Matt Allen is many things: an international adventurer, fundraiser, and avid concertgoer on a perpetual road trip. Matt’s also an Ice Cream Man, who has made it his mission to give it away for free, of which all he asks in exchange for a popsicle is a smile and a snapshot, which he posts on his website. Operating solely on sponsorship, he can often be found doling out frosty treats backstage at music festivals. As a result, he’s become a favorite with audiences and musicians alike– just ask Jack White, Perry Farrell, or Daft Punk. Three years into his goal of sharing half a million gratis frozen treats, Ice Cream Man now has 100 volunteers worldwide. Now into his third North American tour, he hops from one music festival to another, making time for stops at ice cream socials in children's hospitals along the way.

psychoPEDIA caught up with Ice Cream Man on the road, in the midst of a hail storm in Iowa, heading to the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Tennessee. Taking place on a 700-acre farm outside Nashville, in the small town of Manchester, this annual summer fest is known for it's laid-back vibe and extensive lineup, not to mention being consistently voted 'Best Festival in North America' by music publications, critics, and audiences alike. With about 60,000 attendees, Bonnaroo becomes Tennessee's third largest city for four days in June. Encompassing all types of music, this year also promises on-site cinema, a comedy club, silent disco, and classic arcade. Here are the Bonnaroo veteran’s tips for surviving four days of camping, music, and dancing:

Which music festivals do you hit each year?
Pretty much all of them. There’s about a five month period where three quarters of the weekends, I’m at a musical festival. Right now I’m on my way to Wakarusa this weekend in Lawrence, Kansas.

Why is Bonnaroo considered the best and most "over-the-top" of them all?
You show up on Thursday, and until Monday morning, you’re in another world. With 60,000 people, it’s like a small town in itself. I consider it the grand-daddy of US festivals, because it’s its own entity. They get a great mix of music, and it’s not like anything else. Once you show up, you don’t have to go anywhere. All you have to do is make it back to your campsite. I love Bonnaroo, but it’s absolutely nuts. The festival doesn’t even close— it’s open 24 hours!

What’s the craziest thing that’s happened to you there?
I passed out in the dead center once. I was sitting watching the bands, and all of a sudden, everybody was gone. I was just sitting on a chair in the middle of nowhere, thinking “wow.”

Who are the most anticipated acts for this year?
Having Metallica and Pearl Jam headlining— that’s huge. Personally, I’m looking forward to Henry Butler. Ghostland Observatory is doing a late night set, and those guys are just a blast. I’m sure they’ll bring their laser show and smoke machines. And My Morning Jacket at Bonnaroo is a legendary experience– at no other festival would they play from 1 to 4 in the morning.

Where do people typically crash?
There are over 60,000 people camping within a two mile radius. A lot of them just drive in, pitch their tents, then walk to the festival each day. You can get them at Wal-Mart for pretty cheap, so everyone just picks up a tent or tarp.

The festival is going green this year. Do you know what eco-friendly things they'll be doing?
I know they’re going carbon neutral, which is impressive. Considering a lot of the greening efforts, it’s not just a fad for them. We give away ice cream and will see people go around doing the recycling. It’s the most active recycling I’ve seen at a festival. Bonnaroo has been working for that since day one.

What's your most popular treat among the crowd?
The majority of it goes to production people and stagehands, friends of the bands. This year our main sponsor is Blue Bunny ice cream. We’ll have Champ! cones, and those are always the most popular— everyone loves ice cream covered in chocolate and nuts. And ice cream sandwiches. I’m a big fan of the base items: Pink Panther and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pops. Bomb Pops are good, too, because they’re really refreshing. In hotter weather, you end up giving away more popsicles, and in cooler weather, you give away more ice cream.

Besides with your ice cream, how do festival-goers cure a heatstroke?
With some of the big tents, you can go hide under them. This year there’s going to be a movie tent and a cabaret tent which will be air-conditioned.

Do people check out the country music scene when passing through Nashville?
You have people that are road tripping there who will check out the Grand Ole Opry. I went to Dollywood afterwards in Pigeon Forge once. It’s not like a city festival, though, it’s all very self-contained. Bonnaroo is a yearly destination; there are a lot of people around the country who plan their vacation around it.

What are the best food options?
Once you’re there, you’re stuck with whatever festival food they’re serving. You have to bring your own or find way to weasel food backstage, which isn’t easy to do. Getting a meal ticket is tougher than getting a backstage pass. However, there are these guys that come up from New Orleans and do big cookouts for all the people that are working. They do it the night before the festival starts, and the last night, when everyone’s breaking down the stage. They’ll cook up massive dinners, just good, Creole cooking— crawfish and crab legs. There’s nothing better than stumbling back to your tent, eating crawfish at 4 in the morning.

What’s your advice or warning for first timers?
If there’s any rule of thumb for people going to festivals, don’t do all your drugs or drink all your beer the first day. You’ve got to pace yourself. First thing is water— make sure you drink enough. You spent a lot of money already on tickets, so don’t bitch about the 2 bucks for a bottle, and drink up. You’re camping, so you’re awake at 7 in the morning when the sun hits your tent and it’s a sauna. It’s hard to get rest unless you’ve got a shaded area, so you’ll probably only get 4 hours of sleep for 4 nights in a row.

Is there a last stop you make before packing up to head home?
We get out on Monday morning and clean everything up. Then we get crew to the airport at Nashville. There’s a Cracker Barrel 30 miles from the festival and we always stop there to get breakfast.

What’s the most rewarding aspect about giving out ice cream at Bonnaroo?
People instantly light up. It’s pure, innocent joy. “Did you say free ice cream? That’s the best thing I’ve heard all day!”

~Abbey Braden


First, seventh, & eighth photos, courtesy of Ice Cream Man
Third photo by Fen Branklin via Flickr
Fourth photo, courtesy of Bonnaroo
Fifth photo by Craigowaffles via Flickr
Sixth photo by Seeking Focus via Flickr
Tenth photo by teraleigh via Flickr
Eleventh photo by cutedar via Flickr