In terms of entertainment , SXSW is essentially a snack counter of upshot . But while cause eight million option is unbelievable , it can also feelslightlyoverwhelming . So , to fire your excitement , quell your FOMO , and help you plot out your SXSW experience , we ’ve hunted down Austin experts from the music , film , and interactive sector , and take them to provide a few of their top picks for the fete . Get stoke : an amazing SXSW experience is only a read ( OK , in some cases , probably a Platinum badge ) forth .

Music

The expert : Travis Sutherland is the beginner and master experiential designer ofUTOPiAfest , an yearly , family - well-disposed ( and BYOB ) festival celebrating music , art , and the out-of-doors . To live even more of Sutherland ’s music picks , check out theeighth annual UTOPiA(9/29 - 10/2 ) in Utopia , TX .

The British Music Embassy

Lagunitas CouchTrippin’

KUTX live at Four Seasons

day one

The Big One

Film

The expert : Holly Herrick is the associate artistic director atAustin Film Societyand a node moderator at SXSW . She spends her festival in the pic theater , taking in the completed oeuvre of the movie maker supported by the Austin Film Society ’s grant program , and explore out newfangled , main motion-picture show to screen at AFS later that year .

The Documentary Feature competition

Cameraperson

Texas Shorts competition

Little Sister

Slash

Interactive

The expert : JD Weinstein is a venture companion atCapital Factory , “ Austin ’s Center of Gravity for enterpriser , ” where he focuses on meeting with and mentor startup . chit-chat him up over a beer ( and possibly score some entrepreneurial advice ) at the Capital Factory ’s Pre - SXSW Startup Crawl – which , conveniently , is outlined below .

2016 Pre-SXSW Startup Crawl

A reception and musical performance with President Barack Obama and J. Cole

ReleaseIt

Keynote: Dr. Brené Brown, TED Talks queen

Keynote: How Under Armour plans to revolutionize and fundamentally change global health and technology - CEO Kevin Plank

Accessing the Inaccessible: Evolving Search - Biz Stone, co-founder of Twitter, Medium, & Jelly

SXSW best of 2016 dj set party

Flickr/kris krug

Dan Deacon at SXSW

Flickr/digboston

British Music Embassy at SXSW Austin

Flickr/Nick Lockey

Calliopes band best music at SXSW austin

Courtesy of Calliope Musicals

state theater sxsw austin film

Flickr/Marc Berry Reid

Alamo Draft House SXSW film festival

Flickr/Lee LeFever

tech party interactive SXSW austin

Flickr/Kris Krug

Tech interactive Austin SXSW party

Flickr/Tech. Co