In 2025, almost 50 students from MTSU swapped summer classrooms for a learning experience at Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival. But before students got the chance to finish working the festival, the storms rolled in.
Organizers canceled Bonnaroo 2025 on Friday evening due to severe weather, cutting the students’ experience short. While the quashed festival disappointed many, some faculty and professors shared concern as storms hit the grounds, so the cancellation didn’t come as a surprise. They faced the situation with optimism, embracing the real-world aspect of the abrupt changes.
“While we are certainly heartbroken that Bonnaroo has to be canceled, it remains a great learning opportunity for our students,” said Beverly Keel, dean of Media and Entertainment. “They were able to see up close how real-time decisions are made and should be prioritized.”
Located in nearby Manchester, Tennessee, Students from the university’s College of Media and Entertainment began capturing the four-day festival in 2014. At the event, students mix sound, film performances and photograph the festival through multiple Bonnaroo classes, getting a unique, hands-on experience.
Professors such as Jonathan Trundle – who brought four photography students to The Farm – are just grateful for the experience.
“I completely understand why it was canceled, so it’s not a disappointment, it’s just, [we have to] make the best that we can with what we have,” Trundle said. “We’re really happy that we had the one full day.”
One of his photography students, Kamryn Elliott, rued missing out on sets from artists like Megadeth. But after a long weather delay Friday, she wasn’t surprised by the festival’s abrupt end.
“I was partially expecting it, or at least [a delay]. I had that in the back of my mind that [we] might not get the full experience. I was still pretty upset,” Elliott said.
Other students mourned the missed opportunities for their portfolios and careers.
Junior Sarah Li had been looking forward to taking the photography class since freshman year. She aims to be a concert photographer after graduation and hoped that Bonnaroo would provide the opportunity to gain real-world experience.
“I was looking forward to beefing up my portfolio because Bonnaroo is a big festival and there are so many big headliners,” Li said. “It would be great for my concert portfolio.”
Nevertheless, students got some work done, including filming performances to be streamed on Hulu and snapping photos for local publications.
As for the university’s official reaction?
“Though the mud will wash away, their memories will last forever,” Keel said in a statement.
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