My Experience at ACL Music Festival 2025

This past Sunday, I went to ACL Weekend One, and it was such an unforgettable experience. From the incredible performances to the delicious food and contagious energy, the entire day felt like a celebration of everything I love about Austin. The music, the crowd, and the sense of community created a thrilling and inspiring atmosphere. I’m already counting down the days until next year.

I went with some of my college friends, as well as two of my best high school friends who came to Austin for the weekend. We decided to go around 3:30 p.m. since our favorite artists weren’t going on until around four. We took an Uber to the east entrance of Zilker Park, and to my surprise, the line moved much faster than expected. Within about ten minutes, we had our bags checked, tickets scanned, and were officially inside the festival gates.

The first thing we did when we got there was run up to the Rainbow Kitten Surprise performance, sprinting down the fields to catch the beginning of their first performance. They all did amazing and know how to put on a great show. The energy was high in the crowd. Everyone was singing, dancing, and fully immersed in the moment, setting an excellent tone for the rest of our day. There was something so special about surrounding myself in such a lively environment with some of my favorite people in one place.

After Rainbow Kitten Surprise ended, we took a quick break to stop at some food vendors before making our way to the stage where Passion Pit would be performing. On our way, we stopped by Disco Lines and stayed near the back for a few songs. As much as I would’ve loved to stay longer, I knew getting a good spot at Passion Pit was more important since I’ve been a fan of theirs for years. We continued making our way through the seas of people, and soon enough, we found a long strip of small food booths offering meals like barbecue, burgers, and pizza. We scouted out the booth with the most reasonable line length and stood there. After waiting for about five minutes, I saw that the booth was selling steak fingers, and even though it wouldn’t have been my first choice, I decided to try them out. I didn’t know what to expect, but they were surprisingly delicious and gave me the perfect amount of fuel for the rest of the festival.

After getting food, we hurried to Passion Pit while I was juggling my phone, water, and plate of steak fries, holding them above the crowd as we pushed toward the front of the stage. We finally got to a good spot, and I tried to ignore my claustrophobic tendencies as I reminded myself how long I’ve waited for this. After about ten minutes, they were on. They had an amazing setlist of songs that I’ve had on my playlists since high school, which was a nice surprise since I refrained from looking at their setlist the entire week before. Their performance definitely started differently than I expected, and the energy and performance they brought were a bit underwhelming. As the show went on, the energy started slowly picking up and ended on a high note that made it worth it. The performance really seemed like it got better and better every minute, and I was elated.

After Passion Pit, we had to decide if we wanted to go to John Summit or The Killers, since they went on simultaneously and are arguably equally exciting shows. We decided to see John Summit for a few songs and end at The Killers, conveniently across from John Summit’s stage. John Summit was a lot of fun, and he definitely brought a fun vibe that kept everyone’s energy high. His performance was by far my favorite of the night, with incredible lighting, laser beams, and bursts of fire that shot up from the stage edges. The Killers were also super fun, and it was special hearing the songs I’ve grown up listening to in person. They struck the perfect balance between upbeat crowd favorites and slower, feel-good songs that beautifully closed the night.

Overall, I had the time of my life at ACL, and I’m already counting down the days before I get to go back next year. ACL is more than just a music festival, it’s a reminder of how alive Austin feels when music, friends, and the city’s energy all collide. It’s a fascinating thing to see so many people come together and bond over their love of music, and every part of ACL feels fun, intentional, and truly unforgettable. If you’re ever considering going to ACL, here is your sign to do it. You won’t regret it!