Big Names

SXSW adds more celebs, musical legends, and political rising stars to 2019 lineup

David Crosby is coming to town.

Photo courtesy of Paramount Theatre

SXSW has already dropped some pretty big bombshells about its 2019 lineup — and it's not finished yet. Days after revealing that Us, Jordan Peele's follow-up film to the Academy Award-winning blockbuster Get Out, will premiere at this year's festival, South by is dishing out more juicy details.

On January 15, Austin's mega-fest announced the addition of three new keynotes to the 10-day event and more than a dozen featured speakers. Joining the keynote programming are Endeavor chief marketing officer Bozoma Saint John; actor, director, producer, and activist Olivia Wilde; and Instagram co-founder Mike Krieger, who will join the conversation between Kevin Systrom and Josh Constine.

Saint John, Wilde, and Krieger join previously announced keynote speakers such as tech exec Jessica Brillhart; Garbage singer Shirley Manson; and writer, producer, and director Marti Noxon.

The festival's new featured speakers, which range from musical legends to newly minted politicians, very much reflect the current zeitgeist. (And scooter watchers take note: Bird's founder and CEO will also be in attendance.)

SXSW featured speakers just announced:

Musician A$AP Rocky
Journalist and author Jill Abramson
Actress, writer, producer and director Pamela Adlon
CEO and chairman of Vox Media Jim Bankoff
Co-founder of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Priscilla Chan
U.S. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Singer-songwriter David Crosby
Director, producer and writer Cameron Crowe
Author and podcaster Tim Ferriss
Best-selling author Neil Gaiman
U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono
WndrCo co-founder
Quibi founder and chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg
Journalist Soledad O’Brien
Founder and CEO of Buzzfeed Jonah Peretti
Quibi CEO Meg Whitman
Bird founder and CEO Travis VanderZanden
Actor Henry Winkler

"The breadth and diversity of the featured speakers make the 2019 event an even stronger and more compelling place for creatives, innovators, and storytellers alike," said Hugh Forrest, SXSW's chief programming officer, in a news release.

SXSW takes over downtown Austin March 8-17 with its Interactive, Film, Music, Convergence, and Edu tracks. Badges and passes are currently on sale here.

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Hot Headlines

Aba's sister restaurant sets sights on Austin in this week's top stories

Photo courtesy of Jeff Marini

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Editor's note: This week's top Austin news is chock-full of happenings in the local restaurant scene. An Austin taco shop and Austin-born bourbon garner national acclaim, and a Lake Austin cafe lights up for the holidays. Plus, an exciting eatery plans its Austin debut, and a farmers market favorite returns to its roots. Read the hottest headlines of the week below, and then find some holiday fun for the weekend here.

1. Aba's sister eatery and a surprising Chinese closure jolt Austin food news. Big restaurant news surfaced at the end of last week, including famous restaurant Aba's new sister eatery, Zoé Tong's surprising closure, and a new shop from the folks at Small Victory.

2. Austin taco truck nabs spot on New York Times best dishes of 2024 list. Austin taco truck Paprika earns praise for its freshly made salsas and next-level brisket.

3. Austin cafe Mozart's adds luxe igloos to its sprawling light festival. Put this on your bucket list for a very festive VIP holiday experience.

Mozart's Festival of Lights Euro Igloos Euro Igloos are decked out and cozy, providing a refuge for up to 10 guests. Photo from Mozart's Coffee Roasters Facebook Page

4. Still Austin bourbon named one of the top 10 whiskies of 2024. Still Austin's five-year Red Corn Bourbon ranks No. 7 on Whisky Advocate's annual list, scoring 94 points.

5. Homey Austin jam and bake shop closing and returning to farmers market. In bittersweet news, Confituras is closing its jam and biscuit shop after service on Sunday, December 22.

aba ema domain northside closings christmas lights bourbon hot-headlines