ACL Music Fest Survival Guide: Roads Closed, Allowed/Banned Items

AUSTIN, TEXAS — As you're probably aware, thousands of people will descend on nearly 50 acres of Zilker Park this weekend for the Austin City Limits music festival. Yet while they'll be having their fun dancing and cheering their favorite bands with wild abandon, several streets in the area will be closed to accommodate their mass outing.

To avoid driver frustration, the city issues a list of road closures. Studying this document ahead of a drive will save blighted motorists from encountering closed arteries in enabling them to plot out travel routes ahead of time. The northern portion of Zilker Park (the so-called "Great Lawn" to the cognoscenti) has been closed since Sept 24 in preparation for this massive event, and will remain closed until Oct. 28 for cleanup and such.

Staging the annual event is an elephantine undertaking, including 11 days of festival set-up, two event weekends, a week to remove staging and at least one week for the annual Parks and Recreation Department's post-event maintenance.

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But back to road closures. Barton Springs Road is completely closed for weekend two beginning Friday, Oct. 12 until Oct. 15. Another full closure near Zilker park is on Stratford drive. The road is totally shut down Oct. 12 through the Oct. 15. The street is closed from 12:01 a.m. on Friday until 6 a.m. Monday. Rollingwood from Mopac is also closed to traffic, and there is no northbound Mopac access via Bee Cave Road.

Map via City of Austin

For more information on road closures and how to get around Zilker Park this weekend, visit the city's transportation website here. The Downtown Austin Alliance has devised a handy, interactive map outlining all road closures. To see it, click here.

For a complete list of lane and road closures during the load-in period visit www.austintexas.gov/ace.

To see a map of open and closed areas at the park, click here. During the festival period, Vic Mathias and Auditorium Shores east lawn, middle lawn, and off leash area will be open for public use. Butler Park will remain open for public use. View a directory of the City of Austin parks for additional options.

Map provided by ACL

What's banned, what's allowed

While we're speaking of forbidden roadways, it might be useful to remind attendees what they're allowed to bring into the grounds and what's prohibited. Commonplace items that are otherwise benign accouterments of daily living — umbrellas, frisbees, liquids — are suffused with an aura of contraband during ACL. Music festival visitors know this, but it can be quite jarring to get to the park only to be told you can't take those items you're toting on the grounds.

There's a fair chance of rain this weekend, and you might be gazing at your umbrella before heading out to Zilker while envisioning your dryness amid a sea of soaked festival goers. Entertain the fantasy if you must, but don't even think of taking it with you. You might want to search for one of those platsic rain ponchos sold wherever fine plastic rain ponchos are sold.

Patch did some quick research on where one might buy rain ponchos in Austin. By no means a definitive list, you might find them at:

• Academy Sports + Outdoors, various locations including 5400 Brodie Ln, Sunset Valley, Texas. Phone: (512) 891-4240. Various locations.
• Austin Paddle Sports, 720 Bastrop Hwy. Phone: (512) 777-8958.
• CVS, various locations; they're everywhere, including two off the main drag (Guadalupe Street) in near proximity of each other.
• DICK'S Sporting Goods, various locations including at The Domain, 3210 Kramer Lane. Phone: (512) 339-3299.
• Free people, a women's clothing chain "....with a bohemian-inspired collection of dresses, jackets, shoes & accessories," according to its website, located at 524 N. Lamar Blvd. Phone: (512) 320-1950.
• Kammok Gear Shop, 1401 E. 7th St. Phone: (888) 815-5162.
• Lowe's Home Improvement, various locations including 5510 S IH 35 Frontage Road. Phone: (512) 441-0329.
• Patagonia Austin, another outdoor sports store at 316 Congress Ave. Phone: (512) 320-8383.
• Quonset Hut, a military surplus shop located at Fruth St. (near Spider House). Phone: (512) 494-1162.
• REI, a sports store selling gear and apparel for outdoor recreation located at 601 N. Lamar Blvd. Phone: (512) 482-3357. Various locations, check in link above.
• Sue Patrick, a shop specializing in UT-Austin apparel located at 5222 Burnet Rd. Phone: (512) 452-7701.
• Target, 2025 Guadalupe St. Phone: (512) 651-1262. Various locations.
• Whole Earth Provision Co., various including 1014 N. Lamar Blvd. Phone: (512) 476-1414.

There's a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms Friday night under mostly cloudy skies with a low around 69, according to the National Weather Service. South southeast wind will be around 5 mph. By Saturday, showers and thunderstorms are likely. It will be mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. South wind 5 to 10 mph. The chance of precipitation is 60 percent, with new rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible, according to forecasters. By nightfall on Saturday, the chance of rain will be diminished to 40 percent, with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. It'll be mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. South wind around 10 mph. Sunday calls for a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 84. South wind 5 to 10 mph.

Again: Think rain poncho.

To avoid the inconvenience and potential embarrassment of a search, some folks go without any bag at all. These types of people are rewarded for their travel economy with a "no bag" line at the entrance requiring no checks for prohibited items. Conversely, those bringing in bags loaded with allowed items are thoroughly searched in the other lines.

That bag policy appears to have changed, and gotten stricter. A friend of Patch reports on Facebook that the bag she's been taking to ACL Fest for years was banned this year upon her attempts at entry. "I've been using the same bag for the last eight years but now it's been banned for pockets!"

Happily toting her ample, multi-pocketed bag to the event for so long without hassle, this friend of Patch was palpably smoking mad about the situation in which she found herself this year. Oh, and speaking of smoking: There is no smoking of any kind in Zilker Park, smokers. So just leave the smoking materials at home to partake post-ACL as you think about possibly quitting altogether (but, hey, no judgment).

WHAT'S ALLOWED AT ACL FEST

• Bags will be restricted to small purses, totes and drawstring bags only. Bag size may not exceed 14” x 11” x 5” (35cm x 28cm x 12cm), or 30 linear inches (75cm) in total, and must have no more than one singular pocket or opening. Backpacks and bags with multiple pockets are prohibited. Hydration packs are allowed but must be emptied of all liquid and have no more than two pockets in addition to the one holding the water reservoir.
  • Security may make bag policy exceptions at the Family Friendly Entrance (to the right of the Barton Springs East entrance, closes at 7pm) for parents of babies and toddlers with diaper bags, breastfeeding mothers and those with documented medical needs.
• Binoculars
• Blankets, Sheets, Towels
• Strollers
• Cameras (basic point and shoot consumer-grade cameras) without detachable lenses and other accessories (monopods, selfie sticks, tripods, GoPro mounts, and other attachments are not allowed)
• GoPro cameras without accessories
• Portable/collapsible chair (Individual seat only; no double wide or connecting chairs)
• Sunscreen lotion (no aerosol containers)
• Bug Repellant (no aerosol containers)
• Empty hydration packs
• Empty Water bottles (plastic or aluminum). For CamelBak type water bottle the max size is 36 oz
• External Battery Chargers
• Totems, rage sticks and flags under 12 ft. tall are allowed for way-finding among friends. Items that are deemed by Festival organizers to be unsafe, inappropriate, offensive or are being used for purposes other than intended are prohibited and may be confiscated on site
• Prescription Medicine Requirements:
  • Anyone needing prescription medicine at the festival must present the pharmacy-labeled container which states the prescription, dosage, and patient name to our medical staff at each entrance gate. Patrons are only allowed a sufficient supply of the prescribed medication for that day.
  • Medicines needing to be inhaled or smoked are prohibited unless in a prescribed inhaler.
  • Over the counter medications are allowed in a sufficient supply for the day. Bottle contents will be verified by medical personnel at the entry gates.

WHAT IS PROHIBITED AT ACL FEST

• Bags will be restricted to small purses, totes and drawstring bags only. Bag size may not exceed 14” x 11” x 5” (35cm x 28cm x 12cm), or 30 linear inches (75cm) in total, and must have no more than one singular pocket or opening. Backpacks and bags with multiple pockets are prohibited. Hydration packs are allowed but must be emptied of all liquid and have no more than two pockets in addition to the one holding the water reservoir.
• E-Cigs or Vaping devices
• Liquids
• Aerosol containers (including sunscreen and personal beauty products)
• Any and all professional audio recording equipment
• Any and all professional video equipment – no video recording will be allowed
  • Professional cameras (any camera with the option to detach a lens)
  • Any and all camera accessories, such as selfie sticks, tripods, monopods, go pro mounts and attachments, detachable lenses, or other commercial equipment
• Drones or any other remote flying device
• Frisbees
• Camping or Tent setups. Includes camping umbrellas, tents and cordoning off your chairs with tape/rope
• Coolers of any kind (exceptions may be made for medical use)
• Framed backpacks
• Hammocks
• Glass containers of any kind
• Firearms, explosives, and weapons of any kind (including pocket knives, pepper spray, fireworks, etc)
• Illegal and Illicit substances of any kind
• Drugs or drug paraphernalia
• Outside food or beverage (including alcohol)
• Umbrellas
• Professional-grade radios or walkie-talkies
• Pets (except service animals)
• Skateboards, scooters, bicycles, wagons, carts (including red wagons) or any personal motorized vehicles
• Tents, canopies, or shade structures of any kind
• Unauthorized/unlicensed vendors are not allowed. No unauthorized solicitation and materials including handbills, flyers, stickers, beach balls, give-aways, samples, etc.
• Large chains or spiked jewelry
• Bicycles inside the festival grounds (free parking is available near festival entrance)
• No Inflatable furniture (rafts, chairs, etc.)

Sounds harsh, but they're not trying to be jerks. Rather, organizers are trying to ensure that everyone is safe. Visit the Safety Page to learn how to get to ACL prepared and how to get help during the festival. You'll also read about official security measures in place at the venue.

Now get out there and have fun, music lovers! And dance like you've never danced before.

Graphic via ACL

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