Secrets to Navigating the SxSW Calendar, in Haiku Form (Part 4)

This post is part of a series, head over to the SxSW Interactive Tips page to read all of the posts in this series (in intended order).

Southby is scary
The schedule’s is too big
What party will rawk?

How will you know if
Sessions are worth going to
Unless you just ask

That’s why I write this
Series to help guide your path
Buy beer for author

Top Parties & Events

Before we start to
Look at all the tools to use
Let’s see great parties:

1. Friday: Opening Tweetup (register for SCHED, and click ATTEND)
2. Friday: Mix @ Six (show up early or on time, or don’t get in, one of the top parties every year)
3. Saturday: Frog Opening Party
4. Saturday: Happy Cog Karaoke (RSVP required)
5. Saturday: Big Digg Shindig (RSVP required)
6. Sunday: SxSW Block Party
7. Sunday: SxSW Web Awards (RSVP required)
8. Sunday: Avalon Bowling (first come first serve to play!)
9. Sunday: Pool 2.0 (ticket/RSVP required)
10. Monday: Mashable Party

Know of a party?
That newbie folk should not miss?
Please comment to share

Picking Sessions (and parties) to Attend (from Alex Hillman)

There are a zillion things to do at SXSW, and no good way to make decisions about what to attend. My favorite way to decide which panel (or party) to go to is to find an interesting group of people having a conversation in the hall or on the street. I introduce myself, and ask where they’re going next. If I go with them, it doesn’t matter if the decision was good or bad; I’m now hanging out with a group of people to discuss how great – or awful – it was!

Tools to Use for Finding Events

Finding events is
Much harder than you might think
They are spread around

Here are some tools to
Help get a better picture
Of all the events:

1. SCHED: MY favourite tool
2. Official Schedule
3. Upcoming:
4. Facebook:
5. ASK PEOPLE

How to Approach Events

RSVP now
If you *might* want to go to
Party or session

Later you can just
Not show up, it’s okay cause
Everyone does it

Basically just start
With points (events) you *must* see
Fill in blanks later

And don’t forget to
Look up tweeters far and wide
So they can join you

If you are alone
Read a guide for tips on how
To enjoy southby

Looking for new friends?
Bring power bar for gadgets
Geeks will surely flock

Tips from Twitter Folk

• @zsazsa: Stubbs is great and just a few blocks from conv center. Other choices w/cab ride
• @jevon: Great party: great party: http://web.mac.com/studios2/Unlisted-Unofficial_SXSW_After_Party2/Unlisted2.html
• @quepol: PRO TIP: You can group sched.org schedules like so: http://tinyurl.com/aa6amo
• @zsazsa: the Austin Conv Center Marriott, and some other hotels, will rent you a mini-fridge to use in your room.
• @photojunkie: Mark the #SXNW party into your calendar, brought to you by Blue Flavor and Raincity Studios http://bit.ly/16XQq
• @epc: Hey #sxswvirgins make sure to take and upload a badge photo to your my.sxsw.com account
• @rachelclarke: You don’t have to go to everything. Wear comfortable shoes. Set a few goals – what you want to see, who you want to meet or catch up with. Make sure you meet them. Water: carry it and drink well.

Final Reader Tip from Pat Ramsey

This will be my 7th time at SXSW Interactive; here are some random thoughts.

• Mongolian BBQ and Casino El Camino are great food places for lunch & they’re approximately two blocks from the convention center.
• Drink oodles of water.
• Be yourself. Fake gets sniffed out fast and harshly.
• Lose the laptop. A Moleskine & a pen work wonders.
• Be flexible with your evening plans. The official events will likely fill to overflow capacity5 minutes after the doors open.
• Look for other unofficial events at any number of otherbars/venues. Twitter’s great for this. Set up SMS notifications from four or five people at SXSWi & you’ll be set to get a scoop on goings-on.
• Be flexible with your session plans. It takes a while to walk from one end of the conventioncenter to another & Interactive panels are usually spread out. This year there are panels atboth the convention center and the Hilton. Twitter’s great for this function, too.
• Austin’s a no-smoking city as far as indoors goes, bars included. If you like cigars, Bobolicigars on 6th is awesome.
• The convention center staff will usually tell you that you can’t bring in food or drink.
• Power outlets, for those who have to bring a laptop, are available, but a power strip is nice to have in your pack.
• The wireless in the convention center will go out at least once.
• This is a chance for you to meet those whose books you’ve bought & whose websites you read.
• We’re all geeks & by nature, we trend towards being introverted. You’re amongst friends, so pull your head out of your laptop and look up. Introduce yourself, smile, and and say hi.
• I’m the guy with the graying goatee and the kilt (or utilikilt).

Closing Thoughts

Poetry is hard
Don’t hold bad lines against me
Buy beer, kthnxbai

Related articles by Zemanta

• Tips for South by Southwest Interactive (SXSWi) from a local (socialmediatoday.com)
• SXSW Via Twitter (austinist.com)