This was the first year SXSW went on without access to the Austin Convention Center. The event also ran for a shorter period, only running for seven days.
AUSTIN, Texas — South By Southwest (SXSW) 2026 has come to an end, and the yearly festival and conference brought thousands of visitors to Downtown Austin with a packed schedule of events.
SXSW 2026 came and went though with some key changes.
“I’ve come to SXSW the last three years, and this has definitely been the most chaotic one yet,” Carly Crabtree said. “Last year, it was a full two weeks.”
Crabtree said she needed to get used to SXSW being a 7-day event, a new change that came with the festival also missing the Austin Convention Center, which is currently undergoing renovations.
Not having access to the convention center left everything SXSW had to offer more spread out in and around the downtown area. It was a layout that Mike Griswold welcomed.
“I know there’s been plans to revamp this area long-term,” Griswold said. “I thought this was great, having the capitol here and all these events.”
The consolidation of schedule is something Paul Rowe, a long-time visitor who has come to SXSW for more than 20 years, said made the festival more inclusive.
“Because everything was happening at the same time, I think it did make it,” Rowe said. “[Went] smoother, as far as the lines were concerned.”
For first-time attendee Larissa Aguilar, the old SXSW spirit is what has her ready for what the 2027 event could bring.
“Definitely community, I think I was really shocked with how friendly people have been. Every time I’ve been in line, or at a panel, people would turn and talk to each other,” Aguilar said. “I really hope I can come back. I definitely recommend it.”
KVUE reached out to SXSW organizers for comment on how they felt about this year’s festival and its changes. They did not provide a response at the time of publication.