Smoking Ban Counts at ACL Fest This Weekend

There's been a smoking ban in city parks since April (whoops), and we learned yesterday that it will indeed extend to Austin City Limits music festival this weekend. Zilker Park is included in the Austin park department's list of parks that are banned, but as the Statesman points out, there's not really much in terms of consequence for those who ignore the request. Since the ban is more of a directive (read: not an ordinance), police officers can't actually issue a citation if you're caught. The plan is for officers and park rangers to ask smokers to extinguish their cigarettes, and if smokers refuse, they'll be asked to leave. If they refuse to leave, police will get more involved and potentially issue a trespassing citation. Smokers can leave the festival grounds and smoke outside the park, but they'll have to pass through security again. Single day pass holders won't be allowed to enter again if they've left the park, so that offer is only good for the three-day ticket holders. Wherever you smoke, be mindful: we're still very dry here in Austin and one cigarette can cause a lot of problems. Read more about it here.