Bonnaroo Top 5 Activities: #4 – Shakedown Street

Hippies rejoice!  You can find all the wares you need (and would never need) on “Shakedown Street.”  According to Wikipedia, Shakedown Street is defined as: “In the Deadhead community, and other likeminded musical scenes, an interesting tailgating culture has evolved. More than just a party for fans, it is a way for the faithful to sell wares which in turn fund their tickets and gas to the next concert in order to spend weeks, months, or even entire tours on the road. Along with the more traditional fare, there is a large selection of vegetarian food such as egg rolls, burritos, pizza, and falafel. Certain illicit foods like hash brownies and “ganja gooballs” are also often found among the foods in the parking lots. Other products available for the tailgaters include handmade jewelery, bumper stickers, t-shirts, or certain types of paraphernalia.”  Yeah.  That’s it in a nutshell.

There’s a main Shakedown as you make your way into Centeroo by the arch.  As you walk through this bustling center of free enterprise and opportunism at its finest, you’ll be surrounded by tons of interesting sights, sounds, and smells… Some good, some bad, and some that are downright repulsive.  Drum circles, tons of music (sometimes live), squishy ground, big slices of pizza, rings, hats, artfully created glass, and an myriad of wares are available for your sampling.  (Excelsior highly suggests that you sample each locations local wares!)  Rumor has it that there are other areas on the farm which have their own independent Shakedowns, but they’ve been known to move from year to year.

Do yourself a favor, and remember that Bonnaroo isn’t just a music festival.  It’s a music AND arts festival.  Go check out the many booths around the farm, and bring yourself home a few souvenirs!

A final tip:  If you really want to save a shitload on any purchases you make, hold off either until the last night of the festival, or the day you drive out.  You won’t believe how much money you’ll be able to save, since many vendors are desperately trying to unload as much product as possible!

Keep an eye out for King B and The Train, as we always hit up Shakedown several times during the festival!

- Moe