25 Years of ACL Fest: What to Expect From Weekend One

Austin is getting ready for another weekend of music, food, and festival energy as the Austin City Limits Music Festival returns to Zilker Park. With two weekends packed with performances across multiple stages, ACL Fest 2026 gives music lovers plenty to look forward to. If you’re planning to attend Weekend One, October the 2nd until the 4th, here’s a look at some of the artists and experiences you can expect.

One of the biggest draws of ACL Fest is the variety of artists featured throughout the weekend. Weekend One brings together a mix of genres and sounds, giving festivalgoers plenty of options to explore. Some of the major names appearing during the festival include Charli XCX, Labrinth, Skrillex, Kings of Leon, The Chainsmokers, Leon Thomas, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Lorde, Lola Young, Young Miko, Bleachers, Suki Waterhouse, Twenty One Pilots, The xx, Sophie Tucker, The War on Drugs, and Max McNown. Beyond the major headliners, the Weekend One schedule also features artists such as Brandon Flowers, Rebecca Black, Rochelle Jordan, Underscores, Cannons, Lauren Sanderson, and others. With performances spread across multiple stages, there is plenty of opportunity to discover an artist you may not have heard before.

While the performances are a major part of ACL Fest, the festival experience extends beyond the stages. Attendees can explore food vendors, merchandise booths, and different areas throughout Zilker Park while moving between performances.

For those looking to take home a piece of the festival, ACL Fest will also have official merchandise available at pop up shops. Festivalgoers can stop by the Palmer Event Center Box Office on October 1 or visit the Barton Springs East Box Office throughout both festival weekends to shop for exclusive ACL Fest merchandise. Both locations will be open from 11 AM to 7 PM.

Friday: October 2nd

The first day is usually a memorable experience for festivalgoers. The festival kicks off at 12 PM, with activities beginning at 1 PM and performances from Asleep At The Wheel and 411. I would grab an acai bowl from Blenders and Bowls for some midday energy before or after the performances. If I wanted something more filling, I would also stop by the Mexican food stall, El Patio, which is nearby. Since the festival starts in the afternoon and I have a full day ahead of me, I would want to make sure I had enough energy to keep going.

After the first two performances, I would get ready for Faouzia, who performs from 1:45 PM to 2:30 PM. I could then catch Elle Coves, depending on which performance I preferred. Paris Paloma is scheduled to perform from 3:15 PM to 4:15 PM, followed by Rebecca Black from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM.

After that, I might grab a snack or a cocktail to recharge before the evening performances. One of the biggest highlights for me would be Labrinth, performing from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM. The Chainsmokers would follow from 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM, with Skrillex performing at 8:15 PM and Charli XCX at 8:35 PM.

Saturday: October 3rd

For the second day of the ACL, I’d start by picking up some merch at the Barton Springs East box office around 12 PM. Then I’d head back to the venue at Zilker Park and pick up essentials. Since it’s lunchtime, I’d grab something to eat before the performances begin. Probably a corn dog from Corn Dog Company around 1 PM to 1:30 PM maybe. I’d also grab a few snacks to take with me for later. Next, I’d head to Cure for Paranoia from 2 PM to 2:45 PM. After that, I’d go see Finn Wolfhard, just to check out his music since I mainly know him from Stranger Things.

Later, I’d get some more food, maybe a bit of pizza, or if not that, something small like Hawk’s Hot Chicken. Then, I’d head over to see Suki Waterhouse from 4:15 to 5:15. Later in the day, I’d make my way to see Bleachers, and the highlight of my night would be to see Lorde perform at 8:15 PM.

Sunday: October 4th

For the third day of ACL, I would start my day later in the afternoon rather than arriving when the festival opens. Since the day is more focused on indie music, a genre I have not explored very much aside from artists like Twenty One Pilots, I would use the extra time to explore the festival grounds and experience some of the activities and attractions I might have missed on the previous days.

One of the first places I would visit is the Coca-Cola Refresh Lounge. I would also take some time to look through the artist merchandise and hopefully pick up some merch from Faouzia if it is available. I would recommend exploring the festival with friends because walking around alone for a long time could become repetitive, while having friends around would make the experience more enjoyable.

I would also visit the bodega since I have never been to one before. From there, I would continue exploring the different stalls around the festival, especially the food vendors. Since it would be Sunday, I would want to try some fried foods and sweets. I would visit places such as Austin Art Garage, because I have a soft spot for art, Gati Ice Cream, Baba’s Fried Sweets, and Gelato Paradiso, which is located in the ACL Suites area toward the west-to-east section of Zilker Park. With all of these stops, I could easily spend several hours exploring, eating, and experiencing the different parts of the festival.

After spending most of the afternoon exploring, I would probably finish around 5 PM. At that point, I would head back to my hotel, or wherever I was staying, to relax for a few hours. After two days of being at the festival and having drinks, I would definitely want some time to slow down, rest, and recharge before returning for the evening performances.

I would head back to the festival around 7 PM and see Blood Orange from 7:30 to 8:30 PM. Since I am still unfamiliar with indie music, I would use this performance as an opportunity to discover something new and listen to an artist I might not normally seek out. After that, I would see Twenty One Pilots at 8:30 PM. Since they are one of the few artists in this genre that I am already familiar with, seeing them would be a great way to finish my weekend.

Overall, I would use the third day to slow down, explore the festival grounds, try different foods, discover new music, and enjoy the final performances of the weekend.

Helpful Details & Tips

That variety is part of what makes a music festival different from simply attending a concert. You can spend the afternoon checking out food and merch, catch a performance at one stage, and then make your way across the festival grounds for another artist.

If you can’t make it to Zilker Park, you can still experience ACL Fest from home. Weekend One will be livestreamed on Disney+ and Hulu from October the 2nd until the 4th, giving viewers another way to follow performances from the festival. So even if you aren’t physically in Austin, you can still get a taste of the ACL Fest experience.

One practical tip to keep in mind before heading to the festival is to protect your phone. ACL Fest is offering a phone lock screen option featuring a unique QR code that can help identify your phone if it gets lost. Festival goers can register through the festival’s designated link and add the wallpaper to their lock screen. If your phone does end up lost and found, the QR code can provide a way for festival staff to contact you. Lost & Found will be located at the festival’s main guest services area. It’s a small step, but one that could save you a major headache during a busy festival weekend.

With a packed lineup, multiple stages, food, merchandise, and plenty happening throughout the festival grounds, ACL Fest Weekend One is set to be a full weekend of music and entertainment. For 25 years, the Austin City Limits Festival has been packed with stellar performances, a steady musical community and added fun. It doesn’t look like it would disappoint this time.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re heading to Zilker Park or watching from home on Disney+ or Hulu, there’s more than one way to join in on the ACL Fest experience. And if you’re attending in person, don’t forget to save the schedule, plan which performances you want to catch, and take a few precautions like, registering your phone’s QR-code wallpaper, before you arrive.

There is so much more information on the Austin City Limits Music Festival website and Instagram page. They have been instrumental in compiling the little research I have done. The details for the lock screen and merch are also detailed there.