South by Southwest (SXSW) has completed its milestone 40th year. It appears to have come and gone without the apocalypse that doubters foretold — and not for no reason.

This year, SXSW consolidated. Instead of its usual nine days, it was only seven, running from March 12-18. Attendees and onlookers seemed especially worried about the music festival no longer having closing weekend dates, but the weekday shows I stopped by, at least, were much better attended than the weekend ones I saw in 2025.

Yes, the lines were punishing and the reservation system did absolutely nothing for us. I only experienced some of them; I got sick on only the third day and have been home ever since. Our network writer Amber Heckler heroically soldiered on without me, so she has more highlights below.

Something we’ve learned — and something we’re afforded as an arts and culture publication — is that for many of us, SXSW is about what’s happening in its margins. We didn’t care to track the one million artificial intelligence panels, so we didn’t. We’re fine letting go of the expectation that hugely popular artists will do something wild downtown; we’re here for the locals, anyway.

It is hard, to be honest, not to care how corporate most of it feels, but we’re there to find the cracks where weird and wonderful little things live. There are plenty. We’re also excited to explore more after we pick up some books by featured speakers that we’ve added to our wishlist.

Here are 10 highlights shining through the many, many events at SXSW 2026.

Conference panel: “The Future is Low-Tech: Lessons from the Early 2000s”
Tech anthropologist Jésabel DC is on a mission to help doomscrollers introduce more friction into their tech-driven lives through a low-tech renaissance — without having to go analog. By re-introducing early aughts-era gadgets like CD players or alarm clocks, or accessing social media through a browser to avoid an app’s attention-hogging algorithm, people can better manage their digital lives and create better boundaries with the platforms that are designed to keep them scrolling. — Amber Heckler, network writer

Healthy habit: Buying artists’ merch
Call me elitist but I like to look like a local during SXSW. There’s also no more fitting time to wear band tees, especially if you’re repping Austin bands. Many early career artists will tell you — and do at the end of every show — that merch is crucial for generating income, so I stopped by the merch tables for two of my favorite bands: Grandmaster and Subpar Snatch. I’m especially excited about the shirt I picked up featuring culty art of the mysterious Grandmaster puppeting the bandmembers. I’m also a big advocate of tacking on a $5 tip. — Brianna Caleri, editor

TV series premiere: Margo’s Got Money Troubles
The first three episodes of the new AppleTV series Margo’s Got Money Troubles premiered at the Paramount Theater during the festival’s opening night. The series, based on a 2024 novel by Rufi Thorpe, felt like a true comedy that balanced out the drama of Elle Fanning’s character, Margo, with real-world financial and emotional struggles. Michelle Pfeiffer and Nick Offerman expertly embody the roles of Margo’s divorced parents and humorously bring their dysfunctional relationships from page to screen. — AH

Musical performances: CorMae and Jesse Garcia
So we already know I loved seeing Grandmaster and Subpar Snatch. What’s new? I took our music columnist John Laird’s advice and made sure to see CorMae one night. If you love the attitude of punk but still want an upbeat, playful show, then garage punk is always the answer — and CorMae are some of its most personable representatives. Then I stopped by a house party and saw Jesse Garcia perform an earnest, whimsical solo set. I’m not just obsessed with his technical abilities but also his commitment to pure music for music’s sake. — BC

Film premiere: The Last Critic
Matty Wishnow’s documentary following the career of legendary music critic Robert Christgau didn't only serve as a humorous record of his reviews across a variety of genres, it also painted a beautiful picture of old New York. Christgau saw musicians for who they are — as evidenced in an eloquent review of Joni Mitchell’s 1971 album Blue — and he wasn’t afraid to speak bluntly about what he didn’t like. (See: his famous criticism of Billy Joel’s Piano Man). Christgau’s unapologetic attitude reminded me of the late Austin music radio icon John Aielli, whose documentary debuted at SXSW in 2024. The Last Critic also won a Special Jury Award in the festival’s Documentary Feature Competition. — AH

Film premiere: The Man with the Big Hat
I’m consistently convinced that SXSW’s best asset is its music documentary programming. This year I’m grateful to have learned about Steven Fromholz, an influential but later obscure Texas musician who laid the groundwork in Austin for alternative country to take hold and flourish. The Man with the Big Hat followed his career through the eyes of Texas music icons like Lyle Lovett and Butch Hancock, giving the story a beautifully human feeling. It took the self-reinvention trope and turned it from something restless to something hopeful and warm. — BC

Drink sample: Coffee Break, Cabu Style
This was the most delicious canned coffee I’ve ever tasted — and I’ve tried many canned coffee drinks. Cabu Coffee skips dairy or alternative milks, instead using cacao beans to create a creamy taste with subtle chocolate notes. Besides the original flavor, there are two more varieties that add one extra ingredient to each: cocoa powder for the Cabu Dark Chocolate, and vanilla extract for the Cabu Vanilla. Here’s hoping these drinks start showing up at H-E-B in the future. — AH

Musical performance: TheBrosFresh
R&B/rock group TheBrosFresh popped up at the Rivian Electric Roadhouse, 208 S. Congress Ave., for a polished showcase presented by KUTX. Brothers Torrence and Thurman got their groove on with hits like “Consequence Remains” and “Your Energy 2.0,” and Torrence had the entire audience two-stepping while they covered Tevin Campbell’s “Can We Talk.” They agreed that Sunday’s two-step was the best they had seen in two years. — AH

Conference panel: "How Anyone Can Help Create Social Change: A Conversation with the authors of Somebody Should Do Something"
Yes, I’ve written about this one a couple of times. This book tackles something I’ve thought about a lot in the past several years, watching regular people who seem to care about an issue do nothing about it. The sense of momentum in this panel should be bottled and handed out on the street. We don’t need a strategically perfect moment to get started. If you’re not convinced, Michael Brownstein, Alex Madva, and Daniel Kelly have compiled case studies, explained social science frameworks, and maintained a commitment not to hand out simple answers. — BC

Comedy showcases: Dropout Improv
Several witty comedians from online streaming platform Dropout TV took Austin by storm with four sidesplitting shows during SXSW’s Comedy Festival. Two were live versions of pre-taped shows available on the platform, and the two others were displays of pure improvisational madness. Every performance had audience members laughing themselves to tears. If these showcases were any indication of what lies ahead of Dropout Improv’s upcoming spring tour, fans are in for a hilarious experience. — AH