ACL crowds party on through the mud. ACL videos hit 12M views as rain turned Zilker to mud; fans filmed boots, ponchos and sets, and Google searches spiked
The spike
Social and search spiked together on Oct 3.Verified: the top posts on the social peak day were hand-checked and are about this trend.
Why it’s trending
We'll be soaked, filthy and broke on festival food, and still say it was the best weekend.
What’s happening
Austin City Limits weekend one got soaked. Fans filmed the mud, ponchos and boots, then showed the Charli XCX and Steve Aoki moments. Creators post 'Day 1' mud fits and food hauls, and searches for the festival jumped.
What content is working
Trending hashtags
The tags people used most on posts about this trend, ranked by number of posts. Generic tags like #fyp and #viral are left out.
- #austincitylimits 586 posts
- #acl 467 posts
- #aclfest 354 posts
- #austin 168 posts
- #aclfestival 255 posts
- #atx 161 posts
- #festival 94 posts
- #austintexas 103 posts
- #musicfestival 95 posts
- #austintx 82 posts
Sentiment
Automatic sentiment labels across 1,475 posts and 400 comments.
The other side · what’s negative
Real backlashFans are rattled by two things: packed, pushy crowds at the Chainsmokers set (some left early) and a muddy park they feel the festival should have prepared better.
The negative videos
Stay on the mud-and-boots joy, not crowd chaos. Skip anything that jokes about crushes or panic; be the relief (clean-up, comfort, hydration) rather than the party hype.
What people are saying in comments
One of the few shows I been to where I danced the entire night
Turns out music is better when we all together
Kudos to you for recognizing that rain boots can protect you even when its not raining!
Just like Woodstock!!! A mudfest!!!
The show must go on!
Rain or shine still slaying
Happy to have weekend 2. But honestly I could have fun in the rain!
Survived 2009 Dillo Dirt mudfest, even if I had to throw out my shoes.
Noooo those poor tecovas boots
Imagine getting trench foot just to listen to Lorde
I reeeeealy wanted to go because of Charli and Lola Young but low key glad I didn't.
Chainsmokers was a crime. The time and where they were placed.
Didnt even get to enjoy the set. The crowd was HORRIBLE. Being crushed was horrible.
That wasnt real rain. Yall really messed up zilker. What a shame
Yall paid 500 dollars for that
The content strategy we observed
Top videos show the festival as it really is: mud, rain and crowds, told as a short first-person tour or joke, not a polished recap.
Each opens on a plain label or line: a bold 'AUSTIN CITY LIMITS 2026' title, a 'CAKE CAM' overlay, 'When someone asks if I'm going to ACL', or the lyric 'But first, let me take a selfie'.#1 #2 #4 #5
One clear thing happens: a crowd wades through mud, a cake hits the crowd, a $40 nacho bucket gets a verdict. The viewer sees the moment, not a summary.#1 #2 #3
First-person or high-angle phone footage at the festival. Creator voice carries the clip; text on screen tells you what you are looking at.#1 #3 #4
Relatable and self-teasing: wear boots, the mud treatment will be a spa, the food is worth it. Fans laugh at the mess rather than complain about it.#1 #3 #4
The top videos went up between Oct 4 and Oct 7: all 7 on or after the Google peak (Oct 3). Social views peaked on Oct 3.#1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7
Film one honest muddy-festival moment in first person, label it on screen in plain words, and post it while the rain talk is still live.
What can brands do?
Boot rescue after the mud
“Open on caked, muddy festival boots dropped on the doormat: 'Day 2 starts with these.'”
- Format
- Before and after clean-up clip, filmed at home after the festival
- Platform
- TikTok, Instagram Reels
- Who posts
- Festival-goer creators and Austin lifestyle accounts
- Caption
- 45 minutes to clean these boots? Not anymore. Mud day, solved. #ACL
- When to post
- Weekend two, Oct 9-11
- Watch out
- Do not use festival or artist logos without a licence; keep claims about stain removal honest.