Austin City Limits Music Festival is coming up on October 2-4 and October 9-11 in Zilker Park. We love this awesome 3-day Fest for the amazing music, the great local bites, drinks, art vendors and some of the best people-watching ever. If you’re heading to ACL, it’s time to start doing some planning. Here’s what you need to know before you go.
–> Music Lineup: If you haven’t planned your schedule yet, you might want to go ahead and start narrowing that down. Some of the biggest conflicts are Leon Bridges vs Billy Idol, Foo Fighters vs Disclosure, A$AP Rocky vs Alabama Shakes, deadmau5 vs Drake, Kurt Vile vs Chance The Rapper, and The Strokes vs The Weeknd. Who you gonna pick? Click below to sort it out and see the full lineup and schedules by day.
Feeling like you’re not caught up on all the bands this year? Our friends at Do512.com can help you out. They’ve selected 25 bands you need to see at the festival this year. If you just want to jam, open up their Spotify Playlist: Do512’s 25 Favorite Songs of ACL Fest 2015. Or click here to read all about these 25 top picks.
–> Taking the Kids: No babysitter, no problem. ACL Music Fest is free for children ages 10 and under with a parent who has a wristband. The Austin Kiddie Limits section of Zilker Park is a wonderland for your mini rockers. They can jam out to live shows from children’s entertainers, make crafts, play instruments, get temporary tattoos, get their hair styled like a punk rocker and more. Wondering what to pack, where to park, how to navigate the park with kids? We’ve got you covered. Read our Tips for Taking the Kids to ACL Music Fest!
Wondering what kind of music to expect in Austin Kiddie Limits? We’ve taken a look at some of the big acts who’ll be getting your kids dancing and grooving. Learn more about these kiddie artists here:
- The Pop Ups
- School of Rock
- Justin Roberts & the Not Ready for Naptime Players
- Tim Kubart & Mother Falcon
–> Things to Bring With You: Plan ahead on what you should bring with you to the Fest. Sure, you could wing it, but we wouldn’t recommend it. Make like a Boy Scout and be prepared. Here’s a list of 10 Things You Need with You at ACL Fest.
–> Food & Drink: This year, the ACL Eats section of the festival will be home to 30 local food vendors, including favorites like Amy’s Ice Creams, Hat Creek Burger Co., Burro Cheese Kitchen, East Side King, Frank, JuiceLand, Lonesome Dove Western Bistro, P. Terry’s and more. For a complete list of food vendors (and a peek at the menus) click here.
–> Shopping: Like any awesome festival, local artisans will be selling some really cool goodies. The ACL Art Market will also be packed full of local and national vendors including our friends at the Austin Art Garage, Austin Massage Company, Hatbox: A Modern Haberdashery, Moniker Guitars, Teysha and more. You can browse the full list of art vendors here.
–> Getting There & Getting Around: Have you thought about your game plan for getting to Zilker. You can’t park at the park, but there are drop-off areas, pedi-cabs, and plenty ways to get to and from. On the ACL Fest website you can find details about all of the Transportation Options, including the FREE shuttle service at Republic Square on 4th and Guadalupe. You can also click here for a map listing the downtown parking garages.
You’ll also want to know your way around the Fest. Below you’ll find a map of Zilker Park so you can check out the lay of the land before you go.
–> Get Festive: There’s no doubt that ACL Music Festival provides fabulous people-watching. Show off your own festival style any way you wish. If you’re looking for some visual inspiration, check out Do512.com‘s photo galleries of last year’s Fest here, here, and here. Thinking about creating your own flag to bring to the Fest? It’s a great way to organize a big group so you can find each other in the crowd. Click here to read all about creating your own flag from the Austin-American Statesman.
–> Not Going to the Festival? If you don’t have wristbands and are looking for other ways to embrace the ACL vibes and see some amazing musicians while they’re in town, check out the ACL Late Night Shows. Tickets for the Official 2015 ACL Festival Late Night Shows are on sale. Get your tickets to catch the likes of Billy Idol, TV on the Radio, Leon Bridges, The Decemberists, alt-J, Royal Blood and many more. You can also take the kids to a FREE mini music fest at The Domain on Saturday, Oct. 3 from 4-7. The Hush Hush Music Bash will feature great children’s entertainers, cupcake decorating, a dance competition, games and more. All ages welcome.
Looking for more info about Austin City Limits Music Festival? Visit their website, Facebook page and follow on Twitter for the latest.
We can’t wait to see you there!
* Art Market photo by Greg Noire
