Every March, the who’s who of the creative world flocks to Austin, Texas for SXSW. The fest promises to be SX’s largest blowout to date, with a whopping 10-day citywide takeover and keynote speeches from President Obama and Michelle Obama. Six of those days will be dedicated to music, effectively making SXSW the largest music and press gathering of its kind, and we’re not even going into the film and interactive portions of the festival just yet.

With the bevy of Latin artists and bands flooding Austin stages during the festival’s week-long run, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the onslaught of talent. Make sure to use the SXSW online scheduling feature to plan out your week, arrive early to free shows, and stay on top of last minute announcements and cancellations. But even the best planned agendas will face some hard choices. To give you a hand with your grueling decision making, we decided to put together a list of artists worthy of braving the crowds for, and essential to your SXSW experience. Be sure to check out our own showcase on Friday, March 18.

Additional shoutouts to Empress Of, Mon Laferte, The Chamanas, Álvaro Díaz, Grupo Fantasma, El Sueño de la Casa Propia, Las Delailas, Pedrina y Rio, and many more.

Cocofunka: Elements of indie, reggae, and jazz all make their way into Cocofunka‘s refined tropical sound. The Costa Rican band will be in Austin promoting their latest album Chúcaro, which was produced by Felipe Alvarez, whose credits include albums by Bomba Estéreo and Monsieur Periné. They are part of a top-notch showcase that also includes Miss Garrison and El Freaky, going down at Sledge Hammer on March 16. They’ll also take the International Day Stage on March 17.