Austin – South by Southwest, also known as SXSW, is an annual international conference highlighting movies, music, art and anything involving creative innovation. This year, SXSW runs from March 8-16 in Austin, Texas.
Here’s what you need to know to join the fun:
How can you register?
You can register for SXSW here. You can choose between four different experiences, including music, film or an interactive badge. A platinum badge is also available, which gives you access to all the events at the conference.
Are there any discounts for badges?
There are discounts available when purchasing badges if you are a student or can round up a group of 10. To qualify for the student discount, you must fill out the application and show proof of enrollment like a class schedule, an unexpired school ID, a transcript or a letter from the Registrar’s office.
What should you expect?
No matter the badge you choose, each day at the SXSW conference is jam-packed with various keynote speakers, exhibitions, bands, comedy shows and more.
To get the most out of each day, you can create a schedule for what you want to explore by making an account with SXSW. While you’re at it — you can create a SXSW social account to network and connect with other attendees.
Where can you stay while attending the conference?
If you don’t want to go through the trouble of finding a hotel in Austin, SXSW has partnered with various hotels located near the Austin Convention Center. You can reserve a hotel by logging into your SXSW registration or social account or by clicking here.
Are there any freebies?
If you are on a budget and still want to partake in SXSW, the conference is providing several free concerts and music events running from March 14-16. The community concerts are located at Austin’s Lady Bird Lake, where there will be local food trucks as well as a Beer Garden. You can find more information about the free concerts here.
The conference will also be opening the last day of the Creative Industries Expo up to the public as part of its Austin Industry Day. Click here to see how you can get into the convention center for free on March 13.
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