A Wren Says

I went to SXSW for the first time in 2025. I did a little bit of research ahead of time of what to expect, but I didn’t know fully know what all would go down. Now that I am on the other side of the experience, I will provide a resource to you of 6 things you should know.

1. Wear your walking shoes.

I get it. You want to be cute. However, the way that you get around Austin is primarily going to be by walking. For the love of your feet and back, be sure that whatever footwear you bring, you feel comfortable wearing them from hours standing in lines and walking everywhere.

2. Be prepared to wait in lines

Speaking of, you will likely need to be prepared to wait in line. From the talks you want to attend, to the movie premieres, and even the free stuff around town, you will be waiting quite a bit. Nicole Kidman’s movie, Holland, premiered at the festival. I got to the theater close to an hour ahead of time, only to have to find my way to the end of the line, several blocks away. I waited and waited, only to not get in to see the film. That is the downside; you can wait and waste your time in line with nothing to show for it.

3. Use your SXXpress pass

Based on your badge type, you will have a set number of passes each day to use that will get you to a separate priority line. You can use those passes in the app to the day prior reserve your spot. That will help you get your spot into the events that are higher demand. But you have to study the schedule ahead of time, and be ready to pounce when the booking times open up. People are fast. You have to be faster.

4. You can enjoy the festival without being part of it

There are a lot of brands that will take advantage of the massive number of people in town for SXSW. They will host activations and pass out free stuff there as well. Many times you won’t even need to be a badgeholder. You just have to be willing to wait in line. The Museum of the Future in Dubai hosted an activation with talks and samples of the famed Dubai chocolate bar from Fixx. Aveeno hosted a house. Love is Blind had an activation. There was a lot of free stuff to do. You can even purchase individual screening tickets for those movies you want to see. If you plan well, you can experience quite a bit on the cheap.

5. The FOMO will strike

The schedule of things is massive. There will be multiple things happening at the same time that greatly interest you. But you have to choose. You literally can’t do it all. And you have to be okay with that. Mainstage talks will be posted on the YouTube channel. Films will go to theaters or streaming. And the music can be streamed. There are some things that you can experience later. Remember that as you build out your schedule. Give yourself peace of mind to go to those events that really call to you and are your “must-do” experiences.

6. You don’t have to do everything

You may have days, like I did where after walking around literally all day, not drinking enough water, and waiting in fruitless lines where you’re exhausted. It’s okay to let yourself rest, even if that means you miss a party or a show. You don’t have to make the most jampacked schedule possible. Build in some breaks to make it easy for yourself to get between events without stress. Take the time to enjoy a new restaurant. Have a leisurely conversation with a new friend. Don’t let your SXSW experience be controlled by the official schedule. Allow yourself to build out the experience that works for you.

As you plan your SXSW experience in the future, I hope this helps. Let me know what else you would like to know. Or if you have been to conference yourself, let me know your biggest takeaways.