Key Takeaways
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Weekend Two of ACL Fest 2026 runs October 9–11 at Zilker Park with headliners Charli xcx, Kings of Leon, Lorde, RÜFÜS DU SOL, The xx, and Twenty One Pilots. All three nights schedule closing sets on the T-Mobile and American Express stages at the same time, so attendees must choose a final act each evening.
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Kings of Leon headline Friday exclusively on Weekend Two, replacing Skrillex’s slot from Weekend One, while the rest of the top line remains consistent across both weekends.
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Charli xcx, Lorde, and Parcels each have documented early coverage on OnesToWatch, highlighting the platform’s history of featuring artists before major festival billing.
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Texas-grown acts lluvii, Montclair, Almost Heaven, and the Huston Tillotson University Jazz Collective appear only on Weekend Two, showcasing regional talent on the ACL stage.
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Practical details such as bag policy, cashless payments, transportation, and re-entry rules shape the on-site experience and reward advance planning.
Quick Ticket Links for Featured OnesToWatch Artists
Charli xcx — Friday, October 9, 2026 — Zilker Park, Austin, TX
Lorde — Saturday, October 10, 2026 — Zilker Park, Austin, TX
Parcels — Sunday, October 11, 2026 — Zilker Park, Austin, TX
Friday, October 9, 2026: Charli xcx and Kings of Leon Close Out Day One
Friday night centers on a major scheduling clash between Charli xcx and Kings of Leon. On Weekend Two, Kings of Leon begin at 8:15 p.m. on the T-Mobile Stage while Charli xcx starts at 8:40 p.m. on the American Express Stage, overlapping through the festival’s final hour. On Weekend One, Charli xcx instead overlaps with Skrillex.
Charli xcx is one of the clearest examples of an artist OnesToWatch championed before her avant-pop aesthetic became a mainstream reference point. Her live show turns the maximalist production of her studio work into a physically immersive experience built around dense electronic arrangements and a confrontational stage presence. That evolution traces a path from early-career buzz coverage to her current arena-level headlining status.
Kings of Leon serve as the Weekend Two exclusive on the T-Mobile Stage, a slot filled by Skrillex during Weekend One. The Tennessee rock band’s two-decade catalog sets them apart from the electronic and pop acts surrounding them on Friday.
Additional Friday performers include:
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Amyl and the Sniffers
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Faouzia
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Labrinth
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Jesse Welles
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CMAT
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Steve Aoki
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The Chainsmokers
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Turnstile
Friday also features Texas-grown acts lluvii and Montclair, giving local artists a platform alongside the national and international names.
Saturday, October 10, 2026: Lorde and RÜFÜS DU SOL Split the Night
Saturday’s finale again places two headliners on opposite main stages. Lorde takes the T-Mobile Stage at 8:15 p.m. while RÜFÜS DU SOL headlines the American Express Stage at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 10, 2026, with the same timing on Saturday, October 3 during Weekend One.
Lorde has been part of the OnesToWatch discovery narrative since her earliest releases, when her sparse, introspective production stood apart from the pop mainstream. Her live performances focus on emotional directness and minimal staging that keeps the songwriting in the foreground.
RÜFÜS DU SOL bring their atmospheric electronic sound to the American Express Stage, offering an immersive closing option for attendees who prefer live-produced dance music.
Additional Saturday performers include:
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Bleachers
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Suki Waterhouse
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Finn Wolfhard
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Ryan Beatty
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Balu Brigada
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Night Tapes
Saturday’s bill also includes Texas act Almost Heaven, extending the regional presence into the weekend’s middle day.
Sunday, October 11, 2026: Parcels Disco-Funk Highlight and Final Night Headliners
Sunday closes Weekend Two with a final main-stage overlap between The xx and Twenty One Pilots. The xx perform on the T-Mobile Stage and Twenty One Pilots on the American Express Stage, both starting at 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 11, 2026. Earlier in the evening, Parcels deliver one of the weekend’s most distinctive undercard sets.
Parcels, the Australian five-piece, have built a reputation for live performances that foreground musicianship in a festival landscape dominated by DJ sets and backing tracks. Their disco-funk revival approach, rooted in tight ensemble playing and analog warmth, earned them early OnesToWatch coverage. Their ACL appearance continues a steady rise through larger festival slots.
Additional Sunday performers include:
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twenty one pilots
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Audrey Hobert
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Blood Orange
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Geese
Sunday also features the Huston Tillotson University Jazz Collective, rounding out the Texas-grown slate with a jazz-focused ensemble.
Texas-Grown Artists Across the Weekend Two Lineup
ACL 2026 Weekend Two includes a dedicated slate of Texas-grown supporting acts that reflect the festival’s ongoing commitment to regional talent. Across the three days, lluvii, Montclair, Almost Heaven, and the Huston Tillotson University Jazz Collective appear alongside national and international artists.
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lluvii
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Montclair
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Almost Heaven
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Huston Tillotson University Jazz Collective
These acts represent the kind of early-stage discovery that OnesToWatch has built its platform around, with artists performing for festival crowds before wider industry recognition arrives.
Explore OnesToWatch’s 2026 Top 30 Artists To Watch
Patterns and Big-Picture Takeaways from Weekend Two
The Weekend Two lineup spreads distinct moods across its three days. Friday leans into electronic pop and rock with the Charli xcx and Kings of Leon split. Saturday balances introspective songwriting from Lorde with live-produced electronic music from RÜFÜS DU SOL. Sunday offers the widest stylistic range, from Parcels’ funk-inflected live band sound to the alt-pop of Twenty One Pilots and the atmospheric indie of The xx.
The two-closer structure on the main stages shapes how attendees plan each night, as outlined in the ACL 2026 schedule design. Kings of Leon’s Weekend Two exclusivity remains the clearest top-line difference from Weekend One.
Charli xcx, Lorde, and Parcels each carry documented OnesToWatch histories, with coverage that predates their current festival stature. Their presence across all three days makes Weekend Two especially relevant for listeners who follow artists from early discovery to major festival stages.
Discover your next favorite artist
Practical Tips for Attending ACL Weekend Two
Advance planning around logistics, tickets, and on-site rules helps Weekend Two run more smoothly. Key details from ACL’s official guidelines include:
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Headliner Conflicts: All three nights feature simultaneous closing sets. Decide in advance which stage you will commit to, because moving between the T-Mobile and American Express stages during the final hour is difficult once crowds build.
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Tickets: Official primary-market tickets are sold through the festival’s official website.
Buy official ACL tickets
For resale, ACL directs fans to Ticketmaster Verified Exchange or Front Gate order history. Wristbands are mailed in advance and cannot be replaced if purchased through informal resale channels.
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Bag Policy: At ACL Music Festival, small clutch purses and fanny packs that are 6″ x 9″ or smaller do not need to be clear, but can have no more than one pocket. All bags larger than 6″ x 9″ must be clear and smaller than 12″ x 6″ x 12″. Small empty hydration packs with up to two extra pockets are allowed. All bags are searched before entry under the festival’s official policy.
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Cashless Payments: ACL Fest 2026 is a fully cashless event, with purchases made via wristband-linked cards and PINs, and vendors also accept credit and debit cards. Load payment methods before arriving.
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Transportation: There is no parking at Zilker Park or surrounding neighborhoods during the festival. CapMetro MetroRapid Route 803, rideshare, festival shuttles, and walking or biking are the recommended options.
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App: Festiverse is the official app for ACL Fest, as stated on the festival’s official FAQ. Download and configure it before the festival opens.
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Re-entry: Attendees may re-enter up to two additional times on the same day after first entry, with a wristband scan and security check each time.
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Children: At ACL Festival, children 8 years old and under may attend without a ticket when accompanied by a ticket-holding adult, limited to two children per ticket-holding adult. This applies to all ticket types other than Platinum, which requires a Platinum Kids ticket for children ages 3 through 8.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Is Headlining ACL Weekend Two 2026?
Weekend Two headliners are Charli xcx (Friday, American Express Stage), Kings of Leon (Friday, T-Mobile Stage, Weekend Two exclusive), Lorde (Saturday, T-Mobile Stage), RÜFÜS DU SOL (Saturday, American Express Stage), The xx (Sunday, T-Mobile Stage), and Twenty One Pilots (Sunday, American Express Stage). Each night presents two headlining shows that start at the same time on the festival’s two main stages, and the Honda/T-Mobile stage show ends earlier, leaving the American Express stage headliner as the final act to close out the night.
What Are the Dates for ACL Weekend Two 2026?
Austin City Limits Music Festival Weekend Two runs Friday, October 9 through Sunday, October 11, 2026, at Zilker Park in Austin, Texas. At ACL Fest 2026, Friday runs from 12:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., while Saturday and Sunday gates open at 11:00 a.m. with festival hours listed as 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
How Does Weekend Two Differ from Weekend One?
The five primary headliners, Charli xcx, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Twenty One Pilots, Lorde, and The xx, play both weekends. Kings of Leon are the Weekend Two exclusive, replacing Skrillex in the Friday T-Mobile Stage closing slot. The undercard shifts substantially between weekends, with Texas-grown acts lluvii, Montclair, Almost Heaven, and the Huston Tillotson University Jazz Collective appearing only in Weekend Two. Weekend One featured exclusive performances from Skrillex and Brandon Flowers of The Killers.
Are There Set Time Conflicts to Plan Around?
All three nights of Weekend Two feature simultaneous headliner sets. On Friday, Charli xcx (American Express Stage, 8:40 p.m.) overlaps with Kings of Leon (T-Mobile Stage, 8:15 p.m.). On Saturday, Lorde (T-Mobile Stage, 8:15 p.m.) runs against RÜFÜS DU SOL (American Express Stage, 8:30 p.m.). On Sunday, The xx (T-Mobile Stage, 8:30 p.m.) and Twenty One Pilots (American Express Stage, 8:30 p.m.) close simultaneously, so attendees choose one closing set per night.
How Much Are ACL Weekend Two Tickets?
Official primary-market pricing published on aclfestival.com includes: 1-day GA from $170; 1-day GA+ tickets at $345 for Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, with a $359 option that includes a collectible credential; 3-Day General Admission currently starting at $390, with earlier presale tiers starting at $325; 3-day GA+ from $775; 3-Day VIP starting at $1,850 for Weekend One and $1,760 for Weekend Two; 1-day Platinum from $2,210; and the 3-Day Platinum Ticket at $5,800 for Weekend One and $5,670 for Weekend Two. Some ticket tiers may sell out or move to higher pricing tiers by the time of purchase. Resale prices vary; a 3-day pass was listed on secondary markets at $507.50 and above as of mid-September 2026.
Is There Parking at Zilker Park?
There is no parking at Zilker Park or in surrounding neighborhoods during ACL Fest 2026. The festival directs attendees to use CapMetro MetroRapid Route 803, rideshare services, festival shuttles, or walking and biking as transportation options.