The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival will donate $240,000 to a variety of New Orleans non-profit groups. The hefty donation is the latest in a series of continuing efforts to promote continued awareness of the rebuilding of New Orleans. Festival promoters Superfly Presents formed in New Orleans in the 1990s and made their name promoters concerts throughout the city like the Superfly During JazzFest concert series. Since Bonnaroos inception in 2002, Superfly and festival co-promoters A.C. Entertainment have booked at least a few New Orleans bands each year and in 2008, Bonnaroo housed its own Somethin Else New Orleans. The intimate stage was modeled after some of the Big Easys most distinctive music venues and featured some of its greatest musical talent. Fans were asked to make a donation upon entering Somethin Else New Orleans throughout the weekend. The money raised from these donations will be part of the gift that the festival is making.

The city of New Orleans and its amazing culture continues to be a major inspiration for us in everything that we do, not just Bonnaroo (whose very name is Crescent City Creole slang for good stuff), Paul Peck of Superfly Productions said in a statement. Additional money for the donation was raised from the benefit concert From the Big Apple to the Big Easy at Radio City Music Hall, which was produced by Radio City Entertainment, Superfly Productions and Red Light management. The concert featured Dave Matthews, Trey Anastasio, Galactic, The Meters, Tom Waits, The Neville Brothers, John Mayer, Joss Stone and several additional acts.
The donations will benefit the New Orleans Habitat Musicians Village / Ellis Marsalis Center for Music, New Orleans Musicians Clinic, NOCCA – New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts and Tipitina’s Foundation.