Seven March days when downtown Austin becomes a single venue for music, film, television, comedy and technology, official programme and unofficial alike.
An event page tells you when it happens (with how sure we are of the date), why it matters, how the week around it feels, when to arrive and leave, where people stay, how access works, and which events come before and after it on the circuit.
SXSW is four events sold as one: an Innovation Conference covering technology, brand, startups, gaming, the creator economy and climate; a Film & TV festival and conference; a music festival and conference; and a comedy festival. They run concurrently across downtown Austin for a week each March, and a badge admits its holder to one or all of them depending on tier.
The organiser's published figures describe more than half a million instances of event participation across badges, wristbands and tickets, from 76 countries. Those totals count participation rather than people, and the honest way to read them is that the official programme is only part of what happens: SXSW's defining characteristic is the unofficial layer of brand houses, label showcases and parties that occupies almost every bar, gallery and warehouse in central Austin, much of it free.
The practical shape of the week has changed. The Austin Convention Center, the festival's traditional hub, closed for reconstruction in 2025 and is due to reopen in 2029, so the editions from 2026 to 2028 run as what the organiser calls a campus, spread across downtown venues.
01Why it matters
SXSW is the largest annual convergence of the music, screen and technology industries in the United States, and its record of launching things — companies, films, formats — has given it a durable claim on the attention of all three.
02The week around it
Downtown Austin is closed, rerouted and repurposed. Sixth Street and stretches of Trinity, Red River and Rainey are pedestrianised or barricaded; the Convention Center district, the Long Center and the Paramount and Stateside theatres run continuously; and East Austin fills with the unofficial programme.
03When to arrive
The Innovation and Film & TV programmes are front-loaded and the music festival runs through the second half, so the answer depends on what you came for.
04Where to stay
Downtown, within the barricades, is the only place that removes the transport problem, and it is booked and priced accordingly; the hotels on Congress Avenue and around the Convention Center district are the centre of the week. Rainey Street and the Seaholm district are walkable and slightly calmer.
05Access and hospitality
SXSW publishes its badge prices openly, which few events of this size do. For 2027 the organiser lists a Platinum badge covering all conferences and festivals at $1,395, an Innovation badge at $895, a Film & TV badge at $775 and a Music badge at $550, with early-registration savings advertised at up to $900 against the walk-up rate. A very large part of the week runs outside the badge system, free on public RSVP.
06Where the social activity happens
Sixth Street and Red River carry the music; Rainey Street and East Austin carry the brand houses and the daytime parties; South Congress carries the overflow.
07Getting there
08Practicalities
09History
SXSW was founded in Austin in 1987 by Roland Swenson, Louis Jay Meyers, Louis Black and Nick Barbaro as a music conference intended to bring the industry to a city that had plenty of bands and no infrastructure.
10Who is there
Musicians, labels, managers and booking agents; independent film and television producers, directors and buyers; technology founders, investors and product teams; brand and agency marketers; gaming and creator-economy companies; educators; city officials; and a very large press contingent.
What else is happening
Overlap finder →Same country
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14 MarLos Angeles · United States · Film Academy AwardsDefining
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11 Mar → Mar 14, 2027Ponte Vedra Beach · United States · Golf The Players ChampionshipNotable
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14 Mar → Mar 28, 2027Miami Gardens · United States · Tennis Miami OpenNotable
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28 Feb → Mar 14, 2027Indian Wells · United States · Tennis BNP Paribas OpenNotable
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17 Mar → Mar 21, 2027West Palm Beach · United States · Yachting Palm Beach International Boat ShowRegional
The circuit continues
Dates on record
| Edition | Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 | ConfirmedPublished by the organiser as 15-21 March 2027 in Austin, with registration open and early-rate deadlines already listed. | |
| 2026 | CompletedAnnounced by the organiser in 2025 as 12-18 March 2026 in Austin, the first edition of the campus-style format adopted while the Austin Convention Center is rebuilt. |
Related events
Sources
- SXSW Conference & Festivals, SXSW, LLC official accessed 6 September 2026
- See You Next Year: SXSW 2026 Dates Announced, SXSW, LLC official accessed 6 September 2026
- South by Southwest, Wikipedia encyclopedia accessed 6 September 2026