*Photo by Andrea Escobar Garcia for Coca-Cola Sips & Sounds Music Festival*

There is something so perfect about the way the festival is curated around capturing what makes Austin, Texas, so great. The stages being set along its beautiful skyline, the gorgeous Auditorium Shores converted into festival grounds, and food trucks lined up with some of Austin’s best treats-there is so much to love here and a little bit of everything for newcomers and out-of-towners, to longtime residents. The fest is still in its early years, with this being its fourth year since its start in 2023, each year getting bigger and better. What makes this fest special is the way in which new talent is being highlighted just as much as its headliners, with a variety of genres and artists to bring in old and new fans. Carefully crafted between two days, Coca-Cola Sips and Sounds Music Festival is becoming the underrated start to a new year of music festivals.

Day 1

After catching a few shows at SXSW, I made my way across the 1st Bridge via a fun electric green scooter, which is found quite literally everywhere in downtown Austin. I could already begin to see the main Coca-Cola stage, excitement brewing in me. As I got inside, I took a moment to take it all in. Auditorium Shores was a beautiful place to host, with wide open spaces, trees providing shade from the Texas sun, and nothing could beat the view of the city skyline, the perfect backdrop to both stages. I walked over to the SXSW Stage, eager to catch my first set of the weekend, Skateland. Based in Austin, he’s been described as a “bedroom pop mastermind," as he blends synth pop and indie rock into something very much his own. The crowd was very energetic, even against the hot sun, dancing around and cheering. I could tell many were not listeners of his, but everyone there absolutely became a new fan. After his set, he even came down to talk and take photos with everyone, a class act I should say! I’ve always enjoyed checking out small artists' sets, even when I’m unfamiliar with them. You never know what you might find, and it’s always much more intimate than a sold-out stadium show. Coca-Cola Sips & Sounds Music Festival is perfect for this reason, allowing you to find someone you may not have checked out on your own.

As the crew began tearing down and setting up the next act, I firmly planted myself at the barricade. There was no way I was missing who was coming up next… The Two Lips. They had been making waves on TikTok and quickly became regulars in my playlists. The pop duo, made up of best friends Jewlz and Andrea, has been blowing up recently, opening for Sabrina Carpenter, and will be playing several festivals this year, this one being their first of 2026. As they took the stage, the crowd cheered and was in awe of their outfits, both of them sporting sailor-like fits, with Andrea in white and Jewlz in black. Their energy was infectious; you couldn’t help but smile and dance along with them. Each song had its own skit before and had choreography, which I and everyone in the crowd quickly learned. They played through most of their discography, with songs like "Play" and "Still Love You (todavia) being favorites for me. They even played the then unreleased “brb”, described by them as “yacht dream pop for the girls," and that couldn't be a more apt description.

As their set came to an end, I made my way over to the Coca-Cola stage, as I was eager to get a good spot for Ravyn Lenae. I found the perfect spot under a tree, allowing my feet some rest while still being able to take in the beautiful acoustics of Lenae. She had a live band with her, the percussion echoing across Auditorium Shores, as she sang and danced across the stage. I was so surprised when she began walking into the crowd, unbeknownst to me that the Coca-Cola stage extended into the crowd. Neat! It allowed for her to connect more with the crowd, as you could hear everyone get excited anytime she came out closer to them.

Her performance came to a close, thanking Austin for being a wonderful audience. I got up and decided to take in everything else the festival had to offer. I walked over to the food stands, as I had to make the difficult choice of choosing what to eat from all the great vendors. I went with a HUGE slice from Southside Flying Pizza, a delicious pizza place right here in Austin. As I finished it in quick, swift bites, I headed over to one of the activations. There was a white tent that had "Cinemark" listed on it but didn’t say what there was to it. Curious, I got in line and received two poker chips. When it was finally my turn to enter the tent, I was met with the infatuating smell of fresh popcorn. Inside, there was a concession stand with popcorn and drinks, a giant movie screen playing the latest trailers, two D-BOX recliners for guests to try, and a popcorn bucket photo op. Using my two poker chips, I got myself a bag of freshly popped popcorn and a cold Coke Zero, my usual go-to at the cinemas. I spent almost half an hour seated, watching the trailers, munching away at the popcorn, and washing it down with that delicious Coke Zero. The movies were my second home, so I was enjoying myself…so much so that I had to remember, “Oh wait, I’m at a music festival!" As I finished my last bit of popcorn, I made my way back outside and realized that Major Lazer Soundsystem was about to take the Coca-Cola stage!

You could feel the energy shift as Major Lazer Soundsystem began to take over the Coca-Cola stage. What started as a mix of indie and pop suddenly became a club in a matter of minutes. Fans started jumping up and down; others started moshing. Some on the outskirts of the crowd began dancing with each other. It was a full-on party. Major Lazer Soundsystem played through a variety of hits; some were covers, such as Travis Scott’s FE!N and Heads Will Roll by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, all of which were met by thunderous screams and cheers. Soundsystem was the perfect artist to have on the Coca-Cola stage, as they ran up and down the runway, even further down the steps to run in between the crowd. The set was nothing short of electric.

*Photo by Roger Ho for Coca-Cola Sips & Sounds Music Festival*

Soundsystem closed out with “Light It Up”, one of their biggest hits, and made their way off stage. As many began making their way over to the SXSW stage, I and many more stayed planted in our spots, as we were less than an hour away from the headliner.

Christina Aguilera has been and will forever be iconic, and her headlining performance further cemented that. As she took the stage in a dazzling all-red outfit and glasses to match, followed by a wonderful group of backup dancers, she took us through her entire discography, playing the best of each album. Songs like “Dirrty” and “Fighter” opened us up, taking us to '02 with her album Stripped. We then transitioned into her debut album, starting with none other than “Genie in a Bottle”, a timeless classic in pop. There were times where I, embarrassingly, went, “Oh, she did make this one!" The crowd loved it; many seemed to have been reliving their early 2000s eras, and others never left it! Throughout the set, fireworks illuminated from the stage, sparkling over the beautiful backdrop of the Austin city skyline. Fans were grinning ear to ear as they started to make their way back home. As I walked back over the bridge, a thought hit me, “Man…I get to do this again tomorrow?!”

Day 2

I was eager to get through my keynotes for SXSW during the day, as I could not wait to get back for Day Two, as I knew the three acts I absolutely had to see. As soon as my last stop at SXSW ended at 4:25, I grabbed the nearest green scooter and raced my way over the bridge again to make it back to Auditorium Shores. My first of three acts today was Stephen Sanchez, and I would be kicking myself back home if I missed his set.

I entered the beautiful festival grounds, taking another moment to take it all in. Hearing the music over at the SXSW stage, the crowd around me was each off on their own conversations. The crowd was already growing large over at the Coca-Cola stage where Sanchez would be performing, so I shuffled my way into the crowd to find a good spot. Luckily, any spot is a great spot. Right on the dot, 4:45 rolled around, and he took the stage, donning a black polka dot shirt, accompanied by a live band, each in their own tailored suits. You can tell they were all serious about their craft, wearing all black suits in this heat…they mean business.

*Photo by Charles Reagan for Coca-Cola Sips & Sounds Music Festival*

Stephen Sanchez quickly became one of my need-to-see artists after seeing performances of his previous tour on TikTok. He has the stage presence of a star, capturing the glitz and glamor of the rockstars before him. His set was firefly and electric, bringing the energy to a new level for Day Two.

Waiting for the next set, I took another lap around the grounds to try something new. I found myself trying some refreshing ice cream over at the Amy’s Ice Creams truck and trying some new Coca-Cola flavors at one of their various stands. I may or may not have popped into the Cinemark lounge for another popcorn and Coke Zero, but that’s not what we’re here for.

Soon enough, Foster the People took the Coca-Cola stage. Admittedly, outside of their mega-hit “Pumped Up Kicks”, I was not all familiar with their work, but something told me this was a set I had to see. I did not anticipate hearing a blend of disco, tech, and pop as they went through their discography. Everyone, and I mean everyone, around me was going word for word with front man Mark Foster, never once missing a lyric or a beat. I was touched by Foster’s story about performing for SXSW more than 10 years ago and only a few people showed up, saying it made the journey that much better and impactful, inspiring everyone to keep chasing their dreams.

I kept my place in the crowd because I knew when the headliner took the stage, I had to be with the people. I think I made the right call.

Growing up in the early 2010s, Calvin Harris dominated the radio, so when he hit the Coca-Cola stage and went through his classics, it was like a trip down memory lane. And man does he have classics! The set could have been longer, and he still would have had songs to pull out from his immense bag. I thought yesterday was a party; this was a blowout. I took a moment to watch from behind the crowd and was amazed at seeing everyone jumping in unison whenever a beat dropped, which was obviously very frequent. For that hour, Auditorium Shores was Austin’s biggest nightclub.

It was the perfect closure for an amazing weekend of music, whilst also being the perfect start for an exciting new year of music and festivals. Till next year, Austin!

Coca-Cola Sips & Sounds Music Festival: An Underrated Start to the 2026 Festival Scene

Day 1

Day 2

Austin City Limits Weekend One: Energy, Music, and Memories Galore!