The Austin City Limits Music Festival 2024 delivered yet another memorable weekend of music, culture, and community in the heart of Texas. 

Set against the colorful backdrop of Zilker Park, this year’s festival continued its tradition of featuring a diverse lineup, blending iconic headliners with emerging talent from around the world. Spanning genres like indie rock, hip-hop, pop, and electronic, ACL 2024 catered to all tastes, while also offering an immersive experience of local food, art, and sustainability efforts. Whether it was your first time or you were a seasoned attendee, this year’s ACL did not disappoint.

The second weekend kicked off with a “Willie” big surprise when legendary outlaw country singer-songwriter Willie Nelson joined Chris Stapleton on stage. The two opened their set with “Whiskey River,” a song written by Nelson’s longtime friend Johnny Bush. Willie’s presence didn’t stop there — on Sunday, he made a guest appearance during Orville Peck’s set where they performed their duet “Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other.”

The weekend also saw new bands grace the ACL stages. Fresh acts like the Red Strat Clays, St. Lucia, and local favorite Kalu & the Electric Joint brought their sounds, while returning artists like Benson Boone — who wowed with gymnastic flips off the stage piano — and Remi Wolf electrified the crowds with their high-energy performances.

Austin’s local music scene had its spotlight too, with performances from the Huston-Tillotson Jazz Band and Bob Schneider on Tito’s stage, while Molecular Steve and Daiistar played to fans on the T-Mobile and Miller stages. Texas artists like Mickey Guyton, Being Dead, and That Mexican OT, a standout on the T-Mobile stage, added to the festival’s homegrown flair.

Chappell Roan also drew a massive crowd for her second weekend performance, possibly even larger than the first. As ACL was the last stop on her tour, she made sure to leave the crowd “H-O-T-T-O-G-O!” with one fan reportedly waiting all day at the barricade to secure the perfect spot.

The weekend headliners were equally impressive. Blink-182 closed out Friday night opposite Chris Stapleton with a blend of skate-punk energy and onstage antics. Saturday saw Dua Lipa don a Texas Longhorn jersey during her set, while Pretty Lights had festival-goers dancing at the Honda stage. Sunday’s highlights included Sturgill Simpson paying tribute to Prince with a powerful cover of “Purple Rain” before closing out the Honda stage. Tyler, the Creator put a bold exclamation mark on the festival, closing both the American Express stage and the entire event.

As the dust settled on two weekends of ACL 2024, an estimated 450,000 people had gathered to see 147 bands across eight stages. While the music may have ended, the countdown to next year’s festival has already begun.

Here is a look back on the second weekend of ACL 2024!  

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Cover photo Charles Reagan Hackleman.

Brian Maass is a native Austinite who has a passion for music, travel and sharing his experiences through his camera lens. He lives in Round Rock, Texas, with his wife Dana Kent Maass and their faithful dog Chester.