Austin City Limits has announced that they will be requiring a negative COVID test within the last 72 hours for admittance to their annual festival, regardless of vaccination status. This news comes in light of the recent update that local government officials have mandated regarding large events.
UPDATE: ACL has backtracked on this policy and will allow vaccine-card in lieu of negative test. However, there will be masked areas at the festival.
In a term they are calling ‘Stage 5’, all indoor events over 1,000 people and outdoor events over 2,500 people that take place on public parks and spaces will be subjected to the following a variety of strategies to mitigate the spread of COVID. Beyond the negative COVID test, there will also be 6-foot social distancing strategies implemented, as well as ‘Mask Zones’ in areas where social distancing is not possible.
All of this went into effect on August 30th. ACL takes place on the publicly-owned Zilker Park recreation area in South Austin. It also has an attendance list of well over 2,500 music lovers. Thus, the festival must comply with this new heightened precautions outlined by their local government.
ACL Festival Organizers are communicating updates about safety protocols as the continue to arise. Sara Henry, who runs the Austin Center for Events, confirmed in a quote that there will be ““Screening at event entrances by requiring in-person attendees to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours prior to the event.”
 will require a 72-hour negative COVID test regardless of attendee vaccination status.){kind=link}