Rain doesn't dampen ACL

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Along with the music if Stevie Wonder and Cee Lo Green, ACL attendees had to deal with on and off rain showers Saturday afternoon.

"Who knew?" asked Glenn Rainey, who travels to ACL along with his wife Marcia from Tallahassee each year.  "But we packed for it."

Kyla Rogers didn't have any idea rain would be an issue. She came to ACL from Arkansas.

"I am drenched," said Rogers.

Umbrellas and plastic ponchos were a festival staple--for those who remembered to pack them or bring money to buy them.

"I bought this plastic, vinyl cover thing," explained Velma Roberts while chuckling.  "The rain doesn't bother me."

Rain is a welcome site in Austin following what seemed like endless days of triple digit temperatures couple with extreme drought that led to numerous wildfires.

Still, it was the thought of drought that level many unprepared for raindrops.

"We actually had the umbrella in the car and we were about to grab it but then we were like, 'Oh it is a drought, so it probably won't rain,'" said John Troncoso.

Troncoso's female companion ended up wrapping herself in a blanket to avoid the rain.

Extreme drought and recent fires did have festival organizers enact a smoking ban.

Get caught smoking once at ACL and you will get a warning.  Get caught smoking a second time and you will get tossed from the concert ground.

For some in the crowd, the appearance of rain somehow translated into dampening the strictness of the ban.

"Oh yes, there are a few smokers out here," Rogers told KXAN.

Rogers said she minded her own business and didn't tell those she saw smoking to stop.
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KXAN also saw several people light up and didn't see anyone get warned or in trouble.  Still, some in crowd are keeping an eye on smokers.

We do alert the proper authorities about it, we do what we can to help," Rainey said.