SXSW Sydney Festival Boosts Harbor City’s Post-Pandemic Revival

  • First time that SXSW is being held outside North America
  • Festival expected to bring 27,000 visitors, celebrity speakers
A ball player entertains the crowd during the FIFA Women’s World Cup at Accor Stadium in Sydney in July.Photographer: Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images

Nicole Kidman, Baz Luhrmann and Chance the Rapper will join business leaders from Canva, Atlassian and Tesla at Sydney’s upcoming South by South West festival, a first for the harbor city that’s struggled to reverse years of Covid closures and grappled with restrictive night entertainment laws.

The event, which starts Oct. 15 and is the first iteration of SXSW to be held outside North America, is expected to attract around 27,000 visitors and inject A$24 million ($15.4 million) into New South Wales state economy, according to the government.