If you’re overwhelmed by SXSW Sydney’s full program of events — you’re not alone. There are over 1000 experiences that include 700 speakers, 300 performances, 170 game demos and 200 screenings spanning the CBD, Darling Harbour, Haymarket, Surry Hills, Ultimo and Chippendale.

For those who are still confused, here’s a brief rundown. SXSW has five components: the Conference, Expo, Music Festival, Games Festival and Screen Festival. There are then hundreds of events under each category.

A Platinum Badge will get you first access to every event, including VIP experiences. Whereas an Industry Badge will grant you primary access to industry-specific events and networking sessions — but only secondary access to other experiences. There are no one-off tickets, but for those who just want to attend events (without access to the Conference), there are Music, Games and Screen Festival wristbands or the Expo day pass.

Whether you’ve already bought a Platinum Badge and are raring to go or can’t decide between a badge or a wristband, you’ve come to the right place. In partnership with Jack Daniel’s, we’ve pulled together a selection of SXSW highlights so you can make the most of the week-long festival, including some free events that don’t require a pass at all.

Top image: Jess Gleeson

From Darling Harbour to Chippendale, 25 venues will play host to 300-plus live music gigs across four days from Wednesday, October 18 to Saturday, October 21 — and unlike a one-off concert or self-contained festival, you can hop between sites and choose your own adventure with a wristband or badge. 

The Music Festival will showcase homegrown talent and international up-and-comers alike, from Aussie musos 1tbsp, FRIDAY*, Mia Wray, Gold Fang and Milan Ring to CHAMELEON LIME WHOOPIEPIE from Japan, Fazerdaze from New Zealand, Almost Monday from California, Lunadira from Malaysia and Grrrl Gang from Indonesia.

US rappers Flyana Boss will kick things off at the Music Festival Opening Night Party on Tuesday, October 17, held on a docked boat outside the ICC Sydney. It’s first-in best-dressed for badge-holders, but if you miss out, the duo will perform again at 11.20pm on Wednesday, October 18, at The Underground UTS for those with wristbands or badges.

Other popular acts include Seoul-based pop-punk group ADOY, who will play at the Powerhouse Museum on Thursday, October 19 at 7pm; Indian-Australian starlet ASHWARYA, who will perform at the TikTok’s House of Music Discovery on Wednesday, October 18 and Pleasures Playhouse on Saturday, October 21 at 8.20pm; and Japanese punk-rock-garage quartet Otoboke Beaver, who are on at The Soda Factory on Thursday, October 19 at 11pm and The Chippo Hotel on Friday, October 20 at 11.10pm. 

If you don’t have a wristband or badge, you can still enjoy live music at Tumbalong Park. Young Henry’s Rock & Roll Circus on Wednesday, October 18, will feature artists such as Dan Sultan, Wallice and Tyne-James Organ covering rock classics, while Touchdown Down Under on Thursday, October 19 and Friday, October 20, will showcase musical artists from Asia to the Middle East.

Images: Brittany Hallberg, Jordan Kirk, Jess Gleeson

The stacked Screen Festival lineup covers everything from Australian premieres of highly anticipated films (like Kitty Green’s The Royal Hotel, Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn and Um Tae-hwa’s Concrete Utopia) to a documentary on The Wiggles and the television premiere of an Indian and Pakistani show. The program also includes short-form films, music videos and a showcase of virtual, augmented and mixed reality technologies.

Among the many screen standouts is the First Nation’s Program, co-presented by the Winda Film Festival. The program showcases Indigenous storytelling from across the globe, such as Seneca–Cayuga American filmmaker Erica Tremblay’s moving family drama Fancy Dance and Greelandic thriller Alanngut Killinganni, which centres on a creature from Intuit mythology. Indigenous Australian voices will be highlighted in the Bush Shorts — a curated selection of short films based on themes of identity, Country and First Nations culture.

Get into spooky season at the Midnighters Program — late-night screenings of funny, scary and genre-bending films. Debuted at Cannes this year, Riddle of Fire is a Goonies-adjacent,  neo-fairytale about three kids in Wyoming. Steven Soderbergh’s executive-produced Divinity will take you on a trippy, black-and-white journey to another world. And the bloody and biting Satranic Panic features two queer best friends facing a satanic cult.

No badge or wristband? No problem. Everyone is invited to the Screen Festival Opening Party at Tumbalong Park. Celebrate the start of the film program with bands and DJs from 7–10pm on Sunday, October 15.

There will also be a series of free movie screenings at an outdoor cinema in Tumbalong Park from 8pm on select days throughout the week. The program is based on beloved films from SXSW Austin, such as What We Do in the Shadows, Dazed and Confused and anime Ghost in the Shell.

If the music and screen lineups are any indication, you can expect just as much excitement at the Games Festival. From Wednesday, October 18 to Sunday, October 22, gaming gurus and novices alike can join along for live playthroughs, product launches, screenings, demos and networking with industry leaders and developers from around the world. Though the events are spread across the SXSW precinct at venues like the EDDY Multi Space and Mercure Sydney, the hub of the action is Fortress Sydney in Chippendale.

Take a glimpse into the future of gaming at the Games Festival Showcase. Held at the Mercure Sydney each day, the event will shine a light on 150 independent games from the APAC region and beyond. Wristband-holders can hear from developers and try their hand at a range of games, from the charming Tiny Bookshop by Germany’s Neoludic Games to the psychedelic roguelike Enter the Chronosphere by Aussies Effort Star, adventure quest Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island by the UK’s Polygon Treehouse and action-adventure game Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus by Thailand’s Squid Shock Studios.

For those after a more tactile experience, the Tabletop Festival is a chance to discover the latest board, card and role-playing games. The showcase will be on from 11am–9pm on Saturday, October 21 and 11am–5pm on Sunday, October 22 at the Mercure Sydney. If you’re still keen for more, there’s also the Tabletop Playtest Mixer for budding designers from 11am–5pm on Sunday, October 22 at Fortress Sydney.

The ultimate esports showdown returns to Sydney for the first time in four years after recent iterations in Katowice, Rio de Janeiro and Dallas. Intel Extreme Masters, the longest-running pro gaming tour in the world, will see national and global counter-strike teams battle it out for a whopping prize pool of 250,000 USD. Catch the action live at the Aware Super Theatre at ICC Sydney from Friday, October 20 to Sunday, October 22.

For something less intense, head down to Tumbalong Park on Tuesday, October 17 from 12.40–2.40pm, for the free community esports event. Individuals and teams will compete on stage. You’ll even have the chance to flex your own skills at games like Rocket League, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and League of Legends.

Images: Jess Gleeson

SXSW Sydney promises to be a who’s who of industry disrupters, tech giants, business stalwarts and out-of-the-box thinkers. Immerse yourself in thought-provoking experiences and be privy to groundbreaking ideas at the Conference and Expo.

The Conference — only accessible to badge-holders — will take place at ICC Sydney and feature globally renowned speakers such as Goldenvoice CEO and Coachella Co-Founder Paul Tollett, Slack Co-Founder Cal Henderson, writer and Founder of Future Today Institute Amy Webb and surfing legend Layne Beachley. 

Particularly noteworthy is a chat with Black Mirror creator and showrunner Charlie Brooker on Wednesday, October 18 and a discussion of the evolution of hip hop through the past 50 years with Grammy Award-winning Chance the Rapper on Thursday, October 19. You can continue to boost your skills between talks at a workshop or one-on-one mentor session.

Spark your creativity ahead of your next venture at the Startup Village. Part of the Expo, the Startup Village is open to those with a badge or expo pass and showcases a range of game-changing businesses from across the APAC region. Startups will also face off Shark Tank-style at the Startup Pitch rounds across categories like fintech, healthcare, entertainment, AI and sustainability, culminating in the Startup Pitch Grand Final on Thursday, October 19. The winner will walk away with the chance to pitch at SXSW Austin in 2024.

You can still get inspired without a badge at one of the free presentations, demonstrations or talks at Tumbalong Park. See rockets, rovers and go-karts designed by UTS students or watch a cooking demonstration by artist Yiying Lu (creator of the dumpling emoji) and James Beard Award-winning chef Martin Yan. Mark your diary — national treasure Dr Karl Kruszelnicki will be joining comedian and presenter Adam Spencer at 3.10pm on Saturday, October 21. Come curious!

Images: Jane Greer, Jordan Kirk, Brittany Hallberg

To find out more and purchase a badge or wristband, head to the SXSW Sydney website.