SXSW 2023: Everything to know about Austin’s iconic festival

by Brittany Anas - Special to MySA

The website for the Grammys once described the SXSW Music Festival as the Olympics of the music world. But drawing a comparison between this iconic Austin festival and anything else may be selling it short because the multi-day gathering goes far beyond a lineup of epic concerts, and marks a true convergence of the sectors of music, tech, film and education.

Really, SXSW, or South by Southwest if you’re not into the whole brevity thing, is a mega celebration of all things creative—backed by a stellar soundtrack and full of special moments like hearing Grammy-winning rapper Killer Mike do his thing on stage, but also popping into his speaker session to hear him talk about the Atlanta barbershop he co-owns with his wife that provides free haircuts, braids and school supplies for children.

So how much does SXSW cost to attend, can you still get tickets, and are any events free? Keep reading for all you need to know about SXSW 2023. SXSW 2023 will be held March 10-19 in Austin. The SXSW Music Festival will take place March 13-18, with hundreds of performers — the vast majority of whom are indie delights — descending on the capital city and taking to the stages of venues that range from legend- ary to offbeat. High-energy performances are expected this year by psychedelic pop legends The Zombies, New Orleans songstress Ambré and alternative K-pop group Balming Tiger. Def Jam’s Armani White is also set to perform this year, hot off his viral song, “Billie Eilish.” — which has likely been stuck in your head for months if you spend any time on fashion TikTok.

SXSW is a big deal for Austin: In 2022, the festival had a reported financial impact of $280.7 million on the city, which was actually a little less than previous annual totals. In addition to the myriad concerts, SXSW also has a lineup of film premieres, keynote sessions, stand-up comedy sets and more. Some highlights on tap for SXSW 2023 include the opening-night film premiere of Paramount’s “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” on March 10, ahead of its March 31 nationwide debut.

SXSW movie premieres include “Flamin’ Hot,” a film directed by Eva Longoria that’s centered on the true story of a Mexican-American Frito-Lay janitor who came up with the idea for Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. Another one making its debut is “Joy Ride,” a comedy from the producers of “Neighbors” and the co-writer of “Crazy Rich Asians.”