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Step 1
Start planning your trip to next year's SXSW as soon as the current year's festival ends. Though you may not know the exact dates of SXSW from year to year, it is generally held from mid-March to early April.
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Step 2
Check out music and entertainment industry publications for press releases regarding the festival. You'll be able to get a head start on your travel plans and book your hotel early if you are well informed about this year's SXSW festival.
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Step 3
Network with other festival attendees and performers to find out about the upcoming festival schedule and get the scoop on accommodations near the venues. Since the music festival continues to be the biggest draw, hotels near the Music Fest venues such as those on Sixth Street may book up quickly.
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Step 4
Look at hotels near the Austin Convention Center before the fall preceding the festival you are attending. Since the festival headquarters is located in the convention center, the hotels closest to it are most likely to be largely sold out as early as October and November.
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Step 5
Talk to the events coordinator of a hotel to have him set aside a small block of rooms if you will be traveling with a large party. Many times you may have rooms set aside at a special rate--but only if you can guarantee a large percentage will be occupied for the dates specified.
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Step 6
Visit the South by Southwest website to find event date details and register for the festival events you wish to attend (see Resources below). The music, film and interactive segments occur on contiguous days over the course of a couple of weeks each spring.
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Step 7
Register early and take advantage of SXSW's Housing Program. You can book hotel rooms at guaranteed rates for the dates of the festival in a number of hotels throughout the downtown area and greater Austin.
