The Austin City Limits season has come and gone. Two weekends of live music, good food, and expensive parking have made their mark on Austin, Texas. Those who went fell in love with music all over again, while those who stayed home looked on with questioning yearning. At more than $200 a ticket, it can be argued that the festival was a bit pricey. However, looking at the festival as a whole, there are several reasons why many see it as worth every penny. Here are five of those reasons.
1. The Music
There’s a little bit of everything for everyone. There are a total of eight stages featuring 130 bands around Zilker Park where ACL is held. It doesn’t matter whether you listen to rap or soft rock, there is something for everyone! This year’s lineup featured Drake, G-Eazy, Twenty-One Pilots, Asleep at the Wheel, and Michaela Davis. You can literally jump from one stage to another and get a taste of every genre of music.
2. No Age Restrictions
ACL is an all ages event. It has not joined the growing list of 18+ or 21+ events that have taken over the music scene. The festival is open to everyone! “Austin Kiddie Limits” even provides young children with activities to do throughout the day. This includes finger painting, interactive drums, hair painting, and temporary tattoos. Families also have the chance to “tag” their child. This tag gives parents the power to register their child’s ticket bracelet with the festival. In the case that the child is lost, the tag will allow an easy reunion. The best part of this all age festival? Kids ages 10 and younger get in free!
3. THE FOOD
Austin City Limits does not provide guests with typical festival food. As they say, turkey legs are not provided. Instead, the food court features Austin eats. Local food ranges from Austin’s Pizza to The Woodshed Smokehouse. Refreshing lemonade and snow-cones are also found in abundance. Walking and eating isn’t a problem with the plentiful taco options and the popular Mighty Cone (basically, crispy chicken wrapped in a tortilla and stuffed into a cone for convenience). You can even satisfy your sweet tooth with some Amy’s Ice Cream or Tiff’s Treats! Prices range from $5-$12 for an item off of the menu.
4. The Vendors
The Art Market features many local and national artisans. Everything from jewelry to cowboy hats and boots can be found at the market. If you’re looking for a unique piece of jewelry or an Austin souvenir mug, then this is the perfect place for you! There are also many featured vendors that benefit organizations that are a part of ACL Cares. These organizations raise money or awareness for Autism, affordable health care, bone marrow donors, poverty and injustice, to name a few. This is a great opportunity to give to those in need!
5. The Community
Walking around the festival is an experience in itself. There is an incredibly diverse crowd that visits every year. College kids, parents, grandparents, professors, lawyers, everyone! The best part is that the diversity of the crowd is hardly evident at all. Standing in the crowd, waiting for your favorite artist, it’s more than likely that you will make a new friend. Looking at the person next to you and singing the lyrics to the song that you’ve waited to hear for three hours is what the fun is all about. It’s the community of the music scene that keeps people coming around each year. Where else are you going to be able to make memories with 75,000 of your closest friends?
