For those who don't know, and many don't, South by Southwest—often written as SXSW—is an annual event that incorporates an impressive assortment of music, film and interactive media, held every March in Austin, Texas. Since its start in 1987, SXSW has grown almost exponentially in size and length (now running for 10 days), but it has remained a testament to discovering emerging artists and creativity through a live setting. Because Austin, with its exploding restaurant scene, needs another reason to be the epicenter of contemporary culture. The event is broken down by SXSW Music with 2,000-plus acts performing across the city; SXSW Film (with screenings of anticipated movies, panels and workshops); and the increasingly popular SXSW Interactive which features speakers, panels and also a pitch competition called SXSW Pitch.
South by Southwest 2023 runs from March 10–19.