Long before senior Kenzie Chu ever set foot on Austin City Limits’ music festival grounds, she had seen it plastered on her mom’s favorite nightshirt growing up. What she didn’t know was the impact it would have once she experienced it for herself.
This past weekend marked the end of ACL 2025, the annual two-weekend Austin City Limits Music Festival that drew over 450,000 attendees from across the country to Zilker Park. Founded in 2002, ACL now features more than 130 artists across multiple stages, alongside local vendors and authentic Texas-style food.
Global stars like Sabrina Carpenter, Hozier, Doechii and The Killers headlined this year’s festival, bringing in $500 million for Austin’s economy and solidifying its place as a cultural landmark.
Among the sea of festivalgoers were several St. John’s students, many of whom made the four-hour drive to Austin. Between college essays and looming deadlines, the festival offered a rare chance to unwind.
Now in her third year attending, Chu describes ACL as her reset button.
“Senior year has been a sprint,” she said. “It was nice to just get out of town, do something I love and take a break from it all.”
In addition to a rest period, ACL allows for a space of musical exploration. With seven stages spanning the 350 acres of Zilker Park, attendees can choose the artists they want to watch perform.
“We went to see Olivia Dean in the middle of the day. I didn’t really know her, but her set was amazing. Now I listen to her all the time,” Chu said.
Senior Spencer Arouty also relates to this sense of discovery. Attending ACL for the third time this year, Arouty continues a tradition passed down from his dad, who went to the festival a decade ago, the event still in its infancy.
“I would always hear about it from him, so when he asked me and my sister if we wanted to go, it was a given,” Arouty said. “It’s unlike anything I’ve experienced before. I don’t have anything to compare it to.”
As the festival grows to attract bigger and bigger headliners, Chu and Arouty have noticed a spike in its attendance.
“The first time I went, I didn’t remember a single person from school going,” Arouty said. “But in the last two years, there’s been a huge increase.”
For many, this surge reflects both the festival’s growing visibility on social media and the newfound independence that comes with senior year.
“I’ve definitely seen an increase in people going,” Chu said. “Partially because of social media and partially because people are just getting into music. And as we get older, we have more freedom.”
That freedom is exactly what drew senior Sonia Chilukuri and her friends to ACL for the first time this year.
“I’ve always wanted to go to ACL since sixth grade, so I was so excited to finally go this year,” she said. “It was like a dream come true.”
Since it was their first time, Chilukuri and her ten friends prepared meticulously. They mapped out each stage, made itineraries and developed a “buddy system” to stay together to combat the limited cell service.
“We had a notes app where we wrote who wanted to see which artist,” she said. “Service is terrible there, so we had to plan ahead.”
Her mom, Susan Chilukuri, accompanied the group on the first day of the festival.
“They did really well,” Susan said. “When they were there, it was stress-free. They knew exactly where to go and when, so they got to see everyone they wanted.”
Since neither had encountered a crowd quite as big as the one ACL posed, safety was a top concern for both mother and daughter.
“We wanted to take all precautions,” Susan said. “But once I got there, I saw that everyone was pretty chill. I didn’t see anything concerning.”
By the end of the weekend, both came away with a deeper appreciation for live music.
“Festivals are so great for small artists,” Chilukuri said. “You might be waiting for one set, but you end up discovering someone totally new. That was the coolest part.”
But this three-day expedition comes with costs, with many students missing a day of school and returning early Monday morning. To navigate missed classes, late nights and long drives, Arouty stayed on top of assignments so he could fully enjoy the festival.
“It’s definitely hard to manage missing a day,” he said. “But if you get everything done ahead of time, it’s a great reset from school.”
As the lights faded on Zilker Park and the last guitars went silent, students returned home as late (or early) as 4 am with sunburns, sore feet and stories.
Chu ended her ACL experience by making the long drive back to Houston in the morning. But despite being “sleep-deprived all week,” she said she would not change a thing. Arouty agrees.
“It is always absolutely worth it,” Arouty said. “You come back tired, but mentally refreshed. It’s worth a shot for everyone.”
