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PHOTOS: “Westworld” town Sweetwater came to life for immersive experience at SXSW

in Movies & TV, Television, Theater

Posted on by Cristina Sanza
Guests at a Western-themed park enjoy the immersive experience, dressed in period costumes and sharing laughter outside an authentic frontier building, recreating lively moments reminiscent of Westworld or Sweetwater during a special festival.

HBO’s “Westworld” came to life at Austin’s SXSW Festival over the weekend.

The network spent four months refurbishing a real-life ghost town in Austin, Texas, for “Westworld” Live Without Limits. The show’s sci-fi park Sweetwater was recreated in stunning detail, with actors playing out elaborate storylines and interacting with visitors.

Below, scroll through for a look at the immersive event, courtesy of Business Insider.

Fans who were able to book appointments for Sweetwater gathered at a bar in Austin before being shuttled to the park’s secret location.

Fans line up eagerly outside a sleek venue under bright sunshine, buzzing with anticipation as cars zip past—everyone ready to step into the immersive Westworld SXSW experience and enter the world of Sweetwater.

Guests visited the Delos office to be evaluated and given a white hat or black hat.

Festival-goers sporting hats chat and laugh beneath umbrellas on a sunny SXSW day, capturing the vibrant, Wild West atmosphere reminiscent of Westworld’s Sweetwater.

Guests were also given two tokens to buy alcohol from one of three saloons, including Mariposa.

A guest’s hand holding two coins and a branded park water bottle, with a signature wide-brimmed show hat in the background, all bathed in golden sunlight—capturing the laid-back vibe of afternoon downtime at Universal Studios or an immersive moment straight out of Westworld: The Experience.

Production on the park began in November. A crew of 40 people assembled the set, and HBO hired 60 actors, 6 stunt people, 5 bands, and 6 horses to inhabit the town of Sweetwater.

Guests were encouraged to explore and interact with town residents at their own pace over the course of two hours.

A costumed actress evokes Sweetwater’s Old West charm from the porch on main street, while a cowboy steps out of the sheriff’s office, bringing fans right into the immersive world of HBO’s Westworld at this theme park attraction.

A Westworld character in cowboy attire poses by a wooden post in Sweetwater, hands on hip, with rustic barns from the immersive set visible in the background.

A Westworld Sweetwater character in a vintage pink dress and matching hat sits on a bench beside the iconic blue building with white-trimmed windows, bringing the immersive Old West charm of the park to life.

A Westworld cowboy character stands beside an antique player piano in a dimly lit, immersive room adorned with dark wallpaper, capturing the show’s enigmatic theme park ambiance.

Dolores Abernathy’s wooden grave marker from Westworld is displayed on a patch of dirt by hay bales and a rustic fence, recreating Sweetwater’s iconic setting for fans at SXSW.

Guests dressed in Western outfits gather outside in Sweetwater from Westworld, watching as someone lies on the ground for a show moment, while two performers stand nearby.

Westworld performers, including actors in hazmat suits, interact with guests by staging a dramatic scene as part of the immersive SXSW Westworld experience.

The new season of “Westworld” premieres on HBO on April 22.

WATCH – “WESTWORLD” SEASON 2 TRAILER:

For more on the “Westworld” SXSW experience, head over to Business Insider. 

in Movies & TV, Television, Theater

Tagged:HBO

Cristina Sanza

Cristina is a writer living in New York City. She’s an expert on Disney, comedy, pop culture, and travel. You can find some of her other work at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, Popularium, Ranker, and The Cnnekt.

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