By Arden Berry | Arts & Life Editor
The storms from last week rained on many a parade here in Waco, but they also rained on a certain festival in Austin. Fortunately, this weekend is forecasted to be completely dry.
For those unfamiliar, Austin City Limits is a three-day festival filled with music and food held over two weekends for three days each at Zilker Park. According to the Texas State Historical Association website, the first ACL festival took place in 2002, making this one the 25th. ACL is living up to this momentous year with a variety of well-known artists and sets for attendees to enjoy.
The first weekend was Oct. 2-4, but the second weekend begins Friday and runs through Sunday from noon to 10 p.m. each day. To prepare for — this mercifully not as muddy — weekend, here are some things to keep in mind.
What to bring
You may have seen the pervasive mud at Zilker Park last weekend. While the ground has had a few days to recover, you will still be walking through dirt, so it would be wise to bring boots.
On the flip side of this, the sun has come out and dried up all the rain, which means you will want two things: sunscreen and a face covering. With the sunscreen, make sure you either put it on beforehand or have a stick version to bring inside, as the festival prohibits aerosol containers.
A face covering will help protect you from dust. According to Fox 7, in 2024, the dust and allergens swirling through the populated park led to a condition festivalgoers called the “ACL flu.” The face covering you use to protect your airways can be a face mask or bandana or anything that will offer this protection.
Finally, bring an empty reusable water bottle. It will be hot, so hydration is a must.
Who is performing
The big names at ACL include Charli XCX, Twenty One Pilots, The Chainsmokers, Lorde and Kings of Leon, but there are many more artists from an eclectic variety of genres.
For the country-loving students, there are several country or country-adjacent artists, including Joe Jordan, S. G. Goodman, Bo Staloch, Max McNown and Calder Allen. Many other artists play R&B, indie pop, rock and many other genres, so there is something for everyone. I am most excited for Natasha Bedingfield, Paris Paloma and Claire Rosinkranz.
A full schedule is available at the ACL website.
What to eat
ACL offers ACL Eats & Sweets for hungry festivalgoers. The highest-rated item from a Lariat article written last year was a strawberry dragonfruit lemonade from Juiceland, but there are a variety of other options to try, like barbecue, Asian food, burgers and ice cream. Based on a past trip to Austin, I would recommend Amy’s Ice Creams.
What else is happening
Other than the artists, there will be a silent disco 8-10 p.m. each night at the Tito’s stage. There will also be acts like Country Fried Line Dance throughout the day at the Bonus Tracks mini stage.
Where to find ACL coverage
The Baylor Lariat will be putting out recaps, artist interviews and social media content, so stay tuned.
