Austin is buzzing with the energy of SXSW 2025! But don’t worry if you didn’t get a badge — there’s still plenty of action beyond the official events. From live music and pop-ups to exciting parties, the city is packed with must-see happenings open to everyone. Check out our list of the best events you can enjoy — no SXSW badge required!

Love Your Music Fest featuring Local Austin Talent

Sonic Guild, the influential nonprofit organization formerly known as Black Fret, is excited to present the Love Your Music Fest on Wednesday, March 12, from 12-7 p.m. at GSD&M Backyard, located at 828 W 6th St. This highly anticipated event will feature an incredible lineup of Austin’s emerging talent, including BLK ODYSSY, Good Field, Grocery Bag, The Point, Skateland, Foxtales and Sayang. Proceeds from the event will support Sonic Guild’s mission to provide grants, performance opportunities, and mentoring to Austin’s rising stars. The event is open to the public and free for registrants with an RSVP here. A $20 donation will grant access to an open bar featuring drinks from Ben E. Keith and Tito’s Handmade Vodka. Food trucks will be on-site, offering various food options for purchase, and guests are encouraged to bring camp chairs as seating is limited.

Aburi Oshi Sushi Pop-Up at Hotel Van Zandt

Aburi Oshi Sushi is popping up for a limited time at Hotel Van Zandt’s lobby café, 605, offering guests a taste of Aburi’s famous flame-seared perfection. The pop-up will run daily from 2 p.m. until supplies run out, starting March 7 through March 12, 2025. For the latest updates on hours and availability, follow @aburioshi and @hotelvanzandt on Instagram.

Chef Sota Maesawa will prepare Aburi-style sushi on-site, showcasing the signature technique of flame-searing that enhances the flavors of premium sushi selections. Guests can enjoy Aburi’s sushi counter-style offerings in the Hotel Van Zandt lobby or take it to go.

This limited-time pop-up offers a curated menu of signature Aburi Sushi of the famed Aburi Restaurants group — with menu offerings including:

• Aburi Salmon Oshi Sushi (4pc) – $11.50
  Wild sockeye salmon, flame-seared with signature Miku sauce, serrano pepper, black pepper
• Aburi Sweet Shrimp Oshi Sushi (4pc) – $11.50
  Sweet shrimp, topped with Nikiri soy and plum sauce, torched and finished with fresh lime juice and parsley flakes
• Aburi California Roll (4pc) – $5.50
  A flame-seared twist on the classic California roll with imitation crab, avocado, Miku sauce, black pepper, and orange fish roe
• Hamachi (Yellowtail) Nachos – $11.50
  Hamachi, cucumber, avocado, tomato, sesame sauce, sriracha, shichimi pepper salt, chips, Anaheim pepper, and green onion
• Japanese Tea – Original Green Tea and Roasted Green Tea – $4.25

South x South Congress at Kendra Scott Flagship

Shop, sip, and enjoy South x South Congress at Kendra Scott Flagship! Don’t miss the limited-time interactive pop-up. Drenched in sunny yellow hues and decorated with sweet lemon details, Kendra Scott is bringing South Congress a bright and refreshing immersive retail experience to kick off the spring season in Austin, Texas. Special events next weekend include:

Friday, March 14

• $7 Frose at the Sips & Sweets Cafe
• Receive an exclusive hat with your $100+ Kendra Scott purchase and a free tote (while supplies last)
• Live Music by DJ Cassandra 12-2 p.m.
• Lip Lab Pop-Up Shop 12-4 p.m.
• Lip Print Impressions Reader 12-3 p.m.

Saturday, March 15

• Receive an exclusive hat with your $100+ Kendra Scott purchase and a free tote (while supplies last)
• $3 Beers and Mimosas + $5 Saint Spritz at Sips & Sweets Cafe
• 512 Coffee Club 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Sips & Sweets featuring DJ Cassandra
• Saint Spritz Tasting 12-2 p.m.
• Nail Bair 10-2 p.m.
• Lip Lab Pop-Up Shop 12-4 p.m.

Out By South East Music Lineup at Meanwhile Brewing Co. 

Meanwhile Brewing Co., the South Austin brewery known for its award-winning beer and lively atmosphere, will be hosting Out by South East from March 12-15. Get lost in the free live music on Meanwhile’s concert stage. Attendees can enjoy their oak tree-shaded land complete with five food trucks (Side Eye Pie, Distant Relatives, Pueblo Viejo, Songbird, and Bésame), a coffee bar, taproom and brewhouse, kid-friendly cedar playscape, and soccer pitch. In addition to live performances, a vintage market hosted by Jello Mom Vintage will take place Saturday, March 15 from noon to 5 p.m. RSVP here.

Embrace St. “Patty’s” All Month at The Dead Rabbit Austin

Running through March 31, “Patty’s” at The Dead Rabbit will take St. Patrick’s Day celebrations to a new level, upholding the pub’s traditional Irish core while taking the bar straight into the land of leprachauns. Throughout the month, guests can find over-the-top seasonal decor and custom, alongside a special menu, all of which will provide a playful nudge and a wink to ridiculous clichés while upholding The Dead Rabbit’s high standard of cocktail execution and service. A feast for the eyes and the stomach, the pub and adjacent Neighbourhood Cafe will offer drinks and pastries in an on-the-nose shade of green, cocktails crafted around Irish ingredients such as Poitín, spice bags and smash burgers, and of course, plenty of Guinness.

During SXSW, look for a line-up of special guest musicians as they bring the best of their Irish artists to the Patty’s pop-up. Check the calendar here for more details.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Cover photo by Getty Images for Unsplash.

Wendi Baird is the Editor in Chief for Texas Lifestyle Magazine. As a fifth generation Texan, her roots run deep in the Lone Star State. She loves traveling and writing about her experiences.