SXSW
Austin, Texas
When the first South by Southwest Music Conference was held in 1987, Austin, Texas, was already recognized as one of the country’s foremost destinations for live music. Though it started small, the festival grew in popularity quickly. Today, under the moniker SXSW, it has become the pre-eminent music and media event in the nation.
“SXSW is a 10-day music festival and conference that encompasses three different areas,” said Shilpa Bakre, senior communications manager at the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau. “It starts with interactive and then goes into film and then music.
“They do a stupendous job of attracting completely different demographic segments. It’s a great time to discover music — there are thousands of bands that come and play. These are people that you might not see otherwise because they don’t tour a lot or because they’re international.”
Musical performances take place throughout the city and throughout the day — visitors can wander from one venue to another to enjoy concerts from both undiscovered acts and major headliners. Many stages are sponsored by large technology companies like iHeart Radio and Samsung, which also use the event as a platform to showcase their latest innovations.
The entire event has become a massive endeavor for Austin, attracting some 320,000 people and resulting in an economic impact of $220 million for the community. The crowds create some logistical challenges that aren’t typical of most group tours.
“There are a lot of people, and you may need to be prepared to stand in line for a couple of hours,” Bakre said. “It’s a very egalitarian festival, and on purpose. There’s no special treatment for anyone.”
Bakre said hotel space fills up very quickly, so groups should make room reservations at least a year in advance of the event. She also suggested that groups interested in having an authentic Austin experience come at the end of the festival and stay an extra day or two in order to enjoy a more normal ambiance.
