This year the Austin City Limits festival is trying something new. Instead of it being one music-filled weekend it will be two. And the first weekend is right around the corner. So to help everyone get geared up, we’ve put together a list of what to take care of before the music begins.
Prepare Yourself for a Lot of Traffic
Around 70,000 or so people attend ACL each day. And just because it’s happening over two weekends this year doesn’t mean that number will change. With hundreds of thousands of more people in a city that already has traffic issues you can bet your bottom dollar that getting around downtown won’t be easy.
Road closures don’t help the matter. Starting the Friday before the fest portions of the roads around Zilker park will be closed off to cars, including Barton Springs Road and the MoPac frontage road at Columbus Drive. Needless to say driving right up to the venue is out of the question.
Get Dropped Off by a Transportation Service
An Austin transportation service is definitely worth the cost in these situations given the convenience. Transportation providers will have access to the entrance/exit area in order to drop their passengers off right at the festival. If you’re hitching a ride with a friend the drop off point is a little further away on the other side of Lady Bird Lake by Austin High School. You’ll have to hoof it across the bridge that runs under MoPac to get to the festival.
Shuttles
There’s also a free shuttle located at Republic Square that runs from 10am to 11pm. But keep in mind with this one route supply versus demand will be skewed and each ride will be packed. Get there well ahead of time because you may have to wait in line.
Park and Walk
The Parmer Event Center and One Texas Center will have paid parking on the days of the events (free on Fridays at One Texas). However, you’ll have a decent walk ahead of you to get down to Zilker – about 25 minutes. Also, keep in mind there are thousands of people and only so many spots.
Set Up a Spectator Schedule. . . Even if You Don’t Stick to It
The ACL lineup is out! With 131 acts, eight stages and just three days you’ll probably want to think about what you want to see and when. Unfortunately, this year they haven’t released an app to keep it all in order like they did last year.
So you’ll have to go renegade and use another scheduling app instead. Don’t forget to work in time to enjoy the ACL activities.
Pack Accordingly
What You Can Bring
- Sealed water bottles – up to 1 liter
- Empty water bottles
- Soft sided coolers
- Blankets
- Small umbrellas
- Baby strollers
- Collapsible chair
- Digital cameras
- Smart phones
- Regular back packs
- Binoculars
What You Can’t Bring
- Alcohol – drinks can be bought at the fest
- Food and other beverages
- Cigarettes – well, you can bring them but you can’t smoke them in the park.
- Framed back packs
- Tents
- Carts and wagons
- Hard sided coolers
- Pets – unless it’s a service dog
- Pets – unless it’s a service dog
- Audio recording equipment
- Video recording equipment
- Pro camera equipment – including tripods and stands
- Metal aerosol cans
- Metal aerosol cans
- Large umbrellas
- Firearms and explosives – goes without saying
Now that you know how to get there, what to see and what to bring it’s time to get geared up for the best music fest of the year.
Image Source: do512blog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/acl-2013.jpg
Original Source: https://www.royalaustin.com/austin-news-events/get-geared-up-for-the-first-austin-city-limits-weekend