SXSW 2027 Dates Announced: Saturday Start, Sunday Finish

The Paramount Theatre, which hosts several red-carpet movie premieres during the South by Southwest Conference and Festivals in Austin on Thursday, March 12, 2026.
Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

The South by Southwest Conference and Festivals will return to Austin in 2027 with a familiar promise and a slight shift in timing. The festival announced Thursday that its 2027 edition will run March 13–21, stretching from a Saturday start to a Sunday close.

The Saturday-to-Sunday format signals an effort to capture not just industry insiders but a wider swath of attendees — from students on spring break to festival visitors — at a time when SXSW is rethinking how it fills downtown Austin.

What will the SXSW 2027 schedule look like?

Actor Eric André greets fans as he arrives for the world premiere of “I Love Boosters” at the Paramount Theatre during the South by Southwest Conference and Festivals in Austin on Thursday, March 12, 2026.
Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

SXSW EDU will kick off the nine-day run from March 13–16, followed by the larger SXSW Conferences & Festivals from March 15–21, with tracks dedicated to innovation, music, film and television and comedy. The overlap continues a recent shift toward concurrent programming, with multiple tracks unfolding at once rather than in sequence.

“In 2027, we’re bringing our global community together across education, film, music, technology, comedy and culture for another week of discovery and collaboration,” said Greg Rosenbaum, the festival’s senior vice president of programming, in a statement.

Under the revised schedule, SXSW EDU opens on a Saturday and adds a second “crossover day” on Tuesday, while the Innovation track runs six days beginning March 15. Music programming will span the full week, with showcases and networking events through March 21. Film & TV premieres begin March 15 and continue through closing weekend, while the comedy lineup will anchor the latter half of the festival starting March 17.

SXSW goes through structural changes in 2026

Masked country singer Orville Peck performs a free concert at the Rivian Electric Joyride on Congress Avenue during the South by Southwest Conference and Festivals on Saturday, March 14, 2026, in downtown Austin.
Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

Following the 2025 festival, SXSW dropped its second weekend and condensed its footprint, prompting some observers to question its long-term trajectory. The 2026 event shrank to seven days and adopted a decentralized “clubhouse” model, dispersing programming across hotels and venues while the Austin Convention Center undergoes a multiyear redevelopment.

At the same time, the organization is navigating a broader leadership transition. Longtime president Hugh Forrest departed in 2025, and the festival is currently searching for a new full-time CEO. Jenny Connelly, a Penske Media Corporation executive who has overseen operations in the interim, told the Austin Business Journal the role will be based in Austin.

Changes have also touched individual programming divisions. Claudette Godfrey, who led SXSW’s Film & TV Festival and helped elevate it into a major launchpad for filmmakers, recently stepped down after nearly two decades. She has been succeeded by Peter Debruge, a longtime Variety critic, reflecting the growing influence of Penske Media, which acquired a 50% stake in SXSW in 2021.

Actress Demi Moore arrives for the world premiere of “I Love Boosters” at the Paramount Theatre during the South by Southwest Conference and Festivals in Austin on Thursday, March 12, 2026.
Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

Organizers have framed recent changes as part of a broader effort to modernize the experience and make it more accessible. The 2027 dates, arriving earlier in the spring break window and bookended by weekends, may be the clearest signal yet of that strategy.

Early-bird badges for SXSW 2027 are on sale on the festival’s website.

April 16, 2026