Festival parenting clash: sound safety and kids at loud sets
A Reddit post in r/aclfestival is calling out a parent who had their toddler on his shoulders during The Killers and reportedly didn’t bring hearing protection because “they were too expensive.” The original poster says, “If you can afford an ACL ticket, you can afford ear protection for your kid,” and the thread — which drew 427 upvotes — sparked a quick debate about safety and etiquette at big shows.
Read the thread on Reddit: r/aclfestival — u/whynotoopsthatswhy (post).
Quick festival takeaways
- Bring hearing protection for kids — it’s cheap insurance. Decent kids’ earmuffs typically start around $15–$40; foam earplugs are even cheaper and better than nothing.
- Think positioning: keeping little ones away from main speaker stacks reduces risk — family zones or farther back are safer for toddlers.
- It’s festival etiquette: if you plan to have kids at a headline set, be prepared. Staff and experienced festival-goers notice the difference between responsible planning and winging it.
Short, sharp reminder from the field: big shows are loud by design — protecting ears is part of the festival checklist. No drama, just basic preparation.