It’s hereeee! The first weekend of Austin City Limits Music Festival kicks off today at noon. Here’s our best tips and recommendations for the weekend:
Your Guide
First things first, you need to arrive earlier than you think you need to. Entrances have a tendency to get clogged up when gates open and later in the day, around 3 or 4 p.m., as bigger and bigger acts start to perform. Check the festival’s list of what you can and can’t bring to speed things up, too. And if you somehow manage to breeze through security, which I hope you do, you’ll have plenty of time to fill up your water bottle, check out the merch, maybe grab a snack, and find a good spot!
Do you have a Type A friend? ACL Fest is the best time to employ their skills because you need to make a plan with your friends. Phone service gets spotty as more people arrive at Zilker Park, meaning you might not be able to text your friends information on where you’re sitting or eating. Designate a time and meeting spot so you can stay together! The Main Guest Services Tent also serves as an official festival meeting place if you get lost or separated. You can also rent a phone charger!
Finally, download the festival’s app this year. Festival officials will share any weather updates through Festiverse.
Your Bag
Rain is in the forecast all weekend long, with thunderstorms expected today and tonight. That means you need to pack a little more than just your usual hand sanitizer, bandana for the dust, and toilet paper. (You should definitely pack those, by the way!)
Wear waterproof shoes, and if you don’t have those, wear a pair of shoes you don’t care about as Zilker Park will likely end up very muddy. Bring an extra pair of socks, because there’s nothing worse than wet socks! A poncho will come in handy, too. Now is the time to invest in a plastic bag of some kind. You don’t want your stuff getting wet. Umbrellas are not allowed at the festival.
Your Menu
I famously love eating at ACL Fest. So many great local restaurants pop up and you don’t have to deal with pesky reservations! Here’s what I’m eyeing this year:
🌭 The Corndog Company will be all over the festival with spots in the ACL Eats section and VIP East, among others! Sign me up!
🍧 It may be raining this weekend, but temperatures will still be in 80s during the day and that’s the perfect temperature for a snow cone. You can find Sno-Beach in the ACL Sweets section!
🥪 I’ve been meaning to try High Road Deli & Bar for a while now and I’ll be looking for them in the ACL Eats section. The sandwiches sound so good!
🍴 How lucky are we that Saigon On 7th is going to be at the festival’s ACL Eats section this year?! Their bahn mis are so dang good.
🌮 Looking for an old faithful? Don’t worry. Veracruz All Natural will be in the ACL Eats section!
