CoolinAustin’s SX Shortlist: Free Party Highlights for Saturday, March 10
Here’s our roundup of today’s best free parties. It’s not too late to RSVP for a lot of this week’s free events, so make sure to check out our full list of the best RSVPs on the SXSW tab at the top of this page. Hit us up on Twitter for even more updates from the field, and check back for party highlights each day of the fest. Have fun out there!
Shoutout to the cool folks at Festival Saviors, Keegan’s List, ATX Concert, @SXSWMF, and Fest Xperts — check them out for some more hot party tips. Also, Showlist Austin is an amazing resource for set times at unofficial showcases throughout the fest.
Spredfast Smart Social Suite
Day party • The W Austin, 200 Lavaca St. • RSVP required; must have received email confirmation
Free food, drinks, and other festivities. This was our favorite party last year, and it’s pared down to just one day this time, so make the most of it! To get into this one you needed to request an invitation and receive email confirmation.
Retail Innovation Lounge
9am–5pm; happy hour 5–7pm • Max’s Wine Dive, 207 San Jacinto Blvd. • Must request invite and receive confirmation
Free cocktails and food. This one should be pretty exclusive, so make sure you got their confirmation email before you head over there.
Pinterest House
10am–2pm • Container Bar, 90 Rainey St. • RSVP required
Free drinks, food, and panels. This is technically badge only, but they were somewhat flexible on that last year. Swing by and find out if you’re in the area.
Saved By The Brunch 2018 Presented By Natural Light
10am–2pm • Deep Eddy Cabaret, 2315 Lake Austin Blvd. • RSVP required
Drinks, burgers, and a DJ.
The car2go Texas Road Trip Lounge
10am–10pm • Companion, 908 E. 5th St. #106C • No RSVP, open to the public
BBQ, breakfast tacos, and local libations. Also an “intimate secret show” tonight at 8pm.
Smart Home Open House Hosted by Yonomi
10am–6pm • Yonomi Townhouse, 111 West 8th St. • RSVP required
Free wine, beer, snacks, home goods on display from local vendors, and demos of smart home devices.
The Inclusive Innovation House @ SXSW 2018
11am–5pm • Galvanize, 119 Nueces St. • RSVP required
“Delicious food and drinks will be provided” at this three-day event featuring a variety of socially conscious programming.
River Ecosystem's Frontier Tech Lounge
11am–5pm • The Eleanor, 307 West 5th Street • RSVP required
Tech discussions and networking with occasional food and drinks (your best bet for that looks like 11am–1pm and 4–5pm on both days).
Future of Technology Lounge 2018
11am–5pm • Capital Factory, 701 Brazos St., 5th Floor • RSVP requested
Tech demos, panels, and probably some free snacks and drinks at various times during this multi-day lounge hangout.
The Deep End by Vox Media
11am–8pm • The Belmont, 305 West 6th St. • RSVP required
Free food and drinks, cool panels, podcast tapings, arcade games, and more. Sounds like a great time and should be a pretty hot commodity.
The Fast Company Grill at SXSW Interactive
11am–4pm • Cedar Door, 201 Brazos St. • RSVP required
Free drinks, tech demos, panels. If you’re patient you can probably also get some free food. One of our faves!
Bumble Presents: SXSW Empowering Connections
11am–4pm • Fair Market, 1100 East 5th St. • No RSVP required, but must have the Bumble app downloaded on your phone
“Two days of interactive fun, speakers, musical performances, and powerful keynotes.” There are also night events, but those are for SX badgeholders only.
Fox Sports House
11am–8pm • Hangar Lounge, 318 Colorado St. • RSVP required; may be badge-only at times
This is an official SXSW Sports lounge, but they’re taking RSVPs so there’s a chance that parts of it could be open to the public. Sounds like there should be lots of food and drinks to go around, plus some sports panels and special parties throughout the weekend.
Puppy Pop-Up at SXSW
Noon–3pm • Little Woodrow’s, 520 West 6th Street • RSVP required
Free drink with download of Sweet Pea mobile app … and puppies!
Mashable House
Noon–5pm • The Main, 610 East 6th Street • RSVP required
Free food early in the day, sometimes free drinks, swag, mingling, product demos, and various other activities. This is an official event so badges will get priority, but you can usually get in without one if you get there early enough.
Vimeo: The Decade
Noon–6pm • Native Hostel, 807 East 4th Street • RSVP required
“Come celebrate the internet’s best videos of the decade. With special guests, live performances, and a cinema like you’ve never seen before!” Seems like this one will be a big hangout for Film badgeholders but could be doable without one early in the day.
American Cities House: Startup Celebration Rooftop Lunch
12:30–2:30pm • Maggie Mae’s, 323 East 6th St. • RSVP required
Free lunch and libations.
Soundcheck Saturday
1pm–? • Hotel Vegas, 1500 E. 6th St. • RSVP requested
A bunch of bands and multiple booze sponsors, so possibly free or discounted drinks.
Johnny Cupcakes SXSW Cake Dealer Pop-Up
1–5pm • Hops & Grain, 507 Calles St. • RSVP requested
Music by Fierce Kelly, plus cupcakes and good local beers for sale.
1st Annual East Side Cool Party
2–6pm • Zilker Brewing Company, 1701 East 6th St. • Free; no RSVP needed
Crawfish, music, and new beers for sale.
#SXsmarketing - The Smart Way to Work with Agencies
2–6pm • Darwin’s Pub, 223 East 6th Street • RSVP required
Open bar for beer, wine, and well drinks, plus panels and networking.
argodesign's Happy Hour Bash
4–6pm • Barley Bean, 303 Colorado St., Suite 100 • RSVP requested; sold out as of 3/6
Free drinks, snacks and Barley Bean house roast.
Shopify Meetup Austin: SXSW Edition
4–7pm • Ordoro HQ, 106 East 6th St., Suite 710 • RSVP required (now waitlist only)
Free drinks, appetizers, and networking.
Nerd Nite: A National Geographic Future of Food Event
5:30–7pm • Trinity Hall, 311 East 5th St. • RSVP required; now sold out
Free beer + discussions about the future of food.
The Awesomest Journalism Party. Ever. VIII.
6–9pm • Shiners Saloon, 422 Congress Ave. • RSVP required
Great party with free food, usually a drink ticket or two, and cool journalism panels.
Connect 2018
6pm–1am • Terrace 59, 412 Congress Ave. • RSVP required
Complimentary tacos and open bar. Looks like you’ll need to receive confirmation to be sure you’re on the list.
Uproxx House
6–11pm • 101 West 5th St. • RSVP required
“Daily talks and evening celebrations with the most innovative minds in music, film, and tech.” Afternoon interviews followed by evening parties with cocktails, small bites, music, and more discussions.
Startup Night SXSW 2018 Presented by the Kauffman Foundation & TechCo
8pm–12:30am • Maggie Mae’s, 323 East 6th St. • RSVP required
(Probably) free drinks; get there early to have a chance of getting in, as badges will get priority.
Capital One House
8pm–midnight • Antone’s, 305 E. 5th St. • RSVP required; badges get priority
Tonight’s lineup includes Matt and Kim, Saint Motel, and Bee Caves. These shows get pretty crowded and it might be tough to get in without a badge.
