The year 1969 birthed what may be the most famous music festival of the 20th century: Woodstock. It was three days filled with peace, love and music.

The year 2002 gave this generation quite possibly the closest thing to Woodstock it has been old enough to witness -- Bonnaroo.

The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival is considered the largest music and camping festival in the United States. Rolling Stone named it one of the top 50 moments that changed the history of rock 'n' roll.

Stephen King, an assistant professor in Penn State's School of Music, noted the similarities between Bonnaroo and Woodstock.

"It's an outdoor festival and multi-day camping experience," he said. "It's hard not to look at that and remember Woodstock, which is like the granddaddy of festivals like these."

Bonnaroo is a four-day festival of musical performances, comedy acts, movie screenings, vendors and even a silent disco, held every June on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tenn. This year's festival takes place from June 12 to June 15.

Rick Farman, co-president of Superfly Productions, which created and presents Bonnaroo, said the ground-breaking nature of the event is what sets Bonnaroo apart from other music festivals.

"We just added Chris Rock to the lineup. This is probably going to be the biggest audience for a comedy act we've ever had, and it's the first time a comedian is going to be performing on one of our main stages," Farman said.

The central gathering place for the attendees is known as Centeroo. It features the two main stages, named Which Stage and What Stage (which has a capacity of 100,000 people). There are also several performance tents.

Live music can be heard until 5 in the morning; typically late-night DJ's close the early morning festivities.

Derek Hafley (senior-mechanical engineering) attended his first and only Bonnaroo in 2006.

"Bonnaroo is a completely different thing to go to," Hafley said. "In one word, I would just say it's crazy. It is nothing like you would expect. It shocked the hell out of me when I first got there."

Brandon Bell (senior-biobehavioral health) also attended in 2006, as well as 2004. Bell noted the changes he saw between the two years.

"It's like they set up a temporary community there. I think that's why I liked 2004 better. It seemed more family-based; I saw more couples and people with kids. It was more laid-back," Bell said. "In 2006, it was more drug-oriented and party-based."

Hafley agreed with Bell's statement about the party scene at the festival.

"It's 150,000 people all going for the music and the drug atmosphere. People told me about the drug scene before I went, but I didn't understand it until I was there," Hafley said. "Everything is out in the open."

Carrie Gager (senior-psychology) has attended the festival the past three years and has witnessed Bonnaroo grow and change.

"It has definitely gotten more commercialized, and there are a lot of different types of people there now," Gager said. "The first year had more of, I guess, I don't want to call them hippies, but that type of crowd. Now I see more frat boy types there."

Bonnaroo's lineup has also changed with the times.

The festival's first year consisted of acts like Widespread Panic, Ben Harper, The String Cheese Incident, and Phil Lesh and Friends.

Within the past six years, Bonnaroo's lineups have become more diversified. Farman called the changes "a natural evolution."

"We are continuing to develop as a festival, and we want to keep making it fresh and exciting for people," he said.

After the circulation of several Internet rumors, such as a Led Zeppelin reunion, the official lineup was recently announced.

This year's headliners include Pearl Jam, Metallica and Jack Johnson; newcomers to the festival include rappers Kanye West and Lupe Fiasco. Some other acts are Minus The Bear, Sigur Ros, My Morning Jacket and O.A.R.

Farman said My Morning Jacket continues to be one of his favorite live performances at the festival.

"It's gratifying to see the progress bands make throughout the years," Farman said. "My Morning Jacket has grown so much since the first year they played Bonnaroo. They started playing in one of the smaller tents, and now they have one of the premier headlining slots."

Grateful Dead tribute band The Dark Star Orchestra (DSO), a band that is no stranger to State College -- having played in town as recently as December -- will make its first Bonnaroo performance.

Rob Koritz, DSO's drummer, said that though this is the first time the band members have been scheduled to perform, it is not their first visit to the festival.

"A bunch of us have been down there just to go," Koritz said. "We are pretty excited to actually get to play."

Koritz said he is curious to see if the lineup causes any significant changes to the festival.

"That's really the big question. Is the hard rock, heavy metal style going to change the atmosphere of it?" he said. "I hope not, but regardless, I hope everyone that comes is there to see good music and not just to have a big party."

Farman shot down any worry about Metallica changing the atmosphere of the festival.

"Metallica is one of the best rock bands in the last 25 years. It's tremendous for us to have them headline the show," he said. "I think the kind of audience that is going to come this year will be the same as it was in the past. Anyone willing to make the trip there is going for the same reason -- the full experience."

Professor King sees this diversified line-up as "a sign of healthy eclecticism in music," and said no matter what performances Bonnaroo offers, the whole idea of the festival is extremely positive.

"It's hard not to smile when you see so many people coming together to hear music," he said.

Stephanie Riddle (senior-theater design and technology) said she is excited about this year's lineup.

She attended the festival in 2006 and plans on going again this summer.

"It's cool that they are bringing different bands that stray away from the normal flow of the festival," Riddle said.

Bell had mixed feeling about the changes.

"I think it's good in a way because they are reaching a more broad range of people who have maybe never gone to a festival," Bell said. "But, at the same time, it's sad to see one of the biggest festivals take a step back from its foundations."

Gager said the rap acts do not bother her as much as a certain headliner.

"Metallica actually bothers me the most just because it seems like more angry music," she said. "At least with the rap and R&B they have this year you can still dance to it. It meshes better with the atmosphere."

Even with the unconventional '08 Bonnaroo performances, Gager is not thinking twice about making a fourth trip to the 700-acre Tennessee farm.

"No matter who is playing, I plan on going as many times as possible," she said. "I'll go just for the atmosphere. You are escaping reality when you are there. For almost a week, you do not live on this planet."

For a complete list of performances and ticket prices visit www.bonnaroo.com.