Bonnaroo: A Music and Food Oasis Takes Over Tennessee

Bonnaroo, a massive music and arts camping festival celebrating its tenth anniversary, appeared once again this June on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee. Just as quickly as the crowds rolled in to see performances by an array of talent ranging from Eminem and Neil Young to Allison Krauss and the Scissor Sisters, it all vanished as if it were just a dream. There is one memory that may linger even longer than the rest - the food.

The four-day event has grown considerably even since its not-so-humble beginnings. The very first year Bonnaroo sold more than 70,000 tickets in just over two weeks. Bonnaroo's culinary vision has much to thank to the festival's co-founder, Kerry Black. A self-proclaimed foodie, it has been Black's mission to amp up the food offerings just as the festival has continued to evolve in so many complementary ways.

"Bonnaroo has been a phenomenon right out of the gate. What makes it special is the community spirit," shares Black, "It's a camping event so people are in it for four days. It's a friendly, communal vibe." There is no better way to share community than with food and Black pulled out all the stops for this year's festival.

"I wanted to take the food to the next level and decided on the food truck oasis. We had six different food trucks and it became an attraction in and of itself," says Black, "Food trucks are really hot right now and they offer a different experience than typical food vendors. They have a lot of unique personalities." This year's inaugural trucks came from throughout the Southeast and as far away as Tampa Bay, Florida.

The Food Truck Oasis

One of the star attractions was Eatbox, representing Asheville, North Carolina. Ingeniously conceived by Meg Alt and Molly Clark, Eatbox's concept is simple: meatballs - and lots of them. Using locally sourced meats and farm-fresh ingredients, the couple brought more than 25,000 meatballs with them to Bonnaroo and left with just a handful. The women are handy with more than just a meat grinder, too. They built out the truck themselves, spending more than two and a half months to customize what was originally a step van into a veritable meatball machine.

In the spirit of friendly competition, the other food trucks put on a show that rivaled performances on neighboring stages:

Good You (Kansas City, MO) presented an all-organic menu and what may have been the best burger on the grounds.

Pot Kettle Black (Charleston, SC) offered authentic immigrant street food ranging from Chicago-style Italian beef to New Orleans muffaletta.

Petro's (Knoxville, TN) served up homestyle chili and cheese served over corn chips.

Gastropod (Miami, FL) featured chef Jeremiah Bullfrog, who rolled in with kitchen experience from the famed Il Bulli in Spain along with braised short rib sliders.

Taco Bus (Tampa Bay, FL) left fusion for the jazz musicians and presented classic "Mex-Mex" tacos inspired by owner Rene Valenzuela's experience at the street taco stands in her hometown.

The Broo’ers Festival and Beyond

Great food needs a great drink to wash it down, and Bonnaroo didn't disappoint. The Broo'ers Festival featured more than 20 different breweries from throughout the U.S. including well known beers from Magic Hat and Brooklyn Brewery as well as some lesser known microbreweries such as Terrapin and Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project.

Bonnaroo is poised to break new ground as a festival that not only presents A-list performers, but also an environment for a foodie adventure. Black excitedly shares, "Bonnaroo is like a 'choose your own adventure' game - how you create your experience is up to you. I feel like a mad scientist tinkering with the formula every year to make it better for everyone." It will be interesting to see what his recipe for success brings for Bonnaroo 2012.

Click Here for 2012 ticket information.