SXSW (South by Southwest) is less than 2 months away and Austin is ready to host one of the best festivals of the year! Since I am on ground zero and press I continue to get updates about SXSW 2017 will keep you all informed as more updates occur.
If you want to register to attend SXSW the cut off date to buy online is February 10th and after that it’s “walk up” only the day of the festivals. Click here to register for SXSW and below is the current pricing till February 10th.
ALL BADGES RECEIVE ACCESS TO: SXSW Gaming, SXSW Create, SXSW Job Market, Flatstock Poster Show, Registrants Lounge, Spotlights, The Dewey Winburne Community Service Awards, SouthBites Trailer Park, SXSW Outdoor Stage at Lady Bird Lake concerts.
In just a couple of weeks, you will be able to sign up to “Get On The List” and download a 2017 SXSW Guest Pass. SXSW will also reveal the daily giveaway prize list. The SXSW Guest Pass gets you into to free events, shows, and prize giveaways throughout SXSW 2017 that do not require a badge. In the past Austin locals would go to either Waterloo Records or Whole Foods to get a SXSW Guest Pass since locals get priority but I am not sure if that will be the same for this year. Stay tuned!
As I informed you all a couple weeks ago for 2017, the SXSW Gaming Expo has officially become the SXSW Gaming Conference & Festival, and is no longer a part of the SXSW Guest Pass program. SXSW Gaming now requires a Gaming Wristband, starting at $25, to attend all of its affiliated events. Join your fellow gamers at the Gaming Expo, Gaming Awards, Gaming Sessions, and more special events than ever before. SXSW badge holders are also able to attend the SXSW Gaming Conference & Festival. Below is the full list of wristband prices as of today.
Hotels in Austin: Attendee can search for hotels using SXSW search engine located here to get the best available rate during the festival. You can book a room, change an existing reservation or cancel your housing entirely via your shopping cart:
- Sign in to the same shopping cart used to purchase your registration and click “Hotels.”
- Select “Request Hotel” for each registration that requires accommodations.
- Enter your dates and follow the simple steps to complete your hotel request.
- Follow steps 1-3 for each hotel reservation you need to make.
Traveling to Austin: Use the SXSW Travel search engine to search the web for the best fares and itineraries to Austin from your home city. Just 8 miles from Austin’s city center, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (ABIA) offers flights daily including non-stops from 50 cities and one-stop connections to hundreds more. Amtrak also provides train service to Austin via the Texas Eagle. MegaBus and Greyhound are also an alternative to flying.
CREDIT CARD AUTHORIZATIONS: Don’t plan to travel with the credit card you’re using to pay for your stay? Authorize your credit card in advance. When the hotel receives your reservation in late February, you will receive a new confirmation email with your confirmation number. Use your confirmation number to fill out your hotel’s credit card authorization form and submit it directly to the hotel. Most SXSW Hotel authorization forms are available for download on our Reservation Policies page.
A few other reminders or tips for those attending SXSW include:
- Activate your SXSW Social profile and upload your badge photo
- Create your schedule by favoriting events
- Follow @SXSW on Facebook and Twitter for the latest announcements
- Download the SXSW Go Mobile App before the festival
- Bring an umbrella or poncho; it has rained at SXSW for the past 3 years I have attended.
I will continue to post updates about SXSW including information about the SXSW Guest Pass till the festival. If you want to follow me during the festival I will be on twitter using handles: @nrpena, @cutegeek, and @hitechchic.
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