This year will be my fourth in a row that I'm heading out to the farmlands of Manchester, Tenn. So, I thought I'd share a few tips from what I've learned over the years:

— Bring plenty of water. Better yet, freeze them. Keep your cooler packed with frozen bottles and a few non-frozen. When you head out for the day, bring a frozen bottle with you — as it slowly melts in the mid-day sun, you'll have cold water for a lot longer than you would a cold bottle.

— Bring Gatorade packets that you can dump into a 16-ounce bottle. I found that I drank a lot less last year when I was drinking Gatorade.

— God bless the inventor of wicking t-shirts. It's going to be hot, and there won't be much shade. Those wicking shirts will help you stay a bit cooler, too.

— The showers are usually ice cold. Instead of taking one in the morning, wait until mid-afternoon when you're hot and sweaty and a cold shower feels fantastic.

— I don't recommend specific vendors, but find the samosa guy near That Tent — he's been there the last two years and has the best food you can find in the festival. $3 chicken curry samosas are the way to go.

— Give a chance to some bands you haven't heard before. Bonnaroo is a great way to check out up-and-coming artists and give them a chance.

— Don't expect to get a lot of sleep. This year, bands will be performing until 6 a.m. on the Lunar Stage... I think I got a total of 14 hours of sleep last year... Rest up.

— Stay hydrated.

— You're going to do a lot of walking - bring comfortable shoes.

— Bring a poncho in case of rain.

— Porta-johns are cleaned pretty regularly, but they're still porta-johns. Hand sanitizer, toilet paper and the ability to hold your breath are all good suggestions.

— Have fun and enjoy the music.