Bonnaroo has come and gone but its memories will continue to inspire its guests until 2015’s festival takes place. With a lineup consisting of perhaps its most balanced ensemble of performers yet, the many attendees of Roo poured their hearts into radiating positivity and upholding the key tenets of the Bonnaroovian code. In order to capture the best of this year’s festival, we have listed 8 key moments that best summed up the experience of Bonnaroo 2014. Take a look below:

The Infamous “What-Which Ditch” Becomes A Bridge

All Bonnaroo veterans understand this problem that has plagued the festival since its inception. In the past the What and Which stages, the festival’s two biggest stages, have been separated by a very steep and muddy ditch. A nuisance at the very least, this ditch has caused severe traffic problems during peak hours when two big acts respectively stop and start up on the two stages.

Luckily for us Rooers, festival organizers heard our complaints and took a fantastic effort in remedying the ditch. This year a full-fledged bridge was built over the ditch and enabled a steady flow of traffic to move between the What and Which stages. The bridge remained sturdy all weekend and prevented many guests from getting their shoes muddy or getting stuck in a stand-still of traffic. Thank you, Bonnaroo!

Omar Souleyman Gets The Party Started

Syrian musician Omar Souleyman got things going on Thursday for the Bonnaroovians looking to dance late into the night. Souleyman performs traditional Middle Eastern Songs in Kurdish and Arabic with a sick electronic twist. That Tent was overflowing with energy at 10:30 PM as a large crowd gathered and grooved to the unique sounds. It was evident that everyone in attendance was just having a kick-ass time while a larger message was embraced: unity. Tons of people from around the country and globe were all dancing to the same beats from a super talented Middle Eastern musician.

Buzz Lightyear Balloon Flies Away During “Rocket Man”

Bonnaroo has always been chock-full of special moments you won’t find at any other festival. Perhaps the most memorable Roo moment occurred during Elton John’s closing set when a Buzz Lightyear Balloon took flight during his tearjerking performance of the hit song “Rocket Man.” The balloon could be seen floating among crowds all weekend and his departure fit the song choice perfectly. Little moments like these make the festival all the more memorable and bear testament to the crowd’s essential role in shaping each person’s Bonnaroo experience.

Bob Ross Lookalike Gives Roo-ers Paintings During Kaskade’s Set

Another aspect of the Bonnaroo crowd that resonates is the commitment seen in many people’s artistry, most notably seen in costumes, totems, and campsites. During Kaskade’s sunrise set on Sunday morning, a Roo-er dressed up as famous artist Bob Ross painted portraits and handed them out to people in the crowd. Set-up with a stand and all, this Bob Ross impersonator (referred to as Bob G. Ross) took the initiative to not only give guests an extra moment to enjoy but also embodied his character by painting each piece one at a time. Stay true Roo indeed.

LED Covered VW Beetle and High and Mighty Brass Band Lead a Parade To the First Late Night Set

Bonnaroo gets bigger and better each and every year. The number of attendees, the talent, the food trucks, and the number of stages increase every June on the farm. This year, the Kalliope Stage played FIFA and NBA games on a giant screen by day and hosted banging dance parties thrown by various djs once the sun set.

Around 12:15 AM on Saturday night, the sounds of a brass marching band could be heard billowing through the evening air in Centeroo. Bright umbrellas bopped up and down behind a giant VW Beattle decked out in LED lights headed right for the Kalliope Stage. Trumpets and saxophones from the High and Mighty Brass Band lead the parade of jubilee right into the first laser filled late night set of the weekend. Talk about a proper way to open a brand new stage.

Skrillex Plays Surprise Deep House Set With DJ Mija As The Sun Comes Up

After a night consisting of a super jam filled with performers like Damien Marley, Lauryn Hill, Big Gigantic, and even Mystikal, Skrillex cemented himself as one of the most dedicated perfumers in Bonnaroo history. Not one to call it quits according to mere set times, Skrillex snuck his way over to the Kalliope stage around 6:30 AM to surprise a small crowd with a surprisingly deep set. The Kalliope stage had not hosted a performer on the scale of Skrillex over the weekend.

Skrillex enlisted the help of DJ Mija to blast eclectic grooves over the next hour. Bass emanated from an LED-adorned car which slowly made its way around the surrounding field during the set. By the time the final notes played at 7:30 AM, many were left shocked by the momentous set of which they bore witness. An intimate set from one of EDM’s poster boys can be a rare occurrence and having such a set occur at Bonnaroo reinforced the ways in which the attendee and artist can’t get enough of the festival.

Arctic Monkeys Give a Sunday Wake Up Call

Being the last day of the four most action packed days of the year for many Bonnaroovians, Sunday can leave a lot of people feeling groggy and just about ready to pack up and head back to their beds and indoor plumbing. The Arctic Monkeys gave a shot of energy to everyone at the What Stage at 5:45 PM on Sunday. Their set was flawlessly packed with hits like “R U Mine,” “I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor,” and “Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High.” This band could’ve very well been a headliner. The ladies loved watching the dashing Alex Turner make sweet love to his guitar and microphone, too.

The Skrillex Superjam Brings Everyone From Craig Robinson To Cage the Elephant For A Once-In-A-Lifetime Set

Skrillex makes a second appearance on a list for his brilliant arrangement of his super jam this year. Despite the fact the super jam started late, the set kicked into high gear with a completely live rendition of the song “Recess.” The set found the prolific producer going back and forth between guitar and drums and producers like Zedd and Big Gigantic manning instruments like the piano and saxophone.

The greatest part of the super jam was its manner of attracting seemingly every performer on the bill to play for a song or two. Doors’ member Robby Krieger played guitar before taking up the vocals to the classic Doors’ song “Break On Through”, Craig Robinson told a few jokes and hopped on a keyboard, New Orleans rapper Mystikal cameoed to perform his hit song “Shake Ya Ass”, and Lauryn Hill topped off the incredible lineup with an encore performance of “Ready Or Not” from the Fugees.

The super jam united generations of music into a cohesive 2 hour performance for the ages. Unlike other festival sets, this super jam will never be recreated again. We will be very curious to see how Bonnaroo attempts to one-up this super jam. ‘Til next year!

Photo Credit: Bonnaroo, Mike Greene, Buzznet, Reddit user Fat_People_R_Gross, ConsequenceOfSound.net, and Stereogum.

This post was written by Cody Smith and Katie Conner.

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