Park City has Sundance. Cannes has, well, Cannes. Fine places in and of themselves, but it's their associated film festivals that really put them on the map.

Then there's this place called Austin. Home to South by Southwest, it's a city with a killer festival that happens to be killer all on its own.

It's a city that thrives on music, technology and art, contained in an impossible-to-explain bubble smack dab in the middle of Texas. SXSW, or "South-by," smartly celebrates all three, with 10 days of films, panels, parties and bands that make for some of the most fun you can have anywhere, anytime.

Now why should you care?