Zilker Park was a lot like the Serengeti this weekend.
The normally lush lawn along Town Lake was barren. What little dried grass was left was kicked around amid the dust that covered everything. Hot, dry weather and a stiff breeze whipped up the dirt. A reddish haze that covered the festival grounds was visible in the atmosphere once the sun set.
Hordes of people flocked underneath any available shade. Other groups huddled near the misting tents to catch a spray of cold water, or near the vendors to nurse a cold drink. Hats and sunglasses offered camouflage from the brutal sun.
It was the unbearable heat that reduced Austin City Limits Music Festival fans to survival mode. Perhaps it wasn’t a coincidence that Sunday’s headlining act was Coldplay. The English group won four Grammy’s and sold more than 17 million albums.
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ACL Fest - Day 3
News 8 Austin's Veronica Castelo reports from Zilker Park.
 
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Temperatures hit 108 degrees on the third and final day of the fourth annual festival. While a late weekend in September wouldn’t normally be such a scorcher, News 8 Austin Meteorologist Rich Segal said the culprits were a strong subtropical high over the area, low soil moisture and dry surface winds.
But it’s not the weather that determines the festival’s date. It’s Austin’s other pride and joy, the University of Texas Longhorns. The football team has one weekend off in September, and that’s when Capital Sports and Entertainment puts on the Austin City Limits Music Festival.
This year, survey tents let people offer instant feedback about the festival. Last year, fans suggested limiting ticket sales to keep crowds smaller. This year, crowds were reduced by 10,000 people each day – from 75,000 to 65,000.
Sadly, the one thing festival organizers aren't in charge of is the weather.
