Enjoying a festival to its fullest is an art and it is hard-earned, unless you know where to find the best advice.
Figi here. I’ve been attending ACL annually since 2019 and over the years, I’ve done it every which way. Believe it or not, this will be my first year going to both weekend one and weekend two of ACL Festival, and boy, have I learned a thing or two over the years.
Take it from me — these tips just might have you some time and headaches.
Cover your face when you’re walking
You may be fine on day one of weekend one, but the dust kicked up after that is tough to bear. Wear a bandanna around your neck and cover your face when you walk from set to set to reduce the dust you breathe in — you will wake up thanking your past self. By the way, extra bandannas are great for a quick place to sit.
There is free stuff all over the festival, if you know how to find it
This is especially true if you’re an American Express cardholder, a T-Mobile customer, or a DoorDash DashPass holder, because these activations will hook you up with things like complimentary snacks + drinks, chairs, swag, and places to charge your phone. Even if you aren’t one of those customers, there’s usually a way to get in by scanning a QR code.
The freebies start before the festival
Companies — including Liquid IV, Coca-Cola, and Electrolit — typically do giveaways all along Barton Springs Road while people are walking into the fest. It’s a great way to get electrolytes packed before you even get to security.
Lockers and chair check will save you some back aches
A place to sit is essential when you’re in the sun all day, but once the crowd gets bigger, they can become a burden. The Austin Parks Foundation offers complimentary chair check inside the festival so you don’t have to walk around with your seat all day, but be sure to pick it up by 10:15 p.m. or it will be donated.
Same thing goes for lockers — which run $25 per day, or $65 per weekend — which are particularly handy if you overpack or stock up on merch.’
Don’t overlook the activations
Aside from freebies — and the chance to win highly coveted access to That Tito’s Lounge — the activations are a fun way to see another side of the festival, cool off, and find photo opps, but sometimes you can also find things like air conditioned bathrooms and side stage access. Plus, performers have been known to stop in from time to time, like when King Princess stopped by Hacienda Patrón last weekend.
See bands you don’t know
The festival lineup today is full of some of the biggest stars of tomorrow. I’ve missed small sets that came back to the festivals as headliners just a few years later — a great example is this Lady Gaga set from Lollapalooza 2007.
Forget pain or allergy meds? The bodega has them for sale
This personally saved me when I forgot my allergy medication. The bodegas sell them for just a few dollars, so don’t suffer if you don’t have to.
Do you have a hot festival tip? Drop me a line.