Story and photo by Zoe Naylor
MTSU Seigenthaler News Service
The last day of Bonnaroo 2023 coincided with Father’s Day. While families are few and far between at the music and arts festival, some parents ventured out to The Farm for the weekend, making new memories at concerts with their kids.
Many of the dads in attendance on this Father’s Day weekend are seen, in true dad fashion, sporting baseball caps and band t-shirts. They fill up Camelbak backpacks at hydration stations, air up inflatable couches before musicians’ sets (five minutes early, of course) and navigate their families through the crowds to different stages across the festival grounds, with one hand gesturing directions and the other holding a map.
The Ratliffs, of Richmond, Virginia, are one of these families taking on Bonnaroo this weekend. The family of four made the eight-and-a-half-hour drive to Bonnaroo to see some of the parents’ favorite artists. Graham, the patriarch, has enjoyed seeing The Beths and Rina Sawayama, but he is most excited to see the Pixies for the third time.
“They’re kind of a dad band,” he joked sheepishly.
Coming to Roo was his wife Julia’s idea. “I kinda strong-armed him into it,” she said as she smiled.
This is her fourth year attending, but it’s the first Roo for the couple’s middle-school aged kids, a daughter, Aurora, and a son, Odin. Even though it is Graham’s second year at the festival, Julia knew camping on Bonnaroo grounds would be out of her husband’s comfort zone.
“The whole camping experience, I think it’s kind of not his vibe,” she said gently.
“I don’t mind camping,” Graham responded immediately. “The camping did get better once they opened the showers at our pavilion…I was feeling a little sticky,” he said.
Camping could have been more uncomfortable if the Ratliffs weren’t in FamilyRoo, the designated area for family camping.
“It’s nice. It’s got a good, pleasant vibe to it,” said Graham, about FamilyRoo. “Not as much exuberant late-night activity as some of the other plazas, so (the kids) can get ahead on sleep.”
Although it’s been a deviation from their typical Father’s Day — which usually consists of fishing, kayaking and swimming in a creek off Chesapeake Bay — the couple have enjoyed the quality time with their middle school-age children, who have liked seeing the different music tastes between them and their parents.
Also at the festival is the Cooper family from Dallas, Texas. Elliott and Hillary Cooper brought their daughters Hayes and Elise, ages five and six. Winding up their weekend early, the Coopers will spend Father’s Day travelling back home, braving the 12-hour drive in a single day.
“We’ve got Girl Scout camp starting on Monday,” said Elliott.
Both sets of parents understand this situation well: a weekend trip provides a nice reprieve before Monday comes around. At The Farm, the Ratliffs have enjoyed talking music and eating popsicles together. The Coopers have loved the festival’s face glitter and Ferris wheel.
For Julia, the festival serves as a reminder of her father. “My dad died last January, and we used to go to music together all the time…It’s good to get out and make those memories while you can.” On this sunny Father’s Day weekend on the dusty Bonnaroo grounds, the Coopers and the Ratliffs are doing exactly that.
Zoe Naylor is a staff writer for MTSU Sidelines.
To contact News Editor Kailee Shores and Assistant News Editor Alyssa Williams, email newseditor@mtsusidelines.com.
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