Austin City Limits Music Festival (ACL) is one of the most famous music festivals in the country. Built on a strong backbone of deeply rooted history, this beloved event continues to grow with each year that passes.
Although the Austin City Limits television program first aired in 1976, it wasn’t until 2002 that the festival first opened its doors. Since then, the city of Austin has invited music lovers from across the globe to enjoy an array of local, regional, and international performances of all genres.
This year’s ACL will host two jam-packed, back-to-back weekends of entertainment on October 6-8 and 13-15. With a stacked lineup to fill all three days, each weekend is sure to promise fun for all.
With that being said, there are a few things to keep in mind whether you are a first-time attendee or an ACL regular. Here are some essential tips and tricks of mine that have helped make my festival weekend as safe and successful as possible!
Have a game plan
Especially if you have never attended ACL, it is important to do some prior research to have a solid plan on how you want your weekend to go.
A big tip that will help you be prepared for the long weekend is to have a list of bands that you want to see and their performance times set as your phone wallpaper. With so many people to see all packed into one day along with the seven different stages in the park, it can get a bit confusing and overwhelming. ACL has already released full day schedules for performances as well as what stages they will be on so you can plan ahead.
This also goes without saying, but showing up at the start of the festival each day is the best way to get the full bang for your buck. Of course everyone wants to see the headline performers every evening, but by showing up early I have been able to discover new bands, get the full experience, and avoid the traffic of people arriving later in the day.
Transportation and communication are two of the biggest components of this weekend. If your group splits up to see different bands, have a designated meeting place in the park so that you can come together once the day is done. Also, be sure to know how you will be getting home each night and where exactly home is. At the end of each day, a rush of thousands of people will all be trying to leave Zilker Park, so this makes it very important to have a solid transportation plan.
Prepare and pack well
If you’re like me and have about 25+ bands on your “want to see” list for ACL, this means that we will be in for three LONG days at Zilker Park. Because of this, comfy clothing, especially footwear, is SO important. Everyone has their pair of “frat party” shoes that are both comfortable and are okay to get dirty. BRING THEM!
Similarly, I have already been planning my ACL outfits for weeks now. However, despite the absolute need of looking cute, wearing comfy, breathable clothes is also super important. You definitely don’t want to get stuck in the middle of a Texas October (basically still summertime) in an unbearably uncomfortable outfit.
Another must-have for my ACL adventure is going to be my CamelBak backpack. This small pack has a built-in water reservoir that I can fill for free throughout the weekend, and I can use it to store personal belongings like portable charger, sunglasses, sunscreen, etc. BUT, if you’re not a hiker like me and don’t have one of these packs, don’t worry! Zilker also allows you to enter with a reusable water bottle. *IMPORTANT NOTE*: All bottles/water packs in backpacks must be EMPTY upon entrance to the festival.
Lastly, Zilker Park can get SUPER dusty. If you know this bother’s you (like it bothers me), many people bring allergy medication or some sort of PPE that will keep them from feeling the effects of the environment.
Be mindful of your surroundings
Although this is a weekend packed with fun, it is also super important to always be mindful of your surroundings and belongings.
All stands at ACL accept Apple Pay/Tap by phone as well as cash as forms of payment, so a big recommendation of mine would be to leave any cards you think you could maybe misplace at home/your hotel.
Similarly, especially as the days go on, it is common for a lot of crowds to get pretty packed and possibly a little rowdy. However, standing in the back and watching from a distance has been a way my friends have been able to enjoy the show while not in the middle of a crowd.
Playlist-duH!
Obviously, ACL is known for showcasing some of the world’s biggest names in music. With that, of course, brings along some pretty hardcore fans (including myself, I must admit).
Any regular concert-goer knows that awkward feeling when you’re the only one in the crowd who doesn’t know the words to a certain song. This can especially seem daunting at a place like ACL where the crowds can get pretty massive. BUT DO NOT FRET! I, your best friend and music lover Hannah, have curated an ultimate ACL playlist to get you hyped and prepared for your awesome weekend ahead.
There is no doubt that this playlist contains a lot more music from the artists I am most excited to see, such as The Lumineers, Noah Kahan, Mumford and Sons, The 1975, Mt Joy… the list honestly goes on and on. Yet, I did make sure to include a lot of other music from artists I am excited to see and others that I am just familiarizing myself with. I will also continue to add more music as the event continues to draw closer!
This year’s ACL Fest is sure to be a special one. With all that fun, though, it is important to make sure you are staying safe throughout your time at the event. So with that being said, stay safe, have the BEST TIME EVER, and I hope to see you there!