expenditures, which included expenditures for both on and off site of the festival grounds, Bonnaroovian expenditures accounted for $286.8 million of the total economic impact of the festival. The expenditures resulted in a total of 3,500 full-time job equivalents hired or sustained, with over $91.6 million was paid in labor income to regional employees as a result of the attendee expenditures.

Also in the report was the tax expenditures generated by Bonnaroo. In 2023, the music and arts festival generated $29.9 million in total tax expenditures, which consists of $5.1 million in tax revenue for the region, $12 million in state tax revenue and $12.7 million in federal tax revenue. The top tax expenditures were bars/alcohol at $7.3 million, car rentals at $4.1 million and entertainment at $3.6 million.

Festival Director Brad Parker said in a statement that organizers were proud to share Bonnaroo’s economic impact to the city of Manchester, Coffee County and the state of Tennessee.

“Bonnaroo is an extraordinary experience that brings tens of thousands to the region each year, and through this study and additional efforts to improve the community that Bonnaroo calls home, it’s undeniable that the festival’s benefits extend well beyond The Farm,” Parker said.

The 2024 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival announced this year’s lineup in January, with Pretty Lights, Post Malone, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Fred again.. headlining the festival. Other major acts that will be performing including Fisher, T-Pain, Megan Thee Stallion, Maggie Rogers, Melanie Martinez, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Carly Rae Jepsen, Gary Clark Jr., Khruangbin, The Mars Volta, Cage the Elephant, Jon Batiste and many others who will be performing at The Farm this year.

The presale began Thurs, Jan. 11, where Bonnaroovians can sign up for a presale passcode exclusively via www.bonnaroo.com/tickets. Ticket options include four-day General Admission, four-day GA+, four-day VIP, four-day Platinum, along with a variety of camping and parking options starting at just $25 down with a payment plan. For more information, visit bonnaroo.com.