Austin City Limits Music Festival
Austin City Limits (ACL) Music Festival is an annual music festival that takes place in Zilker Park in Austin, Texas on two consecutive three-day weekends and is inspired by the KLRU/PBS music series of the same name. The festival is produced by Austin-based company C3 Presents, which also produces Chicago’s Lollapalooza.[3]
Aust City Limits Music Festival
Annually
Zilker Park, Austin, Texas, United States
2002–present
October 7–9 / 14–16, 2022
October 1–3 / 8–10, 2021
October 6–8 / 13–15, 2023
450,000 (Two weekend total)[1]
75,000[2]
The ACL Music Festival has eight stages where musical groups from genres including rock, indie, country, folk, electronic, and hip hop perform. The concert starts at 10am and ends 10pm on each day during the festival at various stages spread out in the park. Approximately 450,000 people attend the festival each year.[4] In addition to the music performances, there are food and drinks, an art market, a kids area for families and other activities for attendees.
History[edit]
Founded in 2002, the festival began as a one-weekend event and remained as such through until 2012. On August 16, 2012, Austin City Council members voted unanimously to allow the Austin City Limits Music Festival to expand to two consecutive weekends beginning in 2013.[5] Artists who have played at the festival include Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Depeche Mode, The Cure, Arctic Monkeys, Guns N' Roses, Tame Impala, Robyn, Arcade Fire, Muse, Vampire Weekend, The Flaming Lips, Radiohead, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Paul McCartney, Austin native Gary Clark Jr., and more.
In July 2020, the festival was called off due to the COVID-19 crisis.[6]
In May 2022, it was announced that Hulu will exclusively stream the festival, as well as Bonnaroo Music Festival and Lollapalooza.[7]
International expansion[edit]
Auckland City Limits[edit]
In 2015, it was announced that the Auckland City Limits Music Festival would debut at Western Springs stadium in Auckland, New Zealand in early October 2016. The festival showcased over 40 artists from a broad spectrum of musical genres, and highlight local culinary, artisans, festival fashion, an area for children, and a new festival forum for speaking on and exchanging cultural and innovative ideas.
Sydney City Limits[edit]
In the spring of 2018 Sydney City Limits made its debut at Brazilian Fields and Parade Grounds at Centennial Park in Sydney, Australia. This festival was one day and featured 28 bands on four stages. It had many of the same activities and features as Austin City Limits such as Sydney Eats, Sydney Market, and Sydney Kiddie Limits.