ACL Fest is almost here, and Mother Nature may be planning to join the lineup.

But if you’ve spent enough time at festivals, you already know that a little rain isn’t exactly a dealbreaker. Festival-goers are a resourceful bunch. The skies open up, the ponchos come out, everyone checks on their crew, and the party keeps moving.

And with a lineup that includes artists like Twenty One Pilots, Charli XCX, Skrillex, Rufus Du Sol, Sofi Tukker, etc and there are plenty of reasons to get through the gates and make the most of the weekend. ACL is bringing more than 100 performances across nine stages, so there’s a lot to explore beyond whoever you originally came to see.

So if rain is in the forecast, don’t worry because we are here to help you prepare for it, embrace a little chaos, and keep moving!

1. Bring the Poncho. And Maybe Bring an Extra.

A poncho is one of those festival essentials you don’t really appreciate until you need one.

They’re lightweight, easy to throw in your bag, and take up almost no room. If rain is looking likely, there’s really no reason not to have one with you.

And if you have room for a second? Even better.

Because eventually, someone in your crew—or the person dancing next to you—is going to realize they severely underestimated the weather. Being able to hand them an extra poncho is a small gesture, but it’s exactly the kind of thing that keeps PLUR alive during rainy moments.

2. Wear Shoes You’re Not Afraid to Sacrifice

This probably isn’t the weekend for your favorite pair of sneakers.

If the rain sticks around, you’re dealing with wet grass, dirt, and thousands of people walking over the same ground. Your shoes are going to take a beating.

Wear something comfortable that you don’t mind getting dirty. And if you have an old pair you’ve been looking for an excuse to retire, this might be their final festival.

The most important thing is comfort. You’re going to be walking, standing, dancing, and moving around for hours, so wear something you know your feet can handle! But my biggest piece of advice? Make sure they have GRIP.

Because if there’s one thing mud enjoys doing, it’s making people SLIP.

A muddy festival field can go from perfectly manageable to seriously slippery pretty quickly, especially when you’re moving through crowds or trying to get from one stage to another. The last thing you want is to spend the entire night trying to keep your balance—or worse, taking a full mud bath in the middle of the crowd and completely sacrificing that festival outfit you spent all morning putting together.

And if they come home looking like they went through a war? That’s between you and the washing machine.

3. Dress for the Weather, Not Just the Outfit

Festival fashion is part of the experience, but when rain is involved, practicality starts to matter a little more.

Think about lightweight layers and pieces you can throw over your outfit if the weather turns. You don’t have to sacrifice your look—you just want to make sure you’re still comfortable several hours later.

Because the outfit might look incredible when you first walk through the gates.

Six hours later, you’re probably going to care a lot more about whether you’re comfortable.

4. Have a Plan for Your Crew

Rain can make an already crowded festival feel even more chaotic.

Before everyone disappears into the crowd, make sure your group has a general meeting spot and a backup plan if cell service gets spotty.

You don’t necessarily have to stay together all day. Part of the fun is splitting up to catch different sets and meeting back up later.

Just make sure everyone knows where “later” is.

And if someone in your group gets caught without a poncho, needs a hand navigating through the crowd, or is just having a rough weather moment, look out for each other! Especially if you are all having to leave and go back to your car if the festival is evacuated it will be smart to make a certain meeting point so everyone can regroup!

Preparation is a part of the festival experience too.

5. Don’t Let a Little Rain Keep You From Exploring ACL

This is probably the biggest one.

If the grounds get muddy, don’t automatically take that as your cue to call it a day.

Austin City Limits is bigger than the stage you came for.

You’ve got nine stages, food, art, vendors, unexpected sets, and thousands of other people all having their own version of the weekend. Sometimes the best festival moments happen when you wander away from the plan and stumble into something you weren’t expecting.

Maybe you discover an artist you didn’t have on your schedule.

Maybe you end up catching half a set because you heard something interesting from across the grounds. When it comes to festivals the possibilities are endless so make sure to keep an open mind and time to be able to explore! Take a minute to actually look around.

ACL has a certain beauty to it—the park, the Austin skyline, the stages spread throughout the grounds, the lights coming on as the day turns into night, and thousands of people coming together over music.

It’s easy to get caught up in racing from one set to the next. But give yourself some time to wander. Take the long way to your next stage. Grab something to eat. Check out an artist you’ve never heard of. Stop for a minute and take in where you are.

The rain might make the grounds a little messy, but it doesn’t take away what makes the festival special.

Rain or Shine, Keep Moving

Weather forecasts can change, and even if it does rain, that doesn’t mean the entire weekend is going to be a washout.

Festival people are pretty good at adapting.

Ponchos come out. Shoes get muddy. Everyone finds a little cover when they need it. The rain passes, the music comes back up, and suddenly you’re right back in the crowd dancing like nothing happened.

So check the forecast. Pack accordingly. Bring the poncho. Wear the shoes you’re willing to sacrifice. Have a plan with your crew.

But don’t spend the whole weekend worrying about staying perfectly dry.

You’re going to Austin City Limits Fest.

Go see the artists you came for. Stay for the ones you didn’t know you needed. Explore the grounds. Get a little muddy. Take in the scenery. Look out for the people around you.

Because when the weekend is over, you’re probably not going to remember whether your shoes stayed clean.

You’re going to remember the sets, the people, the moments you didn’t plan for—and that one time it started raining and everyone just kept dancing.

Rain or shine, the music is still playing. So go make a weekend out of it! ENJOY!