On February 20, the Downtown Austin Alliance hosted its Spring Festival Forum, where South by Southwest and city officials shared key updates on event schedules, road closures, transit changes and public safety measures.
Major Events Coming to Austin
Austin’s festival season begins in March and continues through April, featuring:
- SXSW from March 3-15
- The 97th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays from March 26-29
- MotoGP Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas from March 28-30
- Moontower Comedy Festival from April 9-19
SXSW 2025 Overview
SXSW representatives Tammy Richter, Christian Mella and Connor Tester provided an overview of the festival’s programming, attendance projections and street closures. SXSW remains one of Austin’s largest events, drawing more than 500,000 attendees and generating an estimated $377 million in economic impact in 2024. Event organizers anticipate similar numbers or a larger turnout in 2025.
The SXSW EDU conference will take place from March 3-6, followed by the main conference from March 7–15. The Film and Television Festival will run concurrently, showcasing premieres at Paramount Theatre, Alamo Drafthouse, Violet Crown and other venues. The Comedy Festival (March 7-10) will take place across multiple locations, while the Music Festival begins March 10 with performances of all genres at more than 50 venues, including Red River Cultural District and free shows at Brush Square Park. The full schedule of all SXSW events can be found here.
During the festival, downtown will experience significant street closures. The Austin Police Department will shut down roads nightly from 4:30pm to 3:30am, while SXSW closures will vary by event. Some closures will remain in place for the duration of the festival while others will be adjusted based on pedestrian and traffic flow. View road closure maps here.
Event Coordination
Bill Manno from the Austin Center for Events discussed the department’s role in managing event applications and coordinating logistics across the city. This year, the office has processed nearly 100 event applications for the festival season. Organizers are encouraged to engage early to ensure smooth operations.
Transportation and Transit
Jordan McGee with CapMetro outlined extended services for SXSW:
- MetroRail will operate until 2:30am on Fridays and Saturdays and until midnight on other nights
- Night Owl buses will run from midnight to 3am, connecting key late-night locations
- Bus services will operate every 15 to 30 minutes during peak hours, including airport routes
With road closures and increased foot traffic, public transit is strongly recommended.
Public Safety and Emergency Response
City officials emphasized safety measures for the festival season, including:
- Emergency Medical Services: Assistant Chief Stephen White announced a Patient Collection Point on East Fifth Street, which will serve as a field hospital to provide on-site medical care, reduce emergency response disruptions and increase pedestrian safety. A community health paramedic will be stationed there to assist individuals experiencing a mental health crisis.
- Fire Safety: Austin Fire Chief Brian Patterson said the department will conduct fire inspections, enforce venue capacity limits and deploy fire watch teams to ensure compliance. The reopening of the Central Fire Station at Fifth and Trinity will improve emergency response times downtown.
- Crime Prevention: Austin Police Department Lieutenant Christopher Juusola detailed strategies to enhance festival safety, including high-visibility patrols, real-time crime tracking through the Austin Regional Intelligence Center and specialized units focused on crowd control.
To improve coordination and enforcement, the city established the Public Assembly Code Enforcement Team, a joint task force of the fire department, police department and emergency medical services. This team will conduct on-site inspections, respond to complaints and prevent unsafe conditions.
Looking Ahead
As Austin prepares for another dynamic festival season, city officials and public safety teams remain focused on ensuring a smooth and secure experience for all.
Upcoming Events:
Downtown Safety Forum – Thursday, March 20 at 8:30am Register here
Issues and Eggs: Sixth Street’s Next Act – Tuesday, March 25 at 7:30am Register here