Editor's note: The top Austin news of the week is buzzing with free SXSW events and our Tastemaker Awards nominees. Catch up on our most popular stories below, then visit this guide for more weekend fun.

1. No badge, no problem: 20 free events across Austin for SXSW 2026. SXW is here, and we've done the heavy lifting to compile all the fun free things to do — no badge or purchase required.

2. Austin's 10 top coffee shops are about more than the caffeine. The 10 coffee shops vying for a CultureMap Tastemaker Award this year are all known for different things, whether it’s the coffee itself or the ambiance.

3. Austin's 10 best sandwiches have locals looking forward to lunch. The 10 restaurants vying for Best Sandwich, this year’s wildcard category at the CultureMap Tastemaker Awards, serve up great salami, Italian sandwiches, and much more.

The Knuckle Sandwich packs a punch (of flavor). Photo by Chris Praetzel

4. Half Price Books closing longtime South Lamar store to relocate. A longtime Austin bookstore is turning the page. Half Price Books will close its store at 2929 S. Lamar Blvd. on March 15, choosing to relocate about a mile away to 2607 S. First St.

5. Maroon 5 and Post Malone to perform at 2026 F1 Grand Prix in Austin. Circuit of the Americas (COTA), the annual host of Formula One's United States Grand Prix, has announced the two exciting headliners for this year's event.