Plus, how to get a piece of Nau's Enfield Drug.
6AM City In-house

Be the best at SXSW ⭐️

How to attend SXSW like a professional
Jason Ballard of ICON in front of a red background.
ICON CEO Jason Ballard is returning to SXSW 2023 to talk about the future of affordable housing. | Photo by Raegan Labat
T-minus 48 hours until SXSW 2023 begins, but who’s counting?

Let us set the scene — this festival attracts 250,000+ visitors annually and puts on more events per hour than is physically possible to attend.

The SXSW 2023 schedule

Start planning your festival early. | Graphic via SXSW

Buckle up and prepare to make Downtown Austin your home base for the next week. If you haven’t already, take a look at our ultimate guide to SXSW, guide to local musicians (plus recommendations), and upcoming guide to free events.

What to bring:

  • Water. There will be a lot of free beverages and booze, but not as much free H2O. You’re going to be doing a lot of walking, so make sure you’re staying hydrated.
  • Comfortable shoes. This festival takes place all over the city, so you should bank on walking a few miles per day... at least.
  • A power bank. Don’t underestimate all the photos, videos, and notes you’re going to take.
  • A clear bag, if you’re planning on attending events at the Paramount or State theatres.
  • Sunscreen. Temperatures are shaping up to be pleasant, with small scattered chances of rain, so you’ll want to protect yourself from the bright Texas sun.
  • Your SXSW GO app, which will keep your schedule at your fingertips, keep you up-to-date on start times, and notify you of any changes in real time.

How to get around

A map showing SXSW shuttle routes

SXSW has you covered with a free shuttle service to get you to those hard-to-reach venues. | Map via SXSW

Driving is likely going to be the least efficient method of getting around the festival, especially with scarce parking and street closures.

You’re better off opting to take a rideshare service to downtown, where you’ll have a few options:
Any questions? Reach out to your ATXtoday correspondents.
DON'T FORGET THESE TIPS

Click here to have your event featured.

Wednesday, March 8
  • Meet the Mayors: Mattie Parker | Wednesday, Mar. 8 | 12:15-1:30 p.m. | LBJ School of Public Affairs, 2315 Red River St., Austin | Free | Spend an afternoon with Fort Worth mayor Mattie Parker.
Thursday, March 9
  • Hotel Vegas & Volstead 12 Year Anniversary | Thursday, Mar. 9 | 2 p.m. | Hotel Vegas, 1502 E. 6th St., Austin | Free | Expect local acts, drink specials, and giveaways at this 21+ celebration.
  • Artist Talk with Rejina Thomas | Thursday, Mar. 9 | 6-8 p.m. | Neill-Cochran House Museum, 2310 San Gabriel St., Austin | $20 | Join an intimate talk with the local artist behind “Signs and Symbols: The Trees are Talking,” Rejina Thomas.
  • Grey Horse Film & Show | Thursday, Mar. 9 | 9-10:30 p.m. | The Continental Club, 1315 S. Congress Ave., Austin | $10 | Catch a showing of the short documentary film, “Grey Horse,” followed by a performance of Sam Grey Horse’s original music.
Friday, March 10
  • SPI Fest 2023 | Friday, Mar. 10-Saturday, Mar. 11 | 5 p.m. | Flamingo Cantina, 515 E. 6th St., Austin | $30-$50 | Expect to see The Skajects, Flip and the Combined Effort, The Toasters, and dozens of other artists at this two-day event.
Sunday, March 12
  • We Are Blood T-Shirt Giveaway | Sunday, Mar. 12-Friday, Mar. 31 | 9 a.m.-7 p.m. | We Are Blood, 4300 N. Lamar Blvd., Austin | Free | Through the month of March, We Are Blood will give all blood and platelet donors a specially designed t-shirt for supporting local patients.
We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
100+ MORE EVENTS
6AM City In-house

Weather
  • 82º | Mostly cloudy | 17% chance of rain
Festival
  • Say goodbye to Hotel San Jose and the Austin Motel, which will be transformed into the fictional city of Prime, TX for SXSW this weekend. Be on the lookout for the gas station market Swarm, three themed pop-up bars, and a barbecue restaurant in the “city” by Amazon Prime. (Eater Austin)
  • Not enough festival news for you? Tickets for Aaron Franklin’s Hot Luck Fest are now on sale, starting at $206 for a day pass. The festival, which runs from Thursday, May 25-Saturday, May 27, will feature local music and dozens of restaurants from all over the US. 🔥
Opening
  • Ramen Tatsu-Ya’s sixth local restaurant is gearing up to open in Northwest Austin. At 14028 N. US 183 near Lakeline Mall, the restaurant will serve the full menu, have a covered patio, and a local mural. 🍜 (Austin Community Impact)
  • The Driskill Grill has officially returned to Downtown Austin after closing down in 2020. The new menu will focus on Texas classics, with a historical twist, honoring the hotel’s 137-year history.
  • The largest rock climbing gym in the Southwestern US opened its doors in Austin. The Mesa Rim Climbing Center has 50,000 sqft of space, 55-ft-tall climbing walls, a yoga studio, a sauna, and more. 🧗 (KXAN)
Closing
  • Nau’s Enfield Drug, which shuttered this month after operating in Clarksville since 1951, is hosting a liquidation sale. Everything in the store, including its neon sign, will be up for grabs from Friday, March 17-Sunday, March 19. (Eater Austin)
Ranked
  • Austin is the most pet-friendly city in the US, according to a report from Zillow. At least 80.8% of rental listings allow pets in Austin, plus, Dallas and Fort Worth claimed the second and third spots. 🐶
Content marked with an * is brought to you by our advertising partners and helps make this newsletter free.

SXSW 2023 is going to be ICON-ic

ICON to debut 3D-printed El Cosmico resort at SXSW 2023
Rounded huts in the Marfa desert
El Cosmico’s update is designed to fit seamlessly into the Marfa landscape. | Rendering via ICON
Marfa-based hotel El Cosmico is getting a 3D-printed makeover courtesy of Austin-based construction company ICON, and it is bringing a taste to SXSW.

To celebrate the new project with Austin, ICON will unveil a sculptural stage at The Long Center for the Performing Arts that parallels the design themes of the hotel. According to ICON, the performance pavilion and stage will be the first of its kind in the world.

This isn’t ICON’s first rodeo. Last year during SXSW, the company unveiled “House Zero,” a concept property showcasing the capabilities of ICON’s Vulcan printer.

A rendering of the 3D-printed stage at The Long Center at night.

ICON’s pavilion unveiling will be accompanied by an affordable housing panel. | Rendering via ICON

Rendering via ICON

Meanwhile, the Marfa development is being designed in partnership with Austin hospitality guru Liz Lambert and architecture firm BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group.

The hotel development will break ground in 2024 and feature a new pool, a hammam spa, communal facilities, and flowing organic shapes.
GET YOUR OWN 3D-PRINTED HOUSE
THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Figi.

Editor’s pick: Did you know you can watch clips of iconic SXSW sessions from years prior, even if you didn’t attend the festival? I highly recommend last year’s chat with Pete Buttigieg about the future of transportation, especially if you have a vested interest in Project Connect.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Explore local music genres with this Spotify tool.
Connect with us.

Editorial: Laura Figi, London Gibson, Britt Thorson, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Camille McLeod | Advertise with us.

Content marked with an * was created in partnership with 6AM City’s advertising partners. Paid content helps keep this newsletter free. 6AM City may also receive a commission on purchases made through affiliate links in this newsletter.

ADVERTISE | SHOP | CAREERS | ETHICS

Did a friend forward this free newsletter to you?
SUBSCRIBE

Content marked with an * is paid advertising. Content marked with an ^ is created by our content studio. The company may also generate commission from affiliate links in the newsletter.

Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.

Copyright © 2023 6AM City Inc, All rights reserved.

P.O. Box 2505, Greenville, SC 29602

ADVERTISE | CAREERS | ETHICS | PRIVACY | THE BUY