The top five free day parties at SXSW 2013 Music Festival

The HGTV and Paste day party threw away their RSVP list, so it's free for everyone. The HGTV & Paste Party at SXSW runs Wednesday, March 13 thru Saturday, March 16 at The Stage On Sixth, located at 508 East Sixth Street. Doors open daily at 11:30 a.m. with free beer at the beginning of the day. Local food truck Austin Daily Press will be on hand with food for sale. The event is ages 21 and up. Friday is Amanda Palmer's only SXSW performance right after Billy Bragg, so you'll want to see that. Nylon is hosting a party at the Terrace at the W Hotel on Friday, March 15 and Saturday, March 16 at 200 Lavaca St. from noon until 8 p.m.This event features a Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs DJ set, a Baio DJ set, Cashmere Cat, Viceroy, Kitten, Citizens!, Capital Cities and more.You can RSVP at http://www.terraceatthew.com/Duma Taiwan, the Taiwanese day party is on Thursday, March 14 from 1 to 5 p.m. It is always a great party with free entry for everyone. The food is always stellar and features dumplings, fried rice, noodles and more. There's also a free drink for each person. The bands are really unique and it really rings in the true international spirit of the event. The party is at Javelina, located at 69 Rainey St. The lineup includes Cosmospeople with Satchel Grande, Vaudeville Smash, Clairy Browne & the Bangin’ Rackettes, Bonaparte and T Bird and the Breaks.View the list »
Rachael Ray hosts one of the best free day parties at the SXSW Music Festival.

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Examiner has chosen our favorite day parties during the SXSW Music Festival this year. It's hard to choose with hundreds of parties in Austin for a week straight. These special day parties were chosen for having great hosts, free admission, free food or drinks and free live music by artists from all over the world.

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Good luck at SXSW and be sure to let Examiner know your picks for the best parties!

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  • Duma Taiwan, the Taiwanese day party is on Thursday, March 14 from 1 to 5 p.m. It is always a great party with free entry for everyone. The food is always stellar and features dumplings, fried rice, noodles and more. There's also a free drink for each person. The bands are really unique and it really rings in the true international spirit of the event. The party is at Javelina, located at 69 Rainey St. The lineup includes Cosmospeople with Satchel Grande, Vaudeville Smash, Clairy Browne & the Bangin’ Rackettes, Bonaparte and T Bird and the Breaks.
  • Nylon is hosting a party at the Terrace at the W Hotel on Friday, March 15 and Saturday, March 16 at 200 Lavaca St. from noon until 8 p.m.This event features a Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs DJ set, a Baio DJ set, Cashmere Cat, Viceroy, Kitten, Citizens!, Capital Cities and more.You can RSVP at http://www.terraceatthew.com/
  • The HGTV and Paste day party threw away their RSVP list, so it's free for everyone. The HGTV & Paste Party at SXSW runs Wednesday, March 13 thru Saturday, March 16 at The Stage On Sixth, located at 508 East Sixth Street. Doors open daily at 11:30 a.m. with free beer at the beginning of the day. Local food truck Austin Daily Press will be on hand with food for sale. The event is ages 21 and up. Friday is Amanda Palmer's only SXSW performance right after Billy Bragg, so you'll want to see that. 
  • The Guitartown Conqueroo Party is hosted by Lil Deb and Cary Baker and M Music, Musicians Magazine and AllMusic. It is on Wednesday, March 13, 2013 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at The Dogwood and the bar next door, The Molotov, located at 715 W. 6th St. No wristband or badges are required and event admission is free. There will be a full menu of food and drinks for purchase. Several liquor sponsors will be doing drink specials all day. Stages and set times are listed on the Facebook invite for the Guitartown Conqueroo party. Musicians performing include Mike Scott and Steve Wickham of The Waterboys, Billy Joe Shaver, Taylor Greenwood, Shoes, The Trishas, Nakia, Michael Des Barres and more on three different stages. 
  • Rachael Ray's Feedback third annual VIP House party event is by invitation only. Your best bet to get in if you did not RSVP is to go along with someone else as a guest who was invited. The RR house party is at Bangers, located at 79 Rainey Street. Bangers is open on Wednesday, March 13 from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. and on Thursday and Friday, March 14 and 15 from 2 p.m. to midnight. Bangers is also open on Saturday, March 16 after the Stubb's Rachael Ray party from 5 p.m. to midnight. The lineup for Bangers includes Diamond Rings, The Cringe, Butch Walker, The Last Bison and more. On Saturday, March 16 Rachael Ray's Feedback day party is at Stubb's from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This party always offers free live music and free food cooked by Rachael Ray. You can follow @RRGreenhouse on Twitter for a chance to win free tickets. The lineup at Stubb's on Saturday features Kenny Loggins, The Cringe, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, Blue Sky Riders, Frightened Rabbit and more. You can pick up your admission pass to the Rachael Ray party at Bangers if you are on the RSVP list.
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, Austin Retro Music Examiner

Rebecca Chulew is a freelance writer and enthusiast of all things vintage and retro, especially music. She has attended Coachella four times, SXSW Music Festival seven times and travels across the United States to see various concerts. In the past, Rebecca has written for newspapers and magazines...

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