Bonnaroo First-Timers - Help Us! (Manchester: buy, scorpions, pharmacies)

[Niki Rooney]

My friend and I are hitting Bonnaroo music festival for the first time. We're coming over from the UK, and are both (extremely) novice campers (read utterly clueless). I'm petrified of scorpions, my friend's terrified of snakes and spiders. Understandably, we have some mild concerns.

Can anyone help to appease our worries please? Are there any tips for dealing with creepie crawlies and bugs in general and is there anything in particular we should watch out for or be aware of? I don't really know anything about mosquitos, we don't have them here... What's the best way to make sure we don't get eaten alive? Also, any non-bug related tips for the festival?

Should the weather be decent while we're there as well? We've been checking weather updates daily online, but it doesn't look very promising. Will it be ridiculously hot by the time Bonnaroo rolls around?

We're staying in Nashville for a few nights as well, and wondered if anyone has any tips of highlights or absolute must-sees. We'll probably never get to make this trip again, so we really want to get the most out of it while we're there and would appreciate any pointers at all please! Thank you!

[JMT]

Originally Posted by Niki Rooney

My friend and I are hitting Bonnaroo music festival for the first time. We're coming over from the UK, and are both (extremely) novice campers (read utterly clueless). I'm petrified of scorpions, my friend's terrified of snakes and spiders. Understandably, we have some mild concerns.

Can anyone help to appease our worries please? Are there any tips for dealing with creepie crawlies and bugs in general and is there anything in particular we should watch out for or be aware of? I don't really know anything about mosquitos, we don't have them here... What's the best way to make sure we don't get eaten alive? Also, any non-bug related tips for the festival?

Should the weather be decent while we're there as well? We've been checking weather updates daily online, but it doesn't look very promising. Will it be ridiculously hot by the time Bonnaroo rolls around?

We're staying in Nashville for a few nights as well, and wondered if anyone has any tips of highlights or absolute must-sees. We'll probably never get to make this trip again, so we really want to get the most out of it while we're there and would appreciate any pointers at all please! Thank you!

Welcome to Tennessee!

Coming from the UK, you might be a little overwhelmed by the hot, muggy summer weather. Be sure to drink a lot of water.

Camping can be a lot of fun, and as a general rule there aren't THAT many bugs when you go camping around here. And forget about scorpions, those are pretty much confined to the deserts.

Get some bug spray such as Off, it'll keep the mosquitos and everything else off of you. You can get it in a spray form or as a lotion, and you can pick it up just about everywhere: grocery stores, pharmacies, Wal-Mart, convenience stores.

In Nashville, be sure to visit the Country Music Hall of Fame. Even if you don't like country music, it's fun to experience and read about some of the legends in American music. There are some fun night clubs with live music in downtown Nashville that tourists seem to enjoy. You might also want to take in a performance at the Grand Ole Opry which will be a completely different, more sedate experience from Bonnaroo.

I hope you and your friend have a wonderful time in Tennessee!

[kamoshika]

Originally Posted by Niki Rooney

My friend and I are hitting Bonnaroo music festival for the first time. We're coming over from the UK, and are both (extremely) novice campers (read utterly clueless). I'm petrified of scorpions, my friend's terrified of snakes and spiders. Understandably, we have some mild concerns.

Can anyone help to appease our worries please? Are there any tips for dealing with creepie crawlies and bugs in general and is there anything in particular we should watch out for or be aware of? I don't really know anything about mosquitos, we don't have them here... What's the best way to make sure we don't get eaten alive?

I've never made it down to Bonnaroo but I can assure you that you'll see no scorpions and almost certainly no snakes while you're there; you & your friend have absolutely nothing to worry about. You'll encounter no dangerous spiders, either, though you'll probably see harmless ones while camping. Just keep your tent zipped up & you'll have no problems or freak-outs w/ any creepy crawlies.

The only real nuisance will probably be mosquitoes during the evenings. Buy some DEET-based insect repellent (spray, lotion or wipes; Cutter's a good brand) and you'll be well protected. Try to get one that's 20-30% DEET.

Should the weather be decent while we're there as well? We've been checking weather updates daily online, but it doesn't look very promising. Will it be ridiculously hot by the time Bonnaroo rolls around?

Impossible to know for sure, but count on it being hot & sunny most days with a possible shower or two. The average high in Manchester in mid-June is 81 degrees F (27 C), but it was extraordinarily hot during last year's event with highs in the mid-90s (35-36 C). Most importantly be sure to stay hydrated, wear a hat and slather yourself generously w/ sunscreen (at least SPF 30).

Some camping tips from Bonnaroo veterans:

Bonnaroo Camping Checklist: Things you will need
Bonnaroo Community: View forum - Camping and Facilities
Bonnaroo survival guide
Bonnaroo FAQ

Two last bits of advice: Practice setting up your tent before you get to Bonnaroo, and be sure to put a plastic tarp beneath it. Hope y'all have a great time in Tennessee!

[JoAnn5]

Bring a LARGE beach-type umbrella... then you will have it for shade if the sun shines, or a little protection from rain if that should happen. Also bring plenty of patience. The traffic is horrendous near the Bonnaroo site.

[Tam4givin]

I think every year on that week end it is ridiculously hot and it rains. I always see the messy muddy people on TV.

[LauraC]

Originally Posted by Niki Rooney

My friend and I are hitting Bonnaroo music festival for the first time. We're coming over from the UK, and are both (extremely) novice campers (read utterly clueless). I'm petrified of scorpions, my friend's terrified of snakes and spiders. Understandably, we have some mild concerns.

Can anyone help to appease our worries please? Are there any tips for dealing with creepie crawlies and bugs in general and is there anything in particular we should watch out for or be aware of? I don't really know anything about mosquitos, we don't have them here... What's the best way to make sure we don't get eaten alive? Also, any non-bug related tips for the festival?

Should the weather be decent while we're there as well? We've been checking weather updates daily online, but it doesn't look very promising. Will it be ridiculously hot by the time Bonnaroo rolls around?

We're staying in Nashville for a few nights as well, and wondered if anyone has any tips of highlights or absolute must-sees. We'll probably never get to make this trip again, so we really want to get the most out of it while we're there and would appreciate any pointers at all please! Thank you!

For your time in Nashville, go to the Tennessee Vacation website (state tourism website) June calendar:

Tennessee Vacation - Calendar

and look for Nashville events on the days you will be visiting. Keep hitting NEXT at the bottom of each page to see more pages. Some events are free.

It's already hot.

[Niki Rooney]

Thank you all for your help. How naive are we? We thought we'd get eaten alive by creatures the moment we stepped off the plane.

We're really excited now. Thank you all again for your tips, we really appreciate it.