2026 ACL Music Festival: Organizers preparing for wet weather

AUSTIN, Texas - With the 2026 Austin City Limits Music Festival kicking off this weekend, city officials are reminding people to be prepared for wet weather.

So far, there are no changes to ACL events.

2026 ACL Festival: Festival goers should prepare for wet weather

What they're saying:

The City of Austin says they're having daily meetings with the National Weather Service and C3, which is the event organizer. 

"For visitors that are coming from outside of Austin who might not be familiar with our weather, Central Texas is known as Flash Flood Alley. It gets some of the hardest rains and is very prone to flash floods all up and down the I-35 corridor, so please understand that flooding can occur very quickly here and without warning," David Wiechmann with Austin Emergency Management said.

Austin Emergency Management says six inches of water can sweep someone off their feet, and 12 inches can move a car.

"Stay away from creeks, trails, culverts, ponds, and other drainage infrastructure," Wiechmann said. 

Wear a waterproof jacket and rain boots, because umbrellas are not allowed to be brought into ACL. The city says they're pausing irrigation at Zilker Park.

C3 says they're making preparations at Zilker Park like clearing drains, pre-setting equipment, and speeding up their set-up schedule.

C3 statement

FOX 7 asked C3 what their threshold is for canceling or modifying events. They said:

"Safety guides all decision-making at Austin City Limits Music Festival. It is our number one priority and a year-round focus.  We work closely with our partners at the City of Austin to continually evaluate our plans to ensure the safety of everyone in the park.

We are monitoring the weather forecast closely and have contingencies for all scenarios.  We look forward to another great weekend in Zilker Park and we will provide further updates as necessary.  

ACL Fest fans can stay informed this week and during the festival by following official ACL Fest social media channels, signing up for SMS notifications by texting ACL to 64934, and turning on push notifications via the ACL Fest Festiverse App presented by Miller Lite."

2026 ACL Festival: Officials warn about the dangers of fentanyl and other drugs

Dig deeper:

Another aspect is safety. Narcan will be provided at Zilker Park. You can also bring your own Narcan. 

First responders are warning people about the dangers of fentanyl and cychlorphine.

"Cychlorphine is something that we are monitoring with our system. We have seen an increase in opioid overdoses that have needed multiple doses of Narcan, so that's the importance of starting that first dose," Capt. Shannon Koesterer with Austin-Travis County EMS said.

"A lethal dose of fentanyl can be as small as a grain of sand. Whether you are inside or outside one of these festivals, do not take anything if you do not know where it came from," Cpl. Jose Mendez with Austin Police said.

"The more, the merrier with Narcan, that's our message," Koesterer said.

If you see anything suspicious, say something. 

"Officers will be on site both inside and outside these events, so please flag an officer down if you need help," Mendez said.

2026 ACL festival: Other safety tips

Why you should care:

Some other safety tips to keep in mind: get notifications from the ACL app. The what3words app can narrow down your location if you need help.

Keep your phone, ID and credit cards in separate places so they're not stolen all at once if you're targeted by a pickpocket.

Don't put your phone in your back pocket.

You can't fly a drone. There is a flight restriction for a one-mile radius of ACL grounds.