Registration FAQ

It is quickest and easiest to register online and pay by credit card (you can book hotel accommodations at the same time). If you must pay by check, the form is available here. To pay by purchase order or wire transfer, you must be a publicly held international corporation, government agency, state agency, or educational institution. Due to long bank transaction times, SXSW will no longer be accepting wire transfers after March 1st. The registration form is available here. Your registration must be paid in full to take advantage of the discounted rates. You may also register onsite at the Austin Convention Center the week of SXSW.

SXSW Registration will be open on the second floor of the Austin Convention Center.

SXSW Registrants should use the Convention Center entrance at 4th and Neches -- directly across the street from the Hilton Hotel. To receive your 2009 SXSW Badge, you must bring your confirmation letter and a valid government-issued ID.

New Hours for 2009
Friday March 13th 9am-9pm
Saturday March 14th 9am- 8pm
Sunday March 15th 9:30am-6pm
Monday March 16th 9:30am-6pm
Tuesday March 17th 10am-8pm
Wednesday March 18th 10am-Midnight
Thursday March 19th 9am-10pm
Friday March 20th 10am-9pm
Saturday March 21st 11am-4pm

You should register for SXSW as soon as you have made a definite decision to attend. Those participants who are able to make a commitment to attend at an early date will receive discounted registration fees and have the best chance at getting their preferred hotel accommodations. Make sure you have made the necessary arrangements required to attend before purchasing a registration because registration fees are nonrefundable. For the undecided, there is walk-up registration at the Austin Convention Center during the event.

PLEASE READ! SXSW, Inc., at its sole discretion, may cancel or refuse registrations/applications/purchases from any individual or company at any time. By clicking on "Purchase Now" button or authorizing payment to SXSW in any form payor agrees to the following SXSW, Inc. policies:
1) payments are not refundable for any reason including, but not limited to, failure to use SXSW credentials due to illness, acts of God, travel-related problems, or loss of employment 2) discounted prices are based on the date payment is received in the SXSW office 3) unused registrations/applications have no monetary value and cannot be credited to future years or events. 4) conference registrations include a one-year subscription to SXSWorld Magazine valued at $20.

The last day to be included in any of SXSW directories is Friday, February 6, 2009.

You should receive a confirmation from the SXSW Registration Department about a week after we receive the form and payment. This confirmation is sent by email to the address provided on the registration form. If no email is noted, we will send by fax or postal mail. This confirmation will show that we received your payment.

There is a $100 non-refundable processing fee to change names or transfer registrations. So, yes, you can use fake names but you will be required to replace them with real names and that will incur additional expense. Please follow this example:

Happy T. Dude1 and Happy T. Dude2 Jane Doe1 and Jane Doe2 Jo Doe1, Jo Doe2, and Jo Doe3

To transfer a registration, please log into your SXSW shopping cart. After logging in, follow the link at the bottom of the page- "transfer a registration to someone else". A list of registrations in your shopping cart will appear. Further instructions will be included in the transfer application.

Some spam filters and gray listers may filter out automated communications. Please add the following email addresses to your spam filter's list of approved senders to be sure our messages reach you: webmaster at sxsw.com, reg at sxsw.com, housing at sxsw.com, sxsw at sxsw.com.

If you requested hotel accommodations, you will receive a separate email from our Housing Desk. This confirmation will indicate your hotel reservation with the check-in and check-out dates. Please review the information carefully and let us know by email if changes are required housing at sxsw.com.

All of our materials, both printed and on the web, clearly state in multiple places that all purchases are non-refundable see refund policy below. If you cannot attend the conference this year, you may transfer your registration to another person only for SXSW 2009.

To transfer a registration, please log into your SXSW shopping cart. After logging in, follow the link at the bottom of the page- "transfer a registration to someone else". A list of registrations in your shopping cart will appear. Further instructions will be included in the transfer application.

There is a $100 non refundable transfer fee.

PLEASE READ! SXSW, Inc., at its sole discretion, may cancel or refuse registrations/applications/purchases from any individual or company at any time. By clicking on "Purchase Now" button or authorizing payment to SXSW in any form payor agrees to the following SXSW, Inc. policies: 1) payments are not refundable for any reason including, but not limited to, failure to use SXSW credentials due to illness, acts of God, travel-related problems, and loss of employment 2) discounted prices are based on the date payment is received in the SXSW office 3) unused registrations/applications have no monetary value and cannot be credited to future years or events. 4) conference registrations include a one-year subscription to SXSWorld Magazine valued at $20.

No, once a badge has been issued to you, we can’t reissue again.

Keep checking the official SXSW website for the latest information regarding scheduled events. It's the best source of information for all your planning needs.

The SXSWeek Schedule provides guidance about when activities take place. We encourage registrants to arrive the day before Registration opens to familiarize themselves with the area and "play tourist" in Austin.

Film and Interactive Registrants: Most Registrants (Film, Interactive, Gold, and Platinum badges) arrive on the Friday March 13, 2009 registration opens. The Film Festival Opening Party takes place Friday night. Film and Interactive panels and the Screenburn Arcade begin Saturday. Film and Interactive Trade Show (iF! Exhibition) begins on Sunday.

Registration is busiest (and the possibility of a long wait is greatest) the afternoon of Wednesday March 18, 2009. To avoid lines entirely consider picking up your Music badge a day early on Tuesday March 17, 2009. On that day, your Music badge will admit you to SXSW Film Fest screenings in the Convention Center and the Interactive & Film trade show.

There are special registration procedures and fees for Trade Show Exhibitors. You should email your questions to a sales representative and someone will be in touch.

To help ease your way into the SXSW madness, plan to attend this four-course welcome dinner on Wednesday March 18, 2009. SXSW Music & Platinum registrants will have a choice of entrees from the four menu options here.

The Welcome Dinner offers you the first opportunity to begin networking -- so dress casually and enjoy the entertainment. Cash bar will begin at 6:30 pm with dinner at 7:00 pm. Simply check in at the registration table outside the Four Seasons Ballroom to receive your dinner ticket.

Advance registration and payment is required. The cost is $90 per person and only SXSW registrants (and Trade Show stand workers) can attend. Each registrant may buy one guest ticket.

The SXSW Golf Tournament takes place on Wednesday at the Circle C Golf Club. Under the direction of SXSW co-founder Louis Jay Meyers, the SXSW Golf Tournament has raised over $60,000 for various charities including the SIMS Foundation, AIDS Services of Austin, East Austin Optimist Club, Lone Star Musicians Foundation and others. The 2009 tournament is in its 20th year and has had over 2000 golfers participate. The SXSW Golf Tournament is open to all musicians and music and media professionals. To sign up, or for more information, please click here.

The 23rd annual South By Southwest Softball Tournament and Barbecue gets underway Sunday, March 22, at Monroe ‘Lefty’ Krieg field. Player warm-up begins at noon, with the first game starting at 1pm sharp. Shuttle buses from most of the downtown hotels to the field will begin service at 11:45am, running about every 20 minutes. (Transportation directly to the airport from the field will be available on a limited basis and must be reserved in advance. Please notify the softball registration table on Friday, March 14 or Saturday, March 15 if you need airport transportation.)

For players and non-players alike, there’s the SXSW Barbecue, an authentic Texas spread with all the trimmings.

You MUST bring your registration badge to this event if you want to eat (one meal per badge; trade show passes don’t count). Non-registrants – and bad registrants who forget their badges – may buy barbecue tickets at the field for TBA. NOTE: For insurance reasons, we cannot serve beer to non-registrants, but you’re welcome to bring your own. No glass containers, please.