By Codi Farmer

Deep in the heart of Texas lies a wonderful escape from daily life — Zilker Park. Here, you’ll find an oasis of green grass and big trees, a view of Austin’s beautiful skyline, and lots of live music. For the past 21 years, Austin has hosted the largest music festival in Texas every October: Austin City Limits (ACL).

In past years, ACL has had notable performers like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Miley Cyrus, Tyler, the Creator, Greta Van Fleet, and so many more. This year, some of my favorite acts of the weekend were The Breeders, Thee Sacred Souls, FKJ, Death Grips, Cigarettes After Sex, and Kendrick Lamar. 

I grew up going to ACL, so every year I feel like I know just what to expect: 9 stages, lots of awesome artists, long bathroom lines, the hot Texas sun, and tons of amazing and expensive food. However, every year, I leave surprised and impressed. The organizers for this event somehow always manage to put together such a diverse lineup where literally anyone can be happy when they go. 

Given the size of this festival, crowd control can seem really difficult to manage, but there are always three entry points, six bathroom areas, and spread-out stages so there is as little overlap with sound from other sets as possible. 

One thing I’ve always loved about ACL is that they have diverse options for nighttime activities. Every night, there are two headliners and a silent disco, and the organizers are always keen on picking headliners who bring really different crowds. For example, on Sunday, attendees had an option between seeing Odesza or Mumford and Sons.

For a festival of this size, it can be really hard to get everything to sound good and have the music carry well and I must say, the sound quality was pretty good. Instruments came through well and sound carried far from every stage so those who prefer to sit in the back can still enjoy the shows. That being said, there were a number of shortcomings across the three days. Some sets, like Odesza, were way too loud and would nearly begin to drown out another set on the complete opposite end of the park. Some sets had some technical difficulties like The Breeders not being able to hear themselves on stage in weekend two. Others, like Tove Lo, were a bit too quiet and the vocals were swallowed by the instruments. All this aside, the mix generally was really good and the speakers and amplifiers are amazing. 

Beyond the music, there are always options for other activities to do. There are about a dozen brand sponsors that have interactive sites. For example, Tito’s Vodka has games where you can win branded merchandise and Coca-Cola had a music video studio on-site where attendees could design their own personal music video. There are also tons of photo opportunities, spots to sit, lounges for those who have access through their American Express card or their ticket (for GA+ and VIP ticket holders), and of course, lots of food.

When we’re talking about a festival and food, no one should expect low costs. It’ll run you a pretty penny to stay fed at ACL, but once you get past the pain of spending 15 dollars on a not-so-Texas-sized burger, you’ll leave satisfied. In classic Austin fashion, Austin City Limits draws its caterers from local businesses almost exclusively. The menus are all pretty limited with an average of about four items per booth, but they’re usually the restaurant's most popular and most festival-friendly options.

Throughout the festival, there are also free hydration stations where you can fill up your water bottle or camelback. Beyond that, there are also about 15 stands throughout the park where you can get soft drinks, beer, wine, seltzers, and cocktails. There’s also a wine grove with lots of seating, a beer hall that offers daily tastings from different breweries, and a tiki bar.

Of course, after all this food and drink comes the down and dirty of any festival: porta-potties. There were six main bathroom areas to choose from which provided a good spread and overall the bathrooms were pretty good. Each bathroom had at least 20 stalls and they were all generally pretty clean, or at least as clean as you can hope for from a festival this large. 

This was my seventh time attending Austin City Limits and even though I wouldn’t say it gets better every year, I also wouldn’t say it gets worse. The prices go up and some lineups are better than others, but the organizers are always finding new ways to keep Austin refreshed. Each year you can find a few new food stands among the classics, new interactive sites from sponsors, new ACL merchandise, and maybe even your new favorite artist.