The annual South by Southwest (SXSW) competition in Austin, Texas, presents an unforgettable sensory expertise with actions catering to all pursuits and backgrounds via the mix of know-how, music, movie, meals, well being, and tradition. We love how town buzzes with vitality with thought-provoking panels, reside music, film premiers, product launches, model activations, networking occasions, and loads of meals and drinks. In 2024, SXSW runs from March 4th via sixteenth, beginning with the academic convention and ending with music showcases.
Issues to Do at SXSW This 12 months
The quantity of choices will be overwhelming, however no worries! As long-time Austin residents, we’ve got been attending SXSW occasions for the reason that late Nineteen Nineties and may present solutions for taking advantage of your time on the competition. Whether or not you need to uncover up-and-coming artists, get the within scoop on a brand new know-how product, or observe yoga together with your favourite YouTuber, it’s all attainable at South by Southwest. Right here’s what to learn about all of the issues to do at SXSW in 2024.
Free Occasions, Events, Meals
Attending SXSW comes with a hefty price ticket, as badges for competition entry will be fairly costly. As an example, the walk-up price for entry to the EDU portion alone is $795, whereas major entry to all occasions is $2095 for walk-ups. Nevertheless, there are numerous free SXSW events, parties, and shows every year. Native retailers and venues typically host promotional displays, whereas numerous manufacturers and companies set up occasions to advertise their choices and enhance model consciousness. You may be taught extra about these no-cost occasions by becoming a member of related Fb and Discord teams and looking out on-line.
Academic Programming
SXSW EDU is a world training convention with day by day keynotes, a whole bunch of classes, 12 thematic tracks, movie screenings, and alternatives to obtain persevering with skilled training credit. I attended SXSW EDU in 2018, the place Dan Fairly spoke, and I introduced again quite a lot of nice concepts to make use of within the classroom, together with loads of instructional swag.
This 12 months, the classes will cowl accessible studying in non-academic environments, reimagining social and emotional studying, the significance of accelerating entry to out of doors training, and extra from audio system representing worldwide views. There can be a keynote session with Carol Dweck, an American Psychologist identified for her work on progress mindset and motivation.
Interactive Displays
The competition’s interactive portion presents numerous classes, panels, meet-ups, and workshops masking an unlimited spectrum of matters from know-how, science, tradition, design, transportation, vitality, and extra. Issues to do at SXSW through the interactive part embrace product launches, tech demonstrations, and hands-on displays showcasing the most recent know-how and improvements.
SXSW has a historical past of profitable groundbreaking platforms, corresponding to Twitter’s emergence in 2007. It wasn’t technically a launch, however SXSW served as a pivotal “popping out” celebration for the corporate. Competition goers speculate who would be the subsequent success story every year, with previous triumphs together with Pinterest, Foursquare, and the Instagram Android App.
Movie and TV
The movie and TV section of the competition presents 9 days of connecting with trade consultants via applications and screenings spanning a various vary of genres, together with comedies, dramas, documentaries, and XR tasks. There are greater than 300 screenings and comedy showcases through the movie and TV section. Previous SXSW film and TV premiers embrace favorites like The Damage Locker, which gained the Academy Award for Greatest Image in 2010, What We Do within the Shadows, and a shock screening of Air final 12 months.
There are all the time a ton of celebrities on the town for each official and unofficial capabilities throughout that point. I’ve personally seen John Krasinski, Elijah Wooden, Elizabeth Olsen, Oliva Wilde, and one actress I embarrassingly didn’t acknowledge and requested what she did for a residing.
Music Issues To Do at SXSW
South by Southwest began in 1987 to showcase Austin’s eclectic music to trade professionals. A small group of music fans needed to create an occasion that will give the skin world a close-up view of the Austin music scene. Initially, it served as a launching pad for rising unbiased artists, serving to launch the careers of a number of musicians, corresponding to John Mayer and The White Stripes’ Meg and Jack White.
Through the years, SXSW has developed into a possibility for festivalgoers to listen to up-and-coming musicians and big-name headliners. Girl Gaga carried out on the competition in 2014, Soundgarden was in 1994, and Foo Fighters, Kanye West, The Flaming Lips, Boyz II Males, and Drake gave shock performances at SXSW. Attendees by no means know who they could see and what these artists might turn out to be.
Meals and Drink
Consider it or not, there may be an precise meals monitor at SXSW. It attracts consideration to sustainable and wholesome consuming whereas exploring the influence of know-how and innovation on the way in which we develop, course of, prepare dinner, and devour meals. Along with speaking about meals, there are numerous choices for consuming it. In the course of the competition, Austin presents all the things from meals vehicles to nice eating. Many official and unofficial occasions supply free meals and drinks, starting from a number of small bites and samples to full meals with open bars.
Comply with social media accounts and hashtags like #sxdrinks #sxnoms to remain up to date on culinary choices. When you’re prepared to enterprise slightly methods away from downtown, you’ll keep away from among the crowds.
Professional tip: The size of the road typically signifies how superb the providing is.
Networking and Meet-Ups
Official meetups, listed on the SXSW schedule, cater to numerous industries and pursuits, such because the Girls in Tech Meet Up or Acts of Random Kindness Meet Up—an concept hackathon selling kindness and private progress. Moreover, many networking occasions facilitate connections between founders and funders, fostering collaborations between startups and buyers.
Networking isn’t confined to designated occasions. Meaningful business connections can occur wherever. As an example, I made some useful connections with native media group members at a SXSW model activation. So, come ready together with your elevator pitch and enterprise cards-or use enterprise card apps to maximise your networking potential on the competition.
Wellness and Out of doors Actions
SXSW has developed past its conventional deal with music, movie, and tech to incorporate wellness occasions, together with panels, demonstrations, and train actions. Inside the SXSW EDU Well being & Wellbeing monitor, discussions deal with social-emotional studying, human flourishing, whole-child training, and addressing psychological and bodily wellness for educators. Moreover, panels corresponding to “Is The Wellness Trade Effectively?” and “Wellness within the Music Trade” supply well being insights from numerous views and industries.
Attendees may also partake in panels and group train lessons indoors and out of doors which will embrace favourite influencers or celebrities. In earlier years, audio system like Peloton teacher Emma Lovewell and actress Judy Greer have shared their experience, whereas Adriene Mishler from the YouTube channel Yoga With Adriene led a particular all-level yoga class!
Model Activations
Through the years, SXSW has turn out to be a major vacation spot for promoting, drawing huge crowds of approximately 345,066 people in 2023. With such an enormous viewers, the competition presents publicity to extend visibility and promote merchandise. Huge manufacturers corresponding to TikTok, Porsche, Roku, Amazon Prime, and HBO Max have hosted occasions and demonstrations throughout SXSW. Attendees get enjoyable swag (corresponding to TikTok throw pillows) and achieve insights into new app options, upcoming TV collection, and a glimpse of unique automobiles designed by artists. As the recognition of those activations continues to develop, SXSW 2024 even presents a session titled “Behind the Scenes: The Energy of SXSW Activations,” which is about measuring the influence and effectiveness of those advertising and marketing campaigns.
Cultural Issues To Do at SXSW
Along with the tradition monitor at SXSW, quite a few cities, international locations, and artists from all over the world host occasions to share not solely enterprise alternatives and musical performances but additionally insights into their cultures and methods of life. For instance, in 2018, Casa Mexico put a highlight on Mexico’s place as a worldwide chief in innovation, know-how, and entrepreneurship whereas additionally celebrating its various tradition and traditions. Equally, in 2016, Japan Home supplied high-tech classes and displays alongside culinary delights corresponding to sushi. Along with many different cultural “homes,” in 2024, Australia Home can be situated within the coronary heart of Rainey Road, that includes all-encompassing Australian experiences starting from music performances to know-how showcases and interactive shows.
This text initially appeared on Wealth of Geeks. Picture Credit score: [@rafapress/DepositPhotos]
Rachel Ok. Belkin, M.Ed, is a syndicated freelance author and content material producer of Enterprise and Finance, Well being, Journey, Training, and Austin, Texas occasions and information. She contributes to her web sites rachelkbelkin.com and probetheglobe.com, HuffPost, AP, NewsBreak, Matador Community, Hometalk, and extra. After promoting her way of life web site for six figures in 2021, she now teaches bloggers, manufacturers, and enterprise house owners the content material and advertising and marketing methods that helped her construct her enterprise on part-time hours, via motherhood, persistent sickness, and a breast most cancers prognosis.
