It’s March in Austin, and that means that it is once again time for SXSW, Austin’s world-renowned festival of music, film, technology and so much more. Now in its 33rd year, SXSW annually welcomes tens of thousands of people who register for the official SXSW Conference and Festivals, as well as hundreds of thousands who converge on the downtown area to take part in the 10-day smorgasbord of events and celebrations.
A major change this year is due to a simple quirk of calendar fate, as unlike in preceding years, SXSW dates do not correspond with the spring breaks of either the local school districts or the University of Texas at Austin. How this may impact traffic and congestion, especially when considering the regular downtown street closures during SXSW, will remain to be seen. Suffice to say that rather than planning to drive and park downtown, it is advisable to seek out the many alternative transportation options.
As always, you need a badge or wristband for most official SXSW events, but once again, SXSW presents several events that are free and open to general public. All you need to do to attend is to get a SXSW Guest Pass. Guest Pass events include:
- SXSW International Women’s Day Celebration (in partnership with the European Union and UN Women) at the Palm Door on Sixth (508 E. 6th St.) on March 8 from 2-10pm.
- Wellness Expo at the Palmer Events Center on March 9 and 10 from 11am-6pm.
- Flatstock 69 poster exhibition and sale at the Austin Convention Center, Exhibit Hall 4, on March 14 from 12-6pm and March 15 and 16 from 11am-6pm.
- SXSW Marketplace at the Austin Convention Center, Exhibit Hall 5, on March 15-16 from 11am-6pm.
- Outdoor concerts on the SXSW Outdoor Stage located at Auditorium Shores. Shows happen nightly on March 14 and 15, with afternoon and evening shows on March 16.
In addition, there are a number of events that don’t require a Guest Pass. These include such film events as Community Screenings at AFS Cinema (6259 Middle Fiskville Rd) on March 9 and 10. More events will be announced as we get closer to SXSW. See more info here.