Refresh Austin

We’ve been talking about South by Southwest 2008 since the end of SXSW 2007 and the big event is finally rolling around once more. Hopefully you’ll join us for the conference and all of the great events. In addition to the listings to the right, there are two events that Austin Refreshers should take special note of:

Drinks with the Early Arrivals

A group of folks from Refresh Austin will be gathering for Pre-Conference Pints Thursday evening at The Gingerman around 6:30 and would love to invite other locals and early arrivals to SXSW Interactive to join us.

While we aren’t able to buy the drinks, we can provide great conversation. The invite is open to all, so if you can, come join us.

The Refresh Lunch on Friday

Join Refreshers from around the world to kick of South-By right! We’re gathering a great group of folks for lunch on Friday before the conference starts, making it easier to (re)connect with people you may know online or from last year. While we each have to cover our own food and drinks, we will have the back half of the pub reserved, so the conversations should be flowing freely.

The Official Refresh Austin Party

The Refresh Austin party at the PhizzPop Design Challenge is less than a week away! If you’re going to SXSW Interactive, make sure to stop by the Blue Room in Maggie Mae’s, which will be the central spot to meet other Refreshers.

Not attending SXSW, but still want to come to the party?

No problem, just register to get in free! We want everyone in Refresh to join us.

Plus…

SXSW is all about the last minute plans and decisions, so don’t be shy if you bump into your fellow Refreshers throughout the conference: say hi and socialize! There’s no reason that you should go to lunch by yourself, or not have someone to hang with at an after-party.

Tags: Austin, event, party, phizzpop, SXSW, sxswi, sxswi2008

Still thinking about why you should join us for the Refresh Austin party at the PhizzPop Design Challenge? Michelle provides a great explanation as to what it is and why you should come:

Whether or not you decided to shell out this year for a SxSW pass, all Refreshers are welcome to attend the Phizzpop Design Challenge Finale on Monday, March 10 at 7 pm at Maggie Mae’s.

What is the PhizzPop Design Challenge?

Over the course of the last few months, Microsoft gathered the best and brightest design firms to build interactive websites to meet certain challenges. For example, the last challenge was to create a web site for a film festival. Bear in mind, these sites did not just present movie times. They allowed festival goers to rate movies, connect on movie choices, upload profiles, etc.

Each team has several sleepless days to create a site to meet their challenge. The teams then present their sites at the Phizzpop event to the crowd and a panel of expert judges. The judges pick which one best accomplishes its goal. I went to the Austin Phizzpop Design Challenge and saw all the film festival sites and they really were incredible, especially given the time frame. It makes you appreciate why the entrants work at the premiere firms in the country. Austin’s winner was Thirteen23, and we will be able to cheer for them in the final.

This year’s final asks the finalists from the major cities to create a website to improve citizenship. I feel we will see a good variation of sites based on this topic, and I am interested to see what they come up with.

What’s Cool About this Event?

1. There is an upstairs lounge dedicated to all things Refresh Austin. In the chaos that is SxSW Interactive, you can meet up with your local and not-so local Refreshers and have a beer.
2. The challenge asks how interactive design can improve citizenship. Rather than complaining about how corporate America and lobbyists are destroying this nation, we can use these cues to improve our lives. Design isn’t just pretty–design can mobilize and motivate people to call for change. It’s nice to be at the forefront of a movement.
3. You don’t have to have a SxSW pass to go. Even if you have one, this is a cool event where you can actually invite your friends who do not have one. Why should all the great ideas be restricted to those who have time
   and resources for SxSW?
4. It will allow you to network and gain ideas from other designers from around the nation. Promote Refresh. Talk about your new ideas or complain about IE 8. Phizzpop is all about design.

Useful Links

• Register for the event if you aren’t attending SXSW
• RSVP on Upcoming (not required, but it we’d like to know you’re coming)
• The competitor list
• The list of judges and the specifics of the challenge

Tags: Austin, event, party, phizzpop, SXSW, sxswi