By Kaitlyn DeHaven | Design Editor
Although Austin City Limits offers a venue that widely caters to adults, the event also has a kid-friendly venue called Austin Kiddie Limits, where adults can bring their children. Children ages 10 and under get a free pass into the festival, so this space is popular for families.
Austin Kiddie Limits provides various attractions for kids to enjoy during their time at the festival. Some of the features include a painting wall, a punk hairdos tent where kids can get their hair painted, a hip-hop workshop, a coloring studio where guests can make vivid creations and even a stage where children’s performers play and act for the kids.
AKL offers a Tag-a-Kid tent where parents can register their children so if they get lost, there is an easy way for parents and children to find one other. The children receive an RFID wristband that tracks their location. In the event that a child is lost, staff can reliably and easily acquire the child’s location.
Lana Anderson, an ACL attendee with a 5-year-old daughter, Anna, said Austin Kiddie Limits has been a great experience for her daughter.
“You know what, [Austin Kiddie Limits] rocks,” Anderson said. “This is my eighth or ninth time here out at the festival and Austin Kiddie Limits has been phenomenal for my 5-year-old.”
Anderson also said that one of the best parts of AKL is the kid-friendly bathrooms because they are clean and child-sized.
Similar to Anderson and her daughter’s experience, 3-year-old Theo, who was dressed as a blue power ranger with Spiderman shoes, said he had a lot of fun at AKL so far.
Among the booths AKL showcases is Alex’s Lemonade stand, which has been around since the music festival began 15 years ago.
This lemonade stand sells adults and kids alike satisfying drinks, but also has a special cause tied into it. All the proceeds from the lemonade stand go to helping cure childhood cancer.
Lance Thompson, one of two owners of the AKL stand explained how Alex’s Lemonade Stand came to be.
“It’s a national organization that this little girl Alex started,” Thompson said. “She had cancer and she passed away a long time ago, but she started this when she was diagnosed with cancer and it’s gone viral around the country. We usually have kids working the table and parents working in the background. It’s awesome.”
Thompson said his experience working for Austin Kiddie Limits has been amazing, and he appreciates all the support that comes from the parents and the festival.
“They love having us and we love being here. The people are great and donate lots of money and every bit of it goes to kids’ cancer,” Thompson said.
Austin Kiddie Limits is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. during Austin City Limits music festival on both weekends. Children and families can enjoy a variety of kid-friendly snacks, activities, games and music.
