ACL 2023

Kendrick Lamar, Foo Fighters, Shania Twain, and more headline ACL Fest 2023

The ACL Fest lineup is here.

Austin City Limits Festival Facebook

The 22nd annual Austin City Limits festival lineup is here, and it's got some gems that could make even the most anti-festv Austinite want to go.

Headlining this year's festival are Kendrick Lamar, Foo Fighters, Mumford & Sons, The Lumineers, Shania Twain (Weekend One only), Odesza, Alanis Morissette, and Hozier. Also performing are The 1975 (Weekend Two only), Kali Uchis, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Maggie Rogers, Labrinth, Cigarettes After Sex, Niall Horan, Tove Lo, Thirty Seconds to Mars, and many, many more.

The two weekends of reverie will take place October 6-8 and October 13-15, 2023, at Zilker Park. Three-day tickets go on sale Tuesday, May 9, at noon via www.aclfestival.com. There are even layaway plans available, starting at $25 down. Plus as a new feature for 2023, all fees and shipping costs are included upfront, so there are no surprises when you go to the checkout.

The nine-stage event will also feature several Texas artists, including the aforementioned Cigarettes After Sex, Tanya Tucker, d4dv, and Randall King, and more. Some of the Austin-area artists include Asleep At The Wheel (one of the only constants at Austin City Limits from year to year), Ben Kweller, and Die Spitz, a gritty femme punk band making their ACL debut. A few more Texas artists play just one weekend: The Mars Volta and Jane Leo will play only for Weekend One, while Jimmy Vaughn and Tilt-A-Whirl Band and Penny & Sparrow play for Weekend Two only.

Also expected during the 2023 festival is its "Bonus Tracks" programming, which brings talks and interviews to a small stage, with past appearances including San Antonio-born public speaker and researcher Brené Brown, Austin yoga teacher Kate Waitzkin, KUTX hip-hop podcasters The Breaks, and more. Stay tuned for that announcement later this summer. Austin Kiddie Limits has also booked music for fans ages 8 and under, with a full lineup and programming to be announced soon.

In addition to general admission tickets, 3-Day GA+ Tickets, 3-Day VIP, and Platinum Tickets, hotel packages are also available. VIP ticket holders will enjoy two private lounges with viewing decks for the two main stages, while Platinum guests have the best seats in the house with exclusive viewing at six stages.

GA ticket holders are also getting a new amenity for 2023. Instead of finding premium cocktails on the menu in select areas only, you'll now be able to order them on bar menus all throughout the festival.

Tickets for the 2023 ACL Festival can be found at aclfestival.com.

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Sweater Weather

Busy Austin venue for games and drinks debuts a Christmas sweater pop-up

Photo courtesy of Punch Bowl Social

If you're not buying an ugly sweater at 2 am the Saturday before Christmas, are you even celebrating?

It doesn't seem possible, but the first ugly Christmas sweater shop for the 2024 season is about to open: It's The Ugly Christmas Sweater Shop, and it's coming to a surprising location for a sweater shop: inside Punch Bowl Social, the restaurant bowling entertainment destination at The Domain, where it will hold forth as a limited-time pop-up during the holidays.

The Ugly Christmas Sweater Shop will run from Friday, November 15, to Tuesday, December 24, during Punch Bowl Social’s regular hours: Sundays through Thursdays from 11 am to 11 pm, and Fridays and Saturdays from 11 am to 2 am.

Guests can peruse an assortment of upcycled and brand new holiday sweaters, ranging in price from $15 to $40, while sampling seasonal cocktails and shareable dishes, not to mention the venue's holiday décor and games including bowling, karaoke, darts, and arcade games.

Punch Bowl Social drinks sweaters If you can't win at bowling, you can win at finding the weirdest sweater.Photo courtesy of Punch Bowl Social

The Ugly Christmas Sweater Shop was founded in 2013 by Dallas-based vintage clothing guru Jeremy Turner after he noticed a demand at his mobile thrift store. First covered by none other than CultureMap, his shop went on to become national news, influencing hordes of hipsters everywhere to embrace the sweaters in an ironic manner.

Turner took a multi-year hiatus during COVID but relaunched at Punch Bowl Social Dallas in 2023. In 2024, he'll expand to Chicago and Austin for the first time.

“Following the successful launch of the pop-up series last year, we’re excited to continue our partnership with Jeremy and The Ugly Christmas Sweater Shop to spread some holiday cheer in Dallas” said Jencey Keeton, chief marketing officer of Punch Bowl Social. “During this year’s activation, we’ll be showcasing a collection of over-the-top holiday-inspired knits that are guaranteed to bring an extra touch of merriment this season.”

“I’m thrilled to be bringing The Ugly Christmas Sweater Shop back to Punch Bowl Social this year to inspire Dallasites to get into the holiday spirit,” said Turner. “Together, we’ve created a whimsical shopping experience that will be a fun and memorable way to celebrate the holidays.”

Punch Bowl Social Christmas snacks The snacks rival any Christmas party.Photo by Punch Bowl Social

In addition to the sweaters, Punch Bowl Social will be pouring cocktails, zero proof and punch, including To Me, You are Perfect, a fruit-forward punch served by the bowl or single cup; We Slept In!, a twist on the classic margarita; I Triple-Dog-Dare Ya, an old fashioned served with Ralphie glasses and a pickled filthy cherry and Son of a Nutcracker, an espresso martini also available in a N/A version, along with a variety of eats.

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