AUSTIN (KXAN) — From measles concerns to road closures, City of Austin leaders discussed what people can expect during this year's South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference & Festivals and other springtime events.
Free events during 2025 SXSW conferenceAustin Mayor Kirk Watson as well as leaders from Austin Center for Events, the Austin Police Department, the Transportation and Public Works Department and CapMetro spoke during a briefing at Butler Park in south Austin.
"There are no shortage of things for us to do in this great city," Mayor Watson said. "From Rodeo Austin, to the ABC Kite Festival at Zilker Park, to the Austin Reggae Festival held right here at Auditorium Shores and all the many more festivals and activities that make Austin such a great place to visit and an even better place to live. And, of course, we can't leave out the granddaddy of all those festivals — the festival that made Austin an international destination — and that's SXSW."
While the spring festival season brings a great deal of fun to Austin's downtown, it brings with it a commensurate amount of traffic. APD Chief of Police Lisa Davis encouraged folks to use public transportation or ride-share services if heading into town.
"Street closures, specifically for the South by Southwest, will begin at noon and continue into the early morning hours. Expect major traffic impacts, and please be patient and drive with caution," Davis told reporters Monday morning.
SXSW festival comes amid the largest measles outbreak in the state in three decades. While most cases have been in West Texas, there has been one confirmed case reported in Austin.
"The case involved an unvaccinated infant who was exposed to the virus during a vacation overseas," said Dr. Desmar Walkes, the Austin-Travis County health authority. "If a person has a measles, 90% of the people nearby can become infected if they're not vaccinated. The fact is the virus can survive in the air for two hours after an infected person has left the area."
Walkes said folks who are uninsured or underinsured can get the MMR vaccine, which is effective at preventing measles, for free or low cost through some APH programs.
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