OVERALL SIPS AND SOUNDS REVIEW

Overall, I think Sips and Sounds is it’s own thing and honestly can’t be compared to big Austin music festivals like ACL (yet). BUT this is not to say that fans of ACL wouldn’t appreciate Sips and Sounds. It’s like Sips and Sounds is ACL’s much younger cousin. Things that were the same: Free water stations throughout the park! These had disposable water cups, different from ACL. Gluten free and vegan options! While there weren’t as many gluten free and vegan options as Austin City Limits, they were still provided. Also featured were a variety of sweet treats, both cold and hot (like ice cream and funnel cake). Photo ops! There were lots of spaces provided to take Instagramable pictures. Pop-ups! There were so many different brands that were at Sips and Sounds. Things we scored for free: Cinemark popcorn and coke Peace Tea stickers, buttons, and bandana Things that were the different: Fits! Many of the guests had more relaxed outfits than ACL but still had an indie flair. Common attire for men seemed to be a baggy pair of shorts with a band t-shirt. For women, I saw mini skirts paired with a going out top and stylish boots. The music lineup! While ACL had several stages to choose from with overlapping times, Sips and Sounds did not. Sets were performed at different stages but at staggered times, so there wasn’t competition between artists. I liked this. Having less artists to see gave us more time to wander around different PR setups and photo ops. The price! My one day ticket for ACL in 2025 was approximately $170. A one day ticket for Sips and Sounds cost around $65. For the price, Sips and Sounds was worth it. Parking! I was so scared about the parking situation for ACL that we just ubered. It took around 15 minutes from where we were dropped off to get to the park where ACL was being held. I think most people got dropped off around the same area we did because we were walking with a bunch of people. However, the walk to ACL gave us plenty of time to grab free merch that vendors on the side of the road were giving away. Sips and Sounds parking was extremely easy to navigate. We found a parking garage that was only a minute walk from the park, and leaving the area wasn’t a headache. In total, we only paid around $15 for parking over a total of 6 hours.