Can/Should I try to get to Austin from Boston?

September 22, 2005 7:01 AM

Was/is anyone planning on traveling to the Austin City Limits Music Festival? What will Rita be like in Austin?

My radio station gave away a trip to the festival. The plane leaves tonight from Boston to Austin with a connection in Houston. Official word from the festival is that it's still on rain or shine, but they'll make 'necessary adjustments' to maintain safety. I read this to mean that they're prepared to cancel the festival, but they don't want to scare anyone off just yet. What will the conditions in Austin be like? Will it even be possible to travel through the Houston airport tonight?

posted by TurkishGolds to Travel & Transportation around Austin, TX (10 answers total)

The latest storm path has Rita going farther east than it showed last night. Worse for Houston, better for Austin. My guess is tomorrow should be no problem for the show. Saturday is a big question mark, and Sunday will depend on what happens on Saturday. There's really no danger of flooding at the venue or downtown, it is the rain and wind that may wreak havoc on stages, and scaffolding holding monitors/lights/etc.

The weather in Houston tonight will be fine for air travel. The trouble is, of course, with the exodous from Houston, the airport might be a mess due to people trying to get out of town.

I'm going if the weather holds. On the bright side it won't be as hot as it was last year and the crowds might be lighter.
posted by birdherder at 7:35 AM on September 22, 2005

The Houston airport is your big question there. A LOT of people are evacuating the Houston area right now. Apparently the only way they're going to cancel ACL is if 'artists or audience is in danger', meaning hurricane force winds *in Austin* and lightning.

If you look at the Austin craigslist Tickets page that might give you an idea of what people are thinking before the show. i.e., LOTS of tix for sale now, below face in many cases.
posted by skechada at 7:51 AM on September 22, 2005

The 'cane path keeps shifting east... I think it's looking better and better for Austin.
posted by rolypolyman at 7:52 AM on September 22, 2005

And here is an article about it. They will make an announcement at 6:30 today if they are canceling or rescheduling the Saturday part of it .
posted by FreezBoy at 8:10 AM on September 22, 2005

According to CNN reports, so many TSA and other airport employees have evacuated that the airport is a complete mess.
posted by mischief at 11:00 AM on September 22, 2005

I live in Memphis nearly 500 miles directly north of NOLA. The weather related to Katrina knocked down a tree at the end of my block. Austin will experience "weather".
posted by Carbolic at 11:34 AM on September 22, 2005

I live in Oklahoma and _we_ are going to get "weather" from this storm. Austin is under inland tropical storm watch now and is likely to go under inland hurricane watch soon.

Our Texas friends and family have either left or are trying to leave. If you're already in or near Austin, that's one thing, but flying in tonight is different.

I think the event planners are extremely optimistic, even too optimistic. If you want to be in an Austin hotel for three days while it storms, come on down - but if I were you, I'd watch this one on television.
posted by lambchop1 at 1:06 PM on September 22, 2005

Oh, and you may not be able to get out of Austin on time to go home, either.
posted by lambchop1 at 1:18 PM on September 22, 2005

Houston airports are shutting down today.
posted by lambchop1 at 1:46 PM on September 22, 2005

At least you can still see Wilco (and many others) via webcast on Sunday September 25, 2005 at 6:30PM CST*.

*Apparently PC-only webcast... shucks.
posted by basicchannel at 2:06 PM on September 22, 2005