The What Podcast
The What Podcast
Barry Courter and Bryan Stone
Bonnaroo's Cancellation: A City Official on the Long-Term Vision for The Farm
1 hour 15 minutes Posted Aug 26, 2026 at 3:30 pm.
The News, One Week Later and a Rolling Stone Shoutout
How We Got Here: From a 2002 "Hippie Fest" to Rolling Stone
David Bruce & Ryan French Join
Bonnaroo the "Bell Cow" and What It Means for Other Festivals
What a Year Off Costs Manchester
The Community Response and Keeping Bonnaroo Alive
Looking Forward and Moving Ahead
Reflecting on Past Cancellations
Mini-Roos and 2027 Events
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Show notes
Bonnaroo is taking 2027 off, and we wanted to dig into what's next. This week we're joined by David Bruce (I Am Bonnaroo) and Ryan French, a Manchester city councilman and tourism official with a front-row seat to what a fallow year actually means for the town Bonnaroo calls home. We get into the economic ripple through Manchester, why Bonnaroo is the "bell cow" for festivals far beyond itself, what a year off does to the local businesses and community that depend on it, and why our guests are hopeful about 2028 and beyond.