Get Your 'Game Of Thrones' Fix At SXSW In Austin

AUSTIN, TX -- Every year at SXSW, the plethora of offerings increasingly becomes more focused in appealing to as wide an audience as humanly possible. The dizzying array can be seen in the official program, which is less a program than it is magnum opus.

In many instances, offerings are self-serving bits of promotion for companies (even though fans don’t seem to care about the crass commercialism).

Case in point: HBO has set up its iteration of the Games of Thrones world Westeros on the streets of downtown Austin. Call it SXSWesteros.

HBO is here during the massive SXSW festival to promote the April 24 premiere of its mega-hit show. To do that, they have set up an immersive site at Lavaca and 5th streets where lines of fans attest to its popularity.

“Step inside the House of Black and White and experience the Hall of Faces by ‘becoming No One,’ ” HBO officials beckon.

Upon entering, fans have their picture taken. An app produces their GOT portrait before it’s projected along dozens of others on several towers.

The gimmick is a reference to a major plot element of the series to be featured prominently during the upcoming season.

Visitors to the makeshift GOT lair also can “...peer into Melisandre’s Flames” in getting their advance peek into the upcoming season. Fans also get to sit on the throne -- the Iron Throne that is, for those in the know -- and pose with Needle (that’s Arya’s sword).

A sampling of costumes from the shows in available for viewing as well.

The whole setup is at 213 W. 5th Street, and is accessible to SXSW badge holders until Monday.

>>> Photo by Tony Cantu