Coming Together at SXSW 2026
We’re gearing up for SXSW 2026! A handful of us from Cimarron Winter (CW) travel to Austin, Texas yearly to attend the innovation conference. The event is a good way to learn more about popular and upcoming marketing, technology, and business ideas as well as to network and share our experiences. Although people are heading in a little early, SXSW EDU kicks off first on March 9th, followed by Innovation, Film & TV, and Music on March 12th. And everything officially wraps up on the 18th.
Changes in the Conference Setup
This year’s event has had a few changes. We’re celebrating the event’s 40th year, and the coordinators have condensed the time frame down to 7 days with Innovation, Film & TV, and Music all happening simultaneously. Since the Austin Convention Center is closed for construction, there are three clubhouses for each area (Innovation, Film & TV, and Music) as well as a more decentralized overall downtown village. (We’ll be real, Adrienne Foreman, Director of Content at CW and one of our local Austin team members is a little nervous about what downtown is going to be like in the next couple of weeks). Additionally, they’ve added advanced reservations for all badge types!
This year’s tracks are:
Brand & Marketing
Cities & Climate
Creator Economy
Culture
Startups
Sports & Gaming
Tech & AI
Workplace
Design
Health
We usually keep our closest eyes on areas such as Brand & Marketing, Tech & AI, Creative, and Workplace. But some big learning moments in past years have come from other areas, so we’ll keep our eyes and minds open (Health and Cities & Climate, we’re looking at you, in particular).
What We’re Looking Forward To
Jennifer Kemp, one of our CW founders, had such a meaningful experience at the strategic foresight master classes in 2025 that she will be looking to attend Amy Webb and Future Today Institute events.
Adrienne has driven by the Australia House so often that she has her eyes on some events there including the “Future-Proof Leadership” and “AI Won’t Steal Your Job, But It Might Steal Our Creativity” panels. Seeing global collaboration is one of her favorite parts of the event.
One of the session focuses many team members are prioritizing is the continued topic of AI. Unsurprisingly, AI was a major focus at SXSW 2025, but the balance or alliance of AI with humanity seems to have risen as one of the most prominent themes in 2026. Sessions we have our eyes on are “Human+AI Alliance,” “Deeply Human in an AI World,” and “AI & the Brain.”
As always, there are some special events that we’ve got on our list of don’t miss:
Space House: This immersive experience showcases space technology, the cultural and human side of space storytelling, and brings together big players in space tech industry including Firefly Aerospace, IMCP, and SWIFT.
Emerging Tech Expo: This one day expo offers us the chance to see business leaders talk about breakthrough technology and the future of the digital frontier.
Flatstock: While most of us spend most of our time focusing on innovation, business, and technology, we enjoy some of the other treats that SXSW has to offer. One of our favorites being Flatstock, which is an amazing art market that sells art from a wide range of poster artists.
Have Fun and Keep Your Mind Open at the Event
As always, we’ll have a lot to report about what we saw, heard, and thought about during SXSW. What are the most common trends that solidify and forecast what to expect in the near future within business and technology? What has fallen out of favor? What are a few surprises that we hadn’t heard of or didn’t expect?
One last tip from our local resident: this year’s hot early, so expect sun and sweating. We keep it very casual even for most businesses in Austin, Texas, which you might keep in mind for packing and outfit planning.
Additionally, we’ve had a recent mass shooting tragedy that has shaken our community in Austin. So please be patient and polite if nerves are running a little high. We hope this year’s theme “All Together Now” helps raise awareness and conversations on breaking down borders, fostering cross-cultural collaboration, promoting inclusion, and encouraging allyship and advocacy.