Interactive Parties & Lounges

"I was more than overwhelmed by all the amazing people I met who befriended me and welcomed me to an amazing group of folks." Tantek Çelik, tantek.com

Once the daytime action in the Convention Center comes to an end, a wide array of evening events await.

Don't be shy -- evening events are a great way to make new friends, network and get inspired by fellow attendees. These meetups and parties are hosted by some of the hottest names in the Interactive industry, so you are sure to have a great time. Moreover, the variety of evening events means you'll be able to find the kind of atmosphere that matches your appetite.

Interested in hosting an Interactive party? Contact Katie King at katie@sxsw.com or 512/467-7979.

Interactive Lounges

Visit any of these cool lounges during the festival to take a break between panels, update your blog, or chat with other registrants.
Hours:

Friday, March 13 1:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Saturday, March 14 - Tuesday, March 17 9:30 am - 6:00 pm

The Beacon - Room 7
Want to meet the best & brightest of the non-profit Geekeratti? Need a place to hang with your world-saving entourage or just get your blog on? A pack of socially conscious organizations & web shops will converge on SXSW this year and we have just the ticket. Welcome to The Beacon, Lounge with a Conscience.

The Mashery Circus Mashimus - Room 2
Make the Mashery Circus Mashimus a frequent stop during the SXSW Interactive conference. Join us in the Circus Mashimus to hook up with friends and colleagues, watch an API demo, put the finishing touches on your Circus Mashimus mashup contest submission, meet new people, get expert advice, or just relax. With Internet access and plenty of electrical outlets, it's a great place to hang out, catch up and recharge.

Mashery's Circus Mashimus Contest (http://www.circusmashimus.com)
Get ready to participate in the Circus Mashimus! The contest takes place Saturday, March 14th and Sunday, March 15th. We will provide the space, the food, the beer and most importantly the APIs to spur on your creative juices. Create a mashup using one or more of the participating APIs and you can be eligible to win very cool prize.

Get started on your mashup now, then stop by the Circus Mashimus to craft the finishing touches, register for the contest, and put your mashup in front of the judges.

There will be lots of prizes one Grand Prize for the best overall mashup (must contain two or more of the participating API Lounge APIs) and Best in Show Prizes for each participating Circus Mashimus partner API mashup.

TechSet Blogger Lounge, Sponsored by Windows Mobile - Austin Suite
This year we have something very special lined up for the 2009 SXSWi, and your presence is formally requested. Join us at The TechSet blogger lounge sponsored by Windows Mobile to collaborate and celebrate everyday during the conference. We're assembling an agenda rich with activities, entertainment, and resources to make this year unforgettable, fun, and also productive. Drinks, snacks, and all you can eat broadband provided. Follow @techset and @windowsmobile on Twitter for all the latest news.

Interactive Parties

Saturday, March 14

SXSW Interactive Opening Party Hosted by frog design
8:00 pm - 11:00 pm
MACC / Mexican American Cultural Center (600 River St)
This is the legendary frog design party you've always been hearing about. Officially kick off the 16th year of SXSW Interactive at this unforgettable party!

Sunday, March 15

SXSW Web Awards Pre-Party
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Downtown Hilton Hotel, 6th Floor Foyer (500 E 4th St)
Speculate on who will take home a coveted Web Award at the official pre-party . Complimentary beverages and delicious food will get you warmed up for the main event to follow.

Adobe 12th Annual SXSW Web Awards Ceremony - Presented by Adobe
7:30 pm - 8:45 pm
Downtown Hilton Hotel, 6th Floor (500 E 4th St)
The Web Awards Ceremony is the centerpiece of evening activities at the SXSW Interactive Festival. This year's emcee is "conscious comic and vigilante pundit" Baratunde Thurston. The SXSW Web Awards are presented by Adobe, Web Awards Supporting Sponsors are Convio and All Web Leads.

Monday, March 16

SXSW Interactive / Film Fusion Party Hosted by Whrrl
8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Red Eye Fly (715 Red River)
Join us at the first ever Fusion party where Interactive and Film unite. Hosted bar and appetizers, plus the world premiere of Sparhusen- you won't want to miss out!

Tuesday, March 17

SXSW Interactive Closing Party Hosted by Media Temple
6:00 pm
La Zona Rosa (612 W 4th St)
Hot new venue with lots of surprises in store. Be sure to stick around for this end-of-festival blow-out.

Photo by Jojo Marion.