Bonnaroo gets working toilets, showers

We're still a week away from learning who will perform at this year's Bonnaroo  — but another announcement the music festival made this week is generating almost as much excitement.

Plumbing is coming to Bonnaroo.

On Tuesday the festival announced that it now has a permanent water line, and will install more than 400 flushable toilets and hundreds of new shower stalls on its grounds at Great Stage Park in Manchester.

That's music to the ears of Bonnaroo attendees, the vast majority of whom camp in tents and RVs for the four-day festival. But it's also a sign of where Bonnaroo — and the park — will head in years to come.

Bonnaroo lineup to be revealed Jan. 19 on 'Conan'

For one thing, Bonnaroo co-founder Rick Farman hopes their facility improvements will encourage Middle Tennesseans and others who've been on the fence about attending.

"We want Bonnaroo to be the most inclusive it can be," he said.  "And this is one of those things that we think helps send the right message about that."

Bonnaroo isn't ready to announce more specifics about future plans for the site, but Farman said this year's additions are "just phase 1." They're also working on irrigation on the main festival grounds, which should improve the turf in years to come.

These developments have been made a reality through Bonnaroo's new relationship with Live Nation, which last year purchased a controlling stake in the festival. The massive entertainment company also owns Ticketmaster and controls more than 60 festivals around the world.

Another possible development: Farman said Great Stage Park will host additional, non-Bonnaroo events in the future.

"The game plan is not for this to be a one-event facility," he said. "In the past, we haven't had the right dynamic to do that in the way that we would have liked, but now with Live Nation as our partner, and the resources they have, the potential is really unlimited. We are heading in that direction, I think. We're obviously sensitive to, and will work with the community on all levels of this to make sure that what we're doing makes sense."

This year's Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival takes place June 9-12. The lineup will be revealed on Jan. 19.