Last week, I wrote about the CMA Music Festival that was taking place here in Nashville. This week, I am turning my attention to another middle Tennessee festival that starts today: Bonnaroo.

Bonnaroo (or simply "Roo") is relatively new to the festival scene. While CMA Fest dates back to 1972, the first Bonnaroo didn't take place until 2002. In Bonnaroo's early days, it was almost as famous for the traffic jams on I-24 as it was for the festival. I heard nightmarish stories of people waiting in their cars 12+ hours to get off the interstate at Manchester (the site of the festival). To the extent that I had any inkling of desire to attend Bonnaroo back then, the traffic problems provided a convenient excuse. Moreover, as someone with a strong affinity for creature comforts like air conditioning, I wasn't exactly the target demographic for an outdoor festival that takes place on a farm.

Much to my surprise (and delight), Bonnaroo has evolved and matured into a festival that transcends music. Bonnaroo now promotes all branches of the arts as well as health, fitness, and wellness activities. The Bonnaroo experience is well captured in this short film:

Bonnaroo is now considered one of the best arts and music festivals in the United States (source). Last year, there were over 90,000 attendees. With an eclectic mix of headliners like Elton John, Kanye West, Jack White, and Lionel Richie, this year's festival will likely surpass that attendance figure.

To protect the Bonnaroo brand (and its Roo variations), its organizers have secured a number of federal trademark registrations covering all types of goods and services. Here is a sampling:

BONNAROO, U.S. Reg. No. 2,695,269, for concert booking; entertainment services, namely, live music concerts; conducting entertainment exhibitions in the nature of live music festivals

BONNAROO, U.S. Reg. No. 2,713,386, for clothing

BONNAROO, U.S. Reg. No. 2,749,870, for musical sound recordings and musical video recordings

PLANET ROO, U.S. Reg. No. 4,375,890, for entertainment services, namely, live music concerts; conducting entertainment exhibitions in the nature of motion picture displays, theatre, comedy shows, Yoga instruction, dance instruction; educational services, namely, providing exhibitions, seminars, lectures, workshops, and interactive commentaries in the fields of the art, music, theater, dance, healthy lifestyles, education, environmental protection, social justice, gardening, and instrument building

CENTEROO, U.S. Reg. No. 4,387554, for mobile retail vendor services featuring souvenirs, music, clothing, jewelry, apparel, clothing and home décor accessories, posters, art, crafts, general consumer merchandise, home furnishings, gifts, food and beverages, wristbands, sarongs, and aluminum water bottles sold empty

BROO'ERS, U.S. Reg. No. 4,524,281, for serving food and drinks; restaurant, bar and cocktail lounge services

The organizers also have a federal trademark registration for Bonnaroo's logo in black and white:

Federal trademark registrations provide a number of important benefits, and Bonnaroo's growing trademark portfolio will help secure the long-term success of the brand. This will ensure that "Bonnaroonies" have a place to gather every June for years to come.

The lawyers at Trademarkology provide trademark registration services backed by the experience and service of one of the nation's oldest law firms. Click here to begin the process of protecting your brand name with a federally registered trademark.