Share this Document: https://tinyurl.com/activateatx
Here is the ‘raw’ Google Sheet: Activate ATX
What is Activate ATX?
Activate ATX is an informal coalition of Austin-based Event Hosts with the singular objective of sharing information and resources for ‘Unofficial’ events during March 12-18 2026. Activate ATX is designed to be a repository of information and links to help everyone plan and execute their events.
Why Activate ATX?
The Austin Convention Center is being demolished to be rebuilt by 2029. SXSW is responding by shortening the conference to six days and spreading Official events across the various hotels and large event venues across downtown Austin. These changes are anticipated to deeply affect the dozens of smaller parties, happy hours, Houses, and Activations - the beating heart of the SXSW experience for locals and ‘non-badged’ attendees.
Who is Activate ATX?
Activate ATX includes event hosts, venue owners, professional event planners, vendors and service providers, and media - everyone involved with SXSW-adjacent events. The Austin business community itself has a strong ethos of helping one another, and Activate ATX is designed for anyone who wants to participate collaboratively.
Please add or modify your personal entry here: Google Form or in the spreadsheet below
How does Activate ATX Work?
This is the big question. We’re all independent of one another and have different individual goals. Some of us are here to promote our companies, some of us are here to make a profit from events, some of us are here just for the ‘love of the game’. All are valid and should be supported. This support could be something simple like posting your events so others don’t overlap your dates, but sharing sponsors, venues, and resources is certainly on the table. Activate ATX is at the very least a directory of upcoming events during SXSW - and at best it’s a hub for collaboration
What are the Rules?
Share and be cool - that’s it. Let’s face it, we’re all competing at some level for awareness, audiences, calendar dates, venues, and most directly, sponsors. Even in the face of direct competition, Austin professionals have a long history of supporting the efforts of others - we’re good neighbors. No one is obligated to help or participate, but ‘takers’ and ‘free-riders’ are strongly discouraged
Standing Events, Activations, and Houses (Please add yours)
Austin Technology Council Kick-Off Gala - https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/events/
Funded House - https://www.fundedhouse.com
Texas House - https://www.texashouse.org
Capital Factory House - https://house.capitalfactory.com/home
Startup Crawl at SXSW 2025 - https://house.capitalfactory.com/agenda/session/1522221
Austin4America - https://www.austin4america.org/
OpenCoffee Austin - http://opencoffeeaustin.org/
Texas Embassy - https://texasembassy.webflow.io/
Equitech Texas Welcome Breakfast - https://lu.ma/2ao2stl2
Texas House: www.texashouse.org
Texas Futures Coalition: texasfuturescoalition.org and luma.com/texas-futures-coalition
Sunday Service (SVC) @ SXSW: https://svc2025.com/
Space & Defense Innovation
Red Thread X https://www.theredthreadx.com
Calendar Overview
Mon Mar 9 | Tue Mar 10 | Wed Mar 11 | Thu Mar 12 | Fri Mar 13 | Sat Mar 14 | Sun Mar 15 | Mon Mar 16 | Tue Mar 17 | Wed Mar 18 | |
Capital Factory House | ||||||||||
Funded House | ||||||||||
Texas House | ||||||||||
Austin4America | ||||||||||
Morning | OpenCoffee | Equitech | ||||||||
Afternoon | ||||||||||
Evening | Austin Tech Happy Hour | ATC Gala FoundHER | Startup Crawl | |||||||
Adding Your Event
By adding your events and activations, we can keep track of where and when things are happening so we might be able to minimize overlaps and reduce the audience splitting that inevitably happens during SXSW. This may lead to combining forces for co-hosted/co-sponsored events and it also helps list and map builders like the Blueprint and Ausnio discover and display your events.
I propose adding the hashtag #SX2026 to the end of the description of your registration pages (e.g. Eventbrite, Luma, Partiful, Posh, Meetup, Splashthat, etc.) to allow for easy scraping. If your event is private, or strictly invite-only, simply add, #-sx2026 to remove it from public visibility.
Event information format:
Organization Name
Organization Website
Event Name
Event Description
Venue Name
Venue Address
Event Start Day
Event Start Time
Registration Link / Website
Event Category
Event Type
Who Should Attend?
Cost
Day | Date | Start Time | End Time | Event Title | Event Registration | Event Description | Host(s) | Desired Attendees | Notes |
Monday | March 9 | ||||||||
Tuesday | March 10 | 6:00 PM | 9:00 PM | ATC Gala | |||||
Wednesday | March 11 | ||||||||
Thursday | March 12 | 8:30 AM | 10:30 AM | OpenCoffee Austin | |||||
Friday | March 13 | 5:00 PM | 10:00 PM | Startup Crawl | |||||
Saturday | March 14 | ||||||||
Sunday | March 15 | ||||||||
Monday | March 16 | ||||||||
Tuesday | March 17 | ||||||||
Wednesday | March 18 |
Available Venues
Event venues are in short supply and get booked very early on in the process of planning SXSW. Here is a list of downtown venues within walking distance of Brazos Hall - the 2026 SXSW center of activity.
Venue Name | Address | Estimated Seating Capacity |
Brazos Hall | 204 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701 | ~500 (Seated) / 1,500 (Total) |
The Sunset Room | 310 E 3rd St, Austin, TX 78701 | ~450 (Seated) / 750 (Total) |
The Eleanor | 307 W 5th St, Austin, TX 78701 | ~175 (Seated) / 275 (Total) |
Palm Door on Sixth | 508 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78701 | ~450 (Seated) / 1,000 (Total) |
SKYBOX on 6th | 501 W 6th St, Austin, TX 78701 | ~300 (Seated) / 480 (Total) |
Parker Jazz Club | 117 W 4th St, Austin, TX 78701 | ~100–125 (Seated) |
Antone's Nightclub | 305 E 5th St, Austin, TX 78701 | ~300 (Seated) / 700 (Total) |
800 Congress | 800 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701 | ~300 (Seated) / 600 (Total) |
Stubb's Bar-B-Q | 801 Red River St, Austin, TX 78701 | ~450 (Amphitheater Seated) / 2,100 (Total) |
The Driskill Hotel | 604 Brazos St, Austin, TX 78701 | Varies (Ballrooms up to ~500 Seated) |
Hotel Van Zandt | 605 Davis St, Austin, TX 78701 | ~370–700 (Ballroom Seated) |
Austin Convention Center | 500 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78701 | Varies (Halls up to 3,000+ Seated) |
Q-Branch | 200 E 6th St #310, Austin, TX 78701 | |
Antler | 800 Brazos St #340, Austin, TX 78701 | |
Texas Banker Assc. | 203 W 10th St, Austin, TX 78701 | |
SXSW Center | 1400 Lavaca St, Austin, TX 78701 | ~230 (Lobby/Roof each) / 300 (Total) |
Capital Factory | 701 Brazos St, Austin, TX 78701 | ~100 (Seated) / 250 (Standing) |
The Austonian Club | 200 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701 | ~150 (Total) |
Empire Control Room & Garage | 606 E 7th St, Austin, TX 78701 | ~400 (Control Room) / 1,000+ (Garage) |
Seven Grand | 405 E 7th St, Austin, TX 78701 | ~300 (Total) |
Las Perlas | 405 E 7th St, Austin, TX 78701 | ~100 (Seated) / 300 (Total) |
Rustic Tap | 613 W 6th St, Austin, TX 78701 | ~500 (Total w/ Patio) |
Half Step | 75 1/2 Rainey St, Austin, TX 78701 | ~80 (Seated) / 350 (Total) |
Inn Cahoots | 1221 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78702 | ~150 (Seated) / 300 (Total) |
Chalmers | 1700 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702 | ~50–1,000 (Varies by section) |
Atelier 1205 | 1205 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702 | ~150 (Total) |
The Long Goodbye | 2808 Manor Rd, Austin, TX 78722 | ~400 (Total Indoor/Outdoor) |
Cabana Club | 5012 E 7th St, Austin, TX 78702 | ~290 (Pool) / 740 (Total) |
Kingdom Night Club | 103 E 5th St, Austin, TX 78701 | ~600 (Total) |
Shared Calendar
Approved events will be added to this calendar to share
Relevant Articles and Posts (Please add yours)
- SXSW 2025: POV from long-time Austinite and 20 Year Attendee - Cindy Lo - Article
- Putting on Events Like a Pro takes practice, but hopefully this helps out - Weston Woodward - Post
- https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/sxsw/2025-03-16/south-by-southwest-2026-reduces-to-seven-days/
- CityCast Austin Podcast - What Happens to Austin Without a Convention Center? - Podcast
- Andy Langer - Is SXSW Music Dead? - Link
SXSW Discussions
- https://www.reddit.com/r/SXSW/
- Ausnio’s Discord Chat - https://discord.gg/fT42XTWY
Share this Document - https://tinyurl.com/activateatx
Please add, modify, or change this as necessary and share it with others
ATX Event Super Hosts WhatsApp Group
The idea is that the ATX Event Super Hosts is a simple way where we can share information where it's helpful and keep things private when there's a conflict. The group will also be a place where we can pool resources and talent or help each other on game day. We should also be able to map out every major activation and unofficial event during SXSW. Some more advanced possibilities are co-hosting events and joint sponsorship.
https://chat.whatsapp.com/E2x7PfkBkpaEtabkd81UY1
Austin Event Host List - Live Spreadsheet: Austin Event Hosts
Please modify (or remove) your contact information
First | Last | Org/Event Name | Website | Phone | |||
Rachel | Graham | 2 Hour Cocktail Meetups | rino008@gmail.com | ||||
Moby | Hayat | 2 Hour Cocktail Meetups | moby@thefireshow.com | ||||
Nick | Gray | 2 Hour Cocktail Party Author | nick@nickgray.net | ||||
Jane | Ko | A Taste of Koko | jane@atasteofkoko.com | ||||
Michael | Daigler | AITX Meetup | heymichaeldaigler@gmail.com | ||||
Jake | O'Shea | AITX Meetup | jake.oshea@antler.co | ||||
Sara | Singer | Association for Corporate Growth | sarasinger7@gmail.com | ||||
Bart | Bohn | ATI | bartjbohn@gmail.com | ||||
David | Nassau | ATX Creatives | dnassau14@gmail.com | ||||
Jay | Boisseau | ATX Forum / Remedy | jay@vizias.com | ||||
Zac | Solomon | ATX Writing Club | zacharysolomon1209@gmail.com | ||||
Brandon | Davis | AusNio | hello@ausnio.com | ||||
Ethan | Brooks | Austin Business Review | ethan@austinbusinessreview.com | ||||
Devin | Ambron | Austin Connections | devin@ambron.net | 352-552-7834 | |||
Drew | vonEhrenkrook | Austin Connections | drewvonehrenkrook@gmail.com | ||||
Weston | Woodward | Austin Connections | weston@woodward.media | ||||
Jason | Scharf | Austin Next Podcast | Jason@austinnextpodcast.com | ||||
Jacqueline | Hughes | Austin Tech Week | jacqueline.a.hughes@gmail.com | ||||
Thom | Singer | Austin Technology Council | thom@thomsinger.com | ||||
Umar | Brimah | Austin Venture Association | umar@austinventureassociation.com | ||||
David | Valentino | Austin Venture Association | |||||
Lesley | Robinson | ayana Foundation | |||||
Lani | Rosales | BASHH / ADJ | lanirosales@gmail.com | ||||
Horacio | Rilo | Boop | Horacio@boop.vip | ||||
Carl | Grant III | BoostATX | carl@connexapartners.com | ||||
Jonathan | Jow | Booth Easy | jjow@bootheasy.com | ||||
Brian | Thompson | Brand Writer | Brian.Thompson@brandwriter.com | ||||
Will | Morse | Bridgepoint Consulting | wmorse@bridgepointconsulting.com | ||||
Marisa | Vickers | Builders and Backers | marisa.cathryn@gmail.com | ||||
Cindi | Schultz | Capital Factory | cyndischultz@capitalfactory.com | ||||
Nick | Spiller | Capital Factory | nickspiller@capitalfactory.com | ||||
Tim | Donahue | CBRE / Austin Venture Association | timothy.donohue@cbre.com | ||||
George | Munguia | Coconut | george.munguia56@gmail.com | ||||
Samarra | Davis | Connor Group | Samarra.Davis@connorgp.com | ||||
Courtney | Confare | Courtney Connects | confare.courtney@gmail.com | ||||
Jim | Rabuck | Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) | james.d.rabuck@gmail.com | ||||
YJ | Lin | Dell for Startups | https://www.dell.com | yj.lin@dell.com | |||
Tomer | Soran | Effortless Hire | tomer@effortlesshire.com | ||||
Sarah | Goodman | Eminence Strategies | sarah@eminencestrategies.com | ||||
Michael | Marra | Entre | michael@joinentre.com | ||||
Laurie | Jones | Equitech Breakfast | lfj@lauriefelkerjones.com | ||||
Cherie | Werner | F.I.E.S.T.A | cherie@fiesta.community | ||||
Jon | Werner | F.I.E.S.T.A | jon@fiesta.community | ||||
Justin | Schoenfelder | Fantasy Elect / Startup Poker | justin@fantasyelect.io | https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-schoenfelder-fantasy-elect | |||
Emily | Richert | Female Founders and Friends | juliette@theartemisfund.com | ||||
Juliette | Richert | Female Founders and Friends | juliette@theartemisfund.com | ||||
Martin | Martinez | Founders Institute | mm@aplayermanagement.com | ||||
Gabriel | Rucker | Founding Titans | gabriel@foundingtitans.com | ||||
Alex | Cequea | Funded House | alexcquea@gmail.com | ||||
Sarah | Romanko | Geek Ventures | sarah@geek.vc | ||||
Lidija | Newman | Good Theory | lidijanewman@gmail.com | ||||
Alice | Huang | Growth Magic | alice@growthmagic.co | ||||
Waziri | Garuba | Harlem Labs | waziri@harlemlabs.com | ||||
Seth | Dockery | Health Tech Austin | seth@precisepopulations.com | ||||
Sam | Huntington | Hill Climbers | samuelmhuntington@gmail.com | ||||
Jessica | Campos | ImpactLine Digital | info@impactlinedigital.com | ||||
David | Perez | InsureATX | www.lumeninsure.com | dperez@lumeninsure.com | |||
Angelos | Angelou | International Accelerator | angelos@iaccelerator.com | ||||
David | Gonzales | Internet Marketing Party | |||||
Joel | Granoff | JSGran | joel.s.granoff@gmail.com | ||||
Heather | Buffo | La Dolce Velo | hmbuffo@gmail.com | ||||
Riley | Knox | Leviathan Air | riley@leviathan-air.com | ||||
Chelsea | Toler | Logictry | chelsea@logictry.com | ||||
Sara | Light | Longhorn Coffee | sara.light@texasexes.org | ||||
Sharon | DeCaro | Marketing Automation & AI Meetup | www.seeandmake.com | hello@seeandmake.com | |||
Jawad | Ali | MedTech Connect | jawada@gmail.com | https://www.linkedin.com/in/jawad-ali-md-%F0%9F%94%AA-11152662/ | |||
Jeff | Levine | MedTech Connect | leviathantx@gmail.com | ||||
Matt | Winters | My Network Builder | matt@austinvisuals.com | ||||
Damon | Clickscales | OpenCoffee Austin | damonc@gmail.com | ||||
Marc | Nathan | OpenCoffee Austin / Wake Up! CPG / Funded House | marc@tsquaredagency.com | ||||
Jason | Jepson | OWN | jjepson74@gmail.com | ||||
Zeke | Torres | Palm Venture Studio / Pitch and Run | ezekieletorres@gmail.com | ||||
Garrett | Dailey | Lucid - Pitch with Clarity | garrett@lucidconsult.ing | ||||
Samantha | Brown | Q-Branch | sam@q-branch.dev | ||||
Omar | Zaki | Qima Ventures | omar.zaki@outlook.com | ||||
Cindy | Lo | Red Velvet Events | cindy@WeAreREDVELVET.com | ||||
Jay | Miseli | RedThreadX | https://www.theredthreadx.com | jay.miseli@theredthreadx.com | |||
Joel | Bush | joel@amplifier.com | |||||
Sheena | Weinberg | Sharc Finance | sheena@sharcfin.com | ||||
Laura | Lorek | Silicon Hills News | laura@siliconhillsnews.com | ||||
Luke | Fischer | SkyFi/Austin4America | luke@skyfi.com | ||||
Paris | Bland | Startup Grind Austin | paris@pariselectra.com | 214-537-9061 | |||
Marc | Bolh | Super Collider | marcbolh@gmail.com | ||||
Sara | Loretta | Systms | https://www.systms.club | hello@systms.club | |||
Max | Kunik | Taster's Table / Wake Up Houston | maxkunik@gmail.com | ||||
Hall | Martin | Ten Capital Network | hallmartin@tencapital.group | ||||
Will | Herrmann | Texas House | will@pollen.media | ||||
Marisa | Vickers | Texas House | marisa@texashouse.org | https://www.linkedin.com/in/marisavickers/ | |||
CS | Freeland | Texas Venture Alliance | cs@texasventurealliance.org | ||||
Kevin | Koym | Texas Venture Partners | kevin@techranchaustin.com | ||||
Tal | Shmueli | Texas Venture Partners | ts@texasventurepartners.com | ||||
Elle | Beecher | The Board Walks | me@ellebeecher.com | ||||
Catherine | Meyer | The Collective | meyer.catherine.j@gmail.com | ||||
Amanda | Caldwell | The Experience Firm / Funded House | amanda@experiencefirm.com | ||||
Elijah | May | The Experience Firm / Funded House | elijah@experiencefirm.com | ||||
Allison | Cammilleri | The Venue Collective | allison@thevenuecollective.com | ||||
Robert Nathan | Allen | Tiny Herds | rna0014@gmail.com | https://www.linkedin.com/in/rna-robert-nathan-allen-88b32844/ | |||
Bill | Murphy | Turn Up! CPG / Willpower Events | bill@drinkwillpower.com | ||||
Matthew | Bergvinson | Vigilante Consulting | m@vigilanteconsulting.com | ||||
Alyssa | Padron | Village Capital | alyssa.r.padron@gmail.com | ||||
Hannah | Beahm | well-ish wellness | hannahbeahmwellness@gmail.com | ||||
Chris | Cates | WhenWhereWhat | info@whenwherewhat.com | ||||
Fred | Schmidt | Wild About Music | fred@wildaboutmusic.com | ||||
Patrick | Moody | patrickphilipmoody@gmail.com | |||||
Elisa | Sepulveda | elisa.amanda.sepulveda@gmail.com |
Future of Activate ATX
In some ways, Activate ATX looks like a local niche Chamber of Commerce. Depending on the response and participation, Activate ATX may become its own non-profit to process payments and donations, a co-op to purchase, share, and store event equipment, or merge to become a part of a larger civic organization like the Downtown Austin Alliance, Opportunity Austin, or The Austin Chamber. Time will tell and it's up to the members on how it transforms and grows. The goal is to act as a ‘big tent’ even though there are competitors involved and politics are inevitable. Activate ATX hopes to be ‘Switzerland’ and will try not to play favorites. Your feedback and input are much appreciated.
Days to SXSW:
https://days.to/until/12-march-2026
Contact
For any questions, changes, or clarifications: Marc Nathan - marc+sxsw@tsquaredagency.com - 713-569-3703 About me: I’m a 25-time SXSW attendee & speaker. I officially host the Super Connector Meetup for SXSW and I co-founded Funded House. I used to put out the weekly Texas-Squared Startup Newsletter for nine years and publish the Texas VIP Insider’s Guide to SXSW: https://bit.ly/sxswvip