This September held the 4th annual
Christine and
Katie Austin City Limits Festival Road Trip Extravaganza!
Christine and I have been attending the ACL Fest since college... it's become a bit of a tradition. Both of us are pretty much obsessed with all things music, and ACL is a perfect excuse to break away from office life for a weekend and become pseudo-hippies for 3 days of the year.
I started thinking about why we return each year and how the ACL Fest has improved over the years....
- Wristbands -- every year the wristbands are different... the first couple years they were green hard plastic with black design, last year they were a flimsy white plastic (very uncomfortable), this year CLOTH! It's always interesting to see what the wristband is going to be like... it's your ticket in... it's your wrist accessory for 3 days (or longer if you like to keep it on for months like we do to remind us of the good times). The fest keeps the audience guessing... they mix it up each year... we like that.
- Food -- Christine and I eat the same thing pretty much every day at the fest: Solar hummus wraps and Sweet Leaf Tea. Now, I know you can find Sweet Leaf Tea outside of Austin, but the Solar hummus is only found in Austin. It is my favorite hummus. I do not eat any other hummus. Ever. So this is a big deal for me. They also have Austin only foods like Stubb's BBQ, Saltlick BBQ, etc. And this year, we were introduced to the Chicken Cone. Yes, a Chicken Cone. Wanna know what it is? Attend the fest next year.
- Ambiance -- A big part of the fest for me is just being outside for literally 3 days straight. Zilker Park just before fall, no shoes, lots of walking... it's nice to feel a little more connected to nature than the usual day in Dallas. Yeah, we get sunburned, we inhale a lot of dust, but that's just part of the fest. Being in a massively huge crowd of people just so you can be that much closer to Jack White... totally worth it.
- Information -- I'm a planner... I like to know what's going on. The fest has done a GREAT job of keeping us informed at all times. I know when tickets are going on sale, when the lineup is being announced, when I can redeem my tickets, where to find anything at the fest, when bands will be giving autographs, where a friend can pick me up, etc etc etc. Website. Their website is full of information, from bios on bands to an interactive customizable schedule. Email blasts. I receive these year round about the fest... the day after the fest I had one in my inbox about next year's ticket sales. Text messages. I received texts throughout the fest regarding autograph signings to free Sweet Leaf Tea. Nothing is better than free Sweet Leaf Tea.
By keeping things fresh and keeping their audience informed, ACL has grown as a festival over the years and continues to attract more music lovers each year. And yes, I'll be returning next year.
Check out my pictures from the festival over the years...