Austinites attending SXSW Interactive gathered at the White Horse honky tonk on East Comal Street Monday, Jan. 28 for free drinks, live music and a chance to connect with others who will attend and participate in the festivities come March.

But this party wasn’t just for badge holders. John Wagner, a business development manager at HMG Creative, said he plans on attending the numerous free events and parties surrounding the conference.

John just moved to Austin from San Diego, Calif. and this is his first time participating in SXSW.

Beth McDowell, on the other hand, is an Austin native who says she’s attended every year. Beth is a marketing development representative at LifeSize Communications. After all these years, she says SXSW is still her favorite time of year.

Among those who came out to the meet-up, some said they were most looking forward to sessions while others said they couldn’t wait for the parties. They all agreed that SXSW Interactive provides a great opportunity to meet new people who share their interests and goals.