SXSWristbands

SXSW's coveted 2018 wristbands for Austin residents on sale now

SXSW wristbands are now on sale for Austin residents.

Photo by Daniel Cavazos

One of the benefits of giving up our city for 10 days a year is the dream of the elusive, Austinites-only SXSW wristband. On Tuesday, January 16, the festival issued its annual somewhat surprise announcement of the sale, and the news couldn't have come at a better time. As we battle the throes of these hard Austin winters, it's nice to be reminded that spring is just around the corner. (Well, in our case, it's really is just right around the corner. It's supposed to be 70 degrees on Saturday.)

Beginning at 11 am on January 16, organizers are offering SXSW Music wristbands to Austin-area residents for $169. The credentials offer secondary access to all official SXSW music showcases from March 12-18, 2018.

In order to snag a wristband, the buyer must purchase online and have a credit card with an Austin ZIP code. (A list of approved ZIP codes can be found here.) Customers may buy two wristbands, but both names must be provided at the time of purchase, and each individual must pick up their band in-person with a valid ID. Wristbands can be picked up March 12-17 at the Austin Convention Center.

In addition to gaining entry to over 100 stages, festival organizers point out that the wristbands enable locals to catch more than 2,000 international, national, and regional artists over the course of the fest.

For more information, and to purchase a wristband, go here. Be forewarned, released in limited quantities, these wristbands sell out fast.

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Editor's note: The word of the week in Austin is growth. Whether it's fast-growing cities, the city's highly anticipated inclusion in the Michelin Guide, or an updated H-E-B ready to re-anchor the neighborhood, things are always reshaping and Austinites are keeping up online. Here are our most-read stories over the past week. Looking for things to do this weekend? Our top picks are here.

1. Austin neighbor saw 4th biggest population boom in U.S. for 2023.The Austin-area suburb of Georgetown has proven it's not just a laid back destination for tourists, but one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation.

2. Michelin Guide plates up first Texas picks, with 7 stars in Austin.The first Michelin Guide in Texas has finally made its picks known. At a black-tie event in Houston on November 11, the guide announced that 47 Austin restaurants have won recognition.

3. New South Congress H-E-B is finally opening at the end of 2024. After roughly two years of construction, H-E-B announced its 145,000-square-foot building on South Congress Avenue and East Oltorf Street will open to shoppers starting December 4.

4. Bubbly Austin brunch spot Irene's closing after 8 years. Despite the ever-increasing number of Austin brunches, the scene is losing a classic. Irene's on West 6th Street announced November 12 that it will be closing at the end of its lease this month.

Irene's Austin cocktail One of Austin's most popular brunch spots is throwing in the towel when its lease ends.Irene's/Instagram

5. $15.2 million Austin sanctuary is in the middle of a nature conservancy. The Sanctuary on Barton Creek is a 24-acre estate completely surrounded by a 4,100-acre nature conservancy to provide a peaceful and private escape from city life.