Blog > Guide to ACL Music Festival – What to Know Before You Go!
If you haven’t scored tickets to this year’s ACL Festival, there’s still time! Weekend Two passes are still available along with day passes for Friday and Sunday of both weekends on the official festival website. If you just have to get a pass for Weekend One, resale tickets are available through TicketsNow, which can also be accessed through the festival website. Once you have those wristbands in hand, here is your guide to having the best festival experience!
What to Bring & What Not to Bring:
Some changes have been made this year to the festival’s list of prohibited items, so if you’re not sure, check the official festival website. The new bag restrictions require all bags to be 18 liters (about 10”X10”X10”) or smaller and they say your best bet is to bring a drawstring bag. Load your bag up with water (you’re allowed to bring in two bottles up to one liter in size and there are free filling stations where you can refill your bottles throughout the day), sunscreen (lotion only, no aerosols), a blanket to sit on, a totem or flag (under 12ft tall) so if you get separated from your crew they can spot you in the crowd, and maybe a rain poncho, since you can never trust Central Texas weather. Leave your umbrellas, inflatable furniture, drones, hammocks, professional camera equipment, coolers, walkie-talkies, and e-cigs or vaping devices at home, as these items are not allowed inside the festival grounds. You probably won’t get any cell phone reception with the half million individuals all trying to snap and ‘gram the same pictures and videos, but if you absolutely have to document your festival experience, be sure to bring a mobile charger or battery and put your phone in airplane mode when you can to save power!
Getting there:
Whatever you do, don’t try to drive to the festival – traffic and parking are sure to be a nightmare! If you live nearby or know someone who does, biking to the festival is a great option. They have plenty of bike parking spaces, some spots provide you with a lock for your bike, and they even have valet bicycle parking! If you’re too far from Zilker to bike there without ending up drenched in sweat before you’ve even arrived, there’s also a free shuttle that runs from Republic Square Park at 4th and Guadalupe. The first ride sets out from the park at 10:30AM and the last ride leaves Zilker at 11:00PM. Austin also allowed ridesharing companies Lyft and Uber back into town just in time for the festival, and Ride Austin is the official sponsor of ACL and will be offering some great promotions for rides! You can also always hitch a ride on a pedicab, but practice your negotiation skills first, they’ll try to charge you an arm and a leg!
At the Festival:
This year’s lineup is obviously as incredible as ever, but the festival has added a few extra features and activities to make your ACL experience better than ever. Near Kiddie Limits you can find a “wine experience” where you can expect to try some amazing reds, whites, rosés, and champagnes from all around the world. Inside the Tito’s tent this year you can attend a Silent Disco from 8 to 10pm Friday – Sunday with lives DJs and headphones provided. Some of the stages have also been moved around to help reduce sound bleed and improve crowd flow so you won’t miss a single beat from your favorite song. You’ll find the Barton Springs stage where the main box office used to be, along with an added food court that allows for double the delicious snacks, and an official merchandise store where you can purchase all your souvenirs or gifts for your unlucky friends who didn’t get to attend the fest. Be sure to review the festival map upon arrival so you know where all your favorite artists will be performing and the fastest way to get to each stage!
After the Festival:
If you miss the festival or just don’t want the party to end, eight Austin venues are hosting tons of artists from big names like Foster the People and Tove Lo, to up and coming local artists. Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater, Emo’s Austin, Mohawk, Scoot Inn, The Parish, Vulcan Gas Company, Antone’s, and Stubb’s Indoors will all be doing Late Night Shows all week long! You can purchase tickets at https://www.c3concerts.com/latenight/. Tickets for these shows are much more affordable, so even if ACL passes are out of your budget you might be able to catch one of your favorite artist’s performances!
Stay safe and enjoy the festival! I heard a rumor Beyonce might even be there!