The Austin Insider’s Guide to ACL Music Fest 2026

With 75,000 fans expected each day and more than 100 artists performing across nine stages, navigating the Austin City Limits (ACL) Music Festival can feel overwhelming. Our day-by-day guide covers the must-see performances and essential tips for making the most of all three days at Zilker Park in Austin.

Friday, Oct. 2, and Friday, Oct. 9

If you are fortunate enough to have Friday off work — or can play a little game of hooky — we always suggest getting to the park sooner rather than later. Not only will you beat the massive lines, but you’ll also have a chance to catch Austin legends Asleep at the Wheel, who perform at 1 p.m. during the festival’s first weekend.

Other early Friday acts to check out include Hunx and His Punx and Faouzia during Weekend 1, plus Happy Landing and S.G. Goodman during Weekend 2.

Somewhere between all that amazing live music, you’ll work up an appetite. We like to kick off our ACL Eats experience with a Mighty Cone. One of the only food vendors present at every ACL since the festival began in 2002, Mighty Cone serves a cone-shaped tortilla stuffed with your choice of fried chicken or fried avocado, plus fixings such as mango-jalapeño slaw and ancho-chile aioli. It’s delicious and portable, so you can enjoy it on the way to the next set.

After that tasty snack, mosey over to watch Melbourne punk band Amyl and the Sniffers at 4:30 p.m. on the American Express Stage. Other late-afternoon and early-evening sets include Natasha Bedingfield during Weekend 2, Austin psych-garage rock band Grocery Bag during Weekend 1 and singer-songwriter and DJ Rebecca Black during Weekend 1.

As Friday comes to a close, festivalgoers have plenty of options. There’s mega-DJ Steve Aoki, hardcore rock band Turnstile, singer, songwriter and composer Labrinth, alternative rock band Live during Weekend 2, R&B singer-songwriter Leon Thomas and electronic pop duo The Chainsmokers. Take your pick!

Skrillex and Charli XCX will close out Friday, but unfortunately, they’re playing at the same time. We can’t tell you which to pick because, honestly, we’re having a hard time deciding ourselves. We guess that’s why we have two weekends!

Saturday, Oct. 3, and Saturday, Oct. 10

Once again, we encourage you to get to the grounds early. Avoid those lines at all costs! Kicking off the day’s festivities are dream-pop group Night Tapes and indie rocker Annie DiRusso.

Other early Saturday shows to check out include Austin’s own DJ Cassandra during Weekend 1, Nat Myers during Weekend 2, Finn Wolfhard and Skye Newman.

Another ACL Eats staple we love is Chi’Lantro, specifically its signature Kimchi Fries. These mouthwatering fries are topped with caramelized kimchi, onions, spicy pork, sriracha and Chi’Lantro’s famous Magic Sauce. They’re a perfect snack to share with your festival crew as you wait for the next band to come on.

Later in the day, we’re looking forward to seeing dream-pop artist Suki Waterhouse. You could also dance the day away with Puerto Rican rapper Young Miko or catch guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela.

Saturday evening truly has something for everyone. Pop and R&B fans can catch powerhouse singer-songwriter Lola Young, while EDM lovers can see Japanese DJ Yukimatsu Yōsuke and electronic trio Levity. Indie pop and rock fans can look forward to Bleachers and Lykke Li.

Closing out day two are New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde and Australian electronic group Rüfüs Du Sol.

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Sunday, Oct. 4, and Sunday, Oct. 11

It’s the final day, so make the most of your time by being an early bird! We’re starting Sunday with some homegrown favorites, including The Moriah Sisters during Weekend 1 and the Huston-Tillotson University Jazz Collective during Weekend 2. There are also seasoned Texas acts such as Calder Allen, Jess Williamson during Weekend 1 and Dexter and the Moonrocks during Weekend 1.

For lunch, we suggest sampling dishes from multiple booths. It is the last day, after all! Balance the decadence of Lonesome Dove’s truffle mac and cheese with some much-needed nutrients from the açaí bowl masters at Blenders & Bowls. You could also grab some juicy lamb chops from KG BBQ or pick up a slice from Southside Flying Pizza.

Sunday afternoon brings indie favorites The War on Drugs, Geese and Parcels, along with dance and indie-pop acts Sofi Tukker, Blood Orange, Cannons and Noga Erez.

Finally, musical duos The xx and Twenty One Pilots will close out the festival, with The xx bringing atmospheric indie pop and Twenty One Pilots delivering a high-energy mix of alternative rock, pop and hip-hop.

We hope this ACL crash course has given you some much-needed preparation and made you as excited for the festival as we are.

We’ll leave you with these final tips:

• Wear sunscreen.
• Pick a meeting spot where you and your friends can reconnect at the end of the night. Cell service is limited, and it’s easy to lose track of one another.
• Keep an eye out for the Bonus Tracks Stage, which has featured appearances by Brené Brown and Billie Eilish.
• Be kind.
• Have fun!

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