Just before 10AM Superfly flipped the switch on its PA, unofficially welcoming fans to the fourth annual Bonnaroo Music Festival. After an onsite pre-party featuring acts like ALO, Steel Train, the Benevento/Russo Duo and Gabby La La, among others, Bonnaroo will officially begin this afternoon with a set by Ollabelle, a gospel group fronted by Levon Helm’s daughter Amy.

While fans entering Bonnaroo’s grounds still sorted through miles of traffic en route to the festival grounds, wait times have improved. In past years, festivalgoers weathered up to 12 hours of traffic while entering the Music and Arts Festival. According to local papers, 15 fans were arrested yesterday and 47 were issued drug and alcohol citations. The arrests were part of an increased effort by Coffee County officials to prevent illegal substances from entering the festival grounds. Last year, 27 fans were arrested onsite throughout the three-day festival. 

 In addition to a variety of onsite installations created by Great Northeast Productions, fans are encouraged to create several pieces of communal art in Bonnaroo’s maze of parking lots. Identified with sky-high balloons, each installation is overseen by a team of curators, who created their work from found objects. A sign of how far Bonnaroo’s boundaries now stretch, fans wandering through the festival’s lot can see a small church surrounded by Tent City.