When it comes to unofficial South by Southwest events, the more underground they are, the better. However, there's one famous event that rises above as a yearly favorite: South by San José. The annual music showcase at Hotel San José (1316 S. Congress Ave.) is scheduled for March 12-14 this year, kicking off at the same time as SXSW, which continues through March 18.
South by San José has been around 2000; SXSW itself started in 1987. The parking lot event is "always and forever free to attend," organizers promise.
As usual, the music is the main draw. Some local artists will join in, but bands don't have to be from Austin to play. The 24-act 2026 lineup includes:
- Charlie Sexton Quartet
- DeVotchKa
- Tune-Yards
- Sugaree & Cold Sweat
- Sana Sana
- Bricknasty
- Karma Sheen
- The Animeros
- The Band Loula
- The Sophs
- Diles Que No Me Maten
- Jo Alice
- Next of Kin
- Whitelands
- Okan
- Grocery Bag
- Mên An Tol
- Calder
- Angela Autumn
- Horsepower
- Still Blank
- Ella Ion
- The Bures Band
- Valley Flower
To prepare, fans will be able to listen to a podcast sharing recommended tracks for the above artists. But they'll have to be patient — it hasn't yet been shared to the website.
This party is also a fashion destination, with several stores on hand for vintage, retro, and eclectic fashion needs. They include chain stitch embroiderer Lunchroom Anxiety with men's clothing store Richter Goods, Sugar Shack Vintage, Stitches Vintage, Jello Mom Vintage with Sundown Vintage, ceramics maker Hey Moon with jewelry designer Mckinley Mizar, and surf apparel shop Mañana.
Four single-day pop-ups will also get their time in the spotlight: chain stitch embroiderer Rancho Sueno on March 12, silversmithing jewelry store Sisu Studio on March 13, bold loafers maker JoCo Shoes on March 14, and the slightly out-of-place but still cool League of Women Voters, who provide non-partisan voting information, on March 15.
Finally, collectors may want to snag SXSJ merch, including shirts and a limited-edition poster. Just for fun, readers can scroll through posters from past years on the event website.
So far, all we know about the schedule is that music starts at noon each day. Organizers haven't promised anything, but they have posted the general lineup on Instagram, so that will probably be a good place to check in as the event gets closer.
Anyone can attend South by San José, but hotel guests get priority entry. Nightly rates during SXSW are between $900 and $1,000.
