Austin City Limits Music Festival: 3 Things You May Not Know About Texas' Biggest Music Festival

By Kayla Stewart

This weekend, thousands of people filled Zilker Park for three days of endless beer, a bright sun, and one of the most diverse groups of musicians in Austin City Limit’s history. Drake, the Alabama Shakes, and Texas natives, The Sufferers, were just a few of a number of musicians that had concert-goers on their feet for the entire weekend.

While the concert has grown increasingly popular over the years, a few facts and traditions get lost in the mix. As we get ready to reload for weekend two, here are a few tidbits to note as you head in Texas’s biggest and brightest musical festival of the year.

It was inspired by a PBS television show.

The positive reputation of the Austin City Limits, a PBS concert series, helped to kickstart ACL’s success almost instantaneously. With the help of the show’s success, ACL’s popularity helped to brand Austin as the live music capital of the nation. Currently, the festival is produced by Austin-based company C3 Presents, the same company that produces Lollapalooza.

The noteable Austin food scene is a key part of the festival.

Austin Eats, a legendary food court, is home to some of Central Texas’ best foods, drinks, and desserts during the festival. The food court boasts gluten-free and vegetarian options alongside beefy burgers and cupcake stands. Austin favorites like JuiceLand, The Salt Lick BBQ, and Torchy’s Tacos, make grand appearances for hungry visitors.

Kids are welcome too!

Some festivals have strict no-children rules due to some rowdy crowds and safety issues. ACL is one of the few music festivals in the country that welcomes kids every day on both weekends. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., kids can enjoy Austin Kiddie Limits, a festival within the festival where families can escape from the crowd to dance, do sing-alongs, and participate in fun activities for kids of all ages. Another additional plus? Kids under 10 get into the ACL festival for free with their parents. Feel free to make next weekend a family affair!

Check out the complete lineup for Weekend Two of the Austin City Limits Music Festival here.

[PHOTO: Wikipedia]