Bonnaroo Arch Destroyed by Fire
Less than a month before the annual Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival is scheduled to take place, the site has been dealt a blow.
The arch that welcomes concertgoers to Great Stage Park in Manchester, Tenn., has been destroyed in a fire, but organizers said it was deliberately burned due to "significant structural issues" with the piece.
According to Jambase, a Twitter account called Festive Owl, which devotes itself to the music-festival scene, posted pictures of the arch on fire and its remains on the ground. There's also a screenshot of what is possibly a direct message conversation with the festival's official account, which responded, "The arch had recently discovered significant structural issues and needs to be replaced."
The festival then tweeted a photo collage of the arch with the message, "Goodbye, old friend! This incarnation of the Bonnaroo Arch had significant structural issues and needed to be removed. The Arch has changed throughout the years, and we're exited for it's newest incarnation. Stay tuned and share your favorite arch pic!"
Bonnaroo. which has been held annually since 2002, is one of the biggest multi-day music festivals in the U.S., with audience estimates often approaching 80,000. This year's version will take place from June 13-16, with headlining slots by Phish, Childish Gambino, Post Malone and the Lumineers. Cardi B, Brandi Carlile, the Avett Brothers, Hozier, Kacey Musgraves, the National, Courtney Barnett and Beach House are also on the bill.