South by Southwest (SXSW) announces plans for a new Podcast Festival in 2027, expanding the Austin event’s programming slate. The festival will run March 17–21, with SXSW overall scheduled for March 15–21. Organizers say the new track is intended to make podcasts a core part of SXSW alongside other established categories.
The outlets also describe additional 2027 changes beyond podcasting. Variety reports that SXSW will add locals-only perks and adjust music-venue usage for the event, including temporary changes that affect how and where music programming is staged around Austin. Deadline frames podcasting as one of SXSW’s fastest-growing areas, increasingly integrated into the broader festival experience. Billboard similarly focuses on the new podcast-festival component and the revised dates for next year.
Across the coverage, details beyond the dates—such as specific venue names and the scope of the locals-only offerings—are presented as part of broader 2027 planning rather than finalized programming announcements.
