South by Southwest Interactive announced the bulk of its 2013 programming today – some 450 panels, discussions and events covering everything tech you can think of. The five-day tech festival has eclipsed its music counterpart in registered attendees in recent years.
Marquee names included among the festival's “Featured Sessions” include Univeristy of Texas at Austin President Bill Powers on innovation in higher education; Whole Foods founder John Mackey on “conscious capitalism;” Craigslist founder Craig Newmark on the future of journalism; video game developer-turned-space tourism advocate Richard Garriott de Cayeux; and “Two and a Half Men” and “The Big Bang Theory” creator Chuck Lorre.
The first Interactive keynote has also been announced for 2013: Matthew Inman of comedy website The Oatmeal.
Programming is broken out into nineteen categories; Keynotes; Featured Sessions; Continuing Legal Education; Community and Activism; Content and Distribution; Culture and Entertainment; Design and Development; Diversity and Emerging Markets; DIY, Hacker and Maker; Entrepreneurialism and Business; Future15s; Gaming and Game Development; Government and Civic Engagement; Health and Medicine; Science and Space Exploration; Social and Relationships; the Startup Village; Work and Career, and WTF and Beyond.
South by Southwest 2013 leads off with SXSW Interactive and SXSW Film starting March 8. SXSW Music begins March 12, 2013.