South by Southwest Interactive is overwhelming, and you could argue that’s by design.

The vast array of panels, parties, meetups, workshops, trade-show booths and award shows set for March 11-15 (plus SXSW Gaming Expo the following weekend) seem programmed to overstimulate and disorient.

But that variety, fest organizers would tell you, is a feature, not a bug, a way to make the annual tech festival, now in its 23rd year, as big a tent as possible.

But where do you find the good stuff? What programming is best suited to your interests if you’ve got a badge and are working up your schedule?

You can pore through the massive SXSW schedule, focus on featured and keynote speakers, do a search for specific terms or take a look at some highlights we’ve gathered for specific tracks and topics at the fest.

About the Authors

Keep Reading

One reader is asking the AJC to help her find cottage cheese made by Mayfield. (Ihar Balaikin/Dreamstime/TNS)

Credit: TNS

Featured

Members of the conversion crew take a break as the main scoreboard is lowered to the floor to be worked on as the arena gets ready for the next concert at State Farm Arena, Thursday, October 2, 2025, in Atlanta. The crew was working on creating a stage for the Friday, Oct. 3 Maxwell concert. (Jason Getz/AJC)

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com