SXSW 2027: remember talks across a whole city
With the Convention Center closed in 2027, SXSW spreads across downtown Austin. Here is what the organizer says about venues, reservations and recordings, and how to keep your notes together.
On this page4 sections
In short
- Dates: March 15–21, 2027, in Austin, Texas.
- Venues: the Convention Center is under construction, so sessions are spread across downtown and either side of the river.
- Recorded: not stated for 2027. In 2024, audio was captured for most sessions and video mainly for keynotes and featured sessions.
- The tip that matters most: add your own notes for panels, and write the venue and program with every one.
SXSW 2027 facts
SXSW is a festival and conference in Austin. Its conference sessions run next to film, music and comedy. The facts below come from SXSW's own pages.
| Dates | March 15–21, 2027. SXSW EDU runs March 13–16 and the Podcast Festival March 17–20. | sxsw.com |
|---|---|---|
| City | Austin, Texas | SXSW 2027 guide |
| Venues | The Austin Convention Center is under construction. A pop-up Creative Village downtown, hotels and theaters are used instead. | SXSW 2027 guide |
| Clubhouses | Innovation at Brazos Hall. Music at The Thompson Hotel. | SXSW 2027 guide |
| Film and TV | North of the river: ACL Live at The Moody Theater, State Theatre, Violet Crown and AFS Cinema (no shuttle). South: Zach Theatre, Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar and Rollins Theatre. | SXSW 2027 guide |
| Schedule | Innovation runs Monday to Friday. Film and Music keynotes are on Saturday. Several programs overlap. | SXSW 2027 guide |
| Reservations | Open March 9. Reservations cover part of each room and walk-up lines remain. | SXSW 2027 guide |
| Shuttles | Free for badge holders. Distances between venues are not stated. | SXSW 2027 guide |
| Size | We found no official whole-event attendance figure for 2026 or 2027. | sxsw.com |
Facts checked October 2026. Each row links to the organizer's own page, so check there for changes.
Four tips for SXSW
Group talks by venue, not only by topic
Film and TV venues are split north and south of the river, AFS Cinema has no shuttle, and distances are not stated. Pick one area per half day, and write the venue into each note so you can find it again.
Turn the queue into note time
Reservations cover only part of each room and walk-up lines remain. While you wait, write down the takeaways from the talk you just left. The line is when yesterday's notes get reviewed.
Tag every note with its program
Innovation, Film, Music and Comedy overlap all week. If each note says which program it came from, a later question like "that AI panel" points to the right talk.
Do not count on a recording for panels
The 2024 guidance said video was mainly for keynotes and featured sessions, and audio was captured for most sessions but not workshops, meetups or mentor sessions. For anything else, assume your own notes are the record.
How Eventnote helps at SXSW
A week of short sessions in different rooms is easy to lose. In Eventnote you make one event for SXSW, photograph the slides worth keeping, and add a note or voice note per session, with the venue and program in your own words. Everything is filed by talk and date. Later you ask which talk covered something, and the answer shows the event, the talk, the date and the slide. Ask answers only from your own slides and notes, and it can be wrong, so check the source.
If you also went to Web Summit or CES, those notes sit in the same memory. Eventnote is coming to iOS and Android, and free to start. See all conferences, the plans or the conference report template.
Eventnote is an independent app. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by SXSW. SXSW is a trademark of its owner.
Questions
Are SXSW sessions recorded?
Not stated for 2027. SXSW's 2024 speaker guidance, which we only read in summary, said audio is captured for most sessions but not workshops, meetups or mentor sessions, and that video is mainly for keynotes and featured sessions. (sxsw.com, checked October 2026.)
Is there a SXSW app?
The 2026 edition had an app, SXSW GO. SXSW has not announced a 2027 app. (sxsw.com/mobile and the App Store listing, checked October 2026.)
Is the Austin Convention Center open in 2027?
No. SXSW says the Convention Center is under construction and uses a pop-up Creative Village downtown, plus hotels and theaters. (sxsw.com, checked October 2026.)
Are there free shuttles?
Yes, for badge holders. SXSW says there is no shuttle to AFS Cinema. (sxsw.com, checked October 2026.)
Your conference memory
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