SXSW 2026 will be shorter with a streamlined music festival

SXSW will look a lot different in 2026, and not just because the new Austin Convention Center will be under construction.

The 40th-anniversary fest will be just seven days long, which is two days shorter than typical, while the music festival portion will be one day longer and run concurrently with the rest of the tracks. The fest will take place Thursday, March 12 through Wednesday, March 18.

SXSW 2026 badge holders will also have access to all programming pertaining to their badge type, including keynotes, expos, lounges, and activations.

Organizers said they will use the time that the festival will be displaced from the convention center to “reinvent spaces for our community by creating industry-specific hubs to enable new ways to connect.”

From now until Monday, March 31, tickets on presale will be available at deep discounts, starting at $475.