Why Attend?

WHAT IS THE TEXAS TRIBUNE FESTIVAL?

The Texas Tribune Festival is a multi-day celebration of big, bold ideas about politics, public policy and the day’s news, headlined by names you already know alongside those you should. Each fall, the Festival engages, challenges and surprises attendees like you with thoughtful panel discussions, unexpected talent mashups, must-see interviews and provocative programming curated by the award-winning journalists at The Texas Tribune.

WHO IS IT FOR?

TribFest is for big thinkers who are personally interested in (or professionally connected to) politics, public policy or current events. Political acumen is not a requirement for enjoying the Fest. If you want to hear from, and converse with, powerful people who have influence over your life and the things you care most about, this event is for you. We welcome students, educators, lobbyists, engaged Texans, CEOs, veterans, concerned parents and the like to our event.

WHEN IS IT?
Join us Sept. 20-25 for the 2021 Texas Tribune Festival.

WHERE WILL IT TAKE PLACE?

This year’s event will offer attendees a hybrid experience: The majority of programming is presented virtually, ready to be enjoyed from your living room, and a generous portion of the programming will be in person and perfect for attendees in Austin to enjoy. We truly have something for everyone.

5 REASONS TO ATTEND

1. PROGRAMMING
   
   Attendees flock to TribFest because they value the event’s thoughtful programming, surprising one-on-one interviews and nuanced discussions with household names that you can’t find elsewhere.
   
   The Festival’s programming quality doesn’t just come from the panels that The Texas Tribune puts onstage. Festival media partners and sponsors also create space in the Fest to delight audiences with podcast recordings, exclusive meet-and-greets, sneak peaks at cutting-edge technologies, musical performances and more.
   
   Fest attendees curate a personalized schedule from more than 50 Festival panels and partner events to create an experience that is as unique as you are. There’s something for everyone.
   
   
2. ACCESS
   
   People across Texas and beyond choose to attend the Texas Tribune Festival because they want to gain access to and hear from people who have influence and authority on things that they care about.
   
   Our speaker lineup includes the people whose names you regularly see splashed across headlines, right alongside names of local officials you may or may not have ever heard of. Festival speakers are chosen from Texas Tribune editors’ and reporters’ contacts, meaning audiences hear directly from the best and most authoritative sources.
   
   That’s the richness of the Festival speaker lineup: The diverse opinions, the range of subject matter expertise and the rich life experiences bring depth to the program that you won’t find elsewhere.
   
   
3. FUN
   
   The Festival is designed to inspire and engage attendees, and to offer a little fun along the way.
   
   One way the Tribune Festival delivers fun is by creating space for you to connect with a community of people as engaged and high-minded as you are. As this year’s event is being built as a hybrid experience — both virtual for those across the state and in person for attendees in Austin — we’re incorporating virtual and in-person networking into the program. For those in Austin, we hope you’ll consider joining us for those in-person events!
   
   Moreover, the unique partnerships forged to bring attendees moments of surprise and delight are part of what makes The Texas Tribune Festival a standout event. For example, last year’s Fest ticket came with premier access to a series of at-home documentary film screenings thanks to our partnership with the good people at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema.
   
   Stay tuned for what we have in store for you this year!
   
   
4. CONVENIENCE
   
   One of the biggest pieces of audience feedback we got from the 2020 Texas Tribune Festival is that attendees truly appreciated the ability to watch TribFest programming on the go whenever they wanted and from whatever corner of Texas they hail from. Attendees tuned in from the office, their homes and everywhere in between.
   
   This year’s event will offer attendees a hybrid experience: The majority of programming is presented virtually, ready to be enjoyed from your living room, and a generous portion of the programming will be in person and perfect for attendees in Austin to enjoy. We truly have something for everyone.
   
   
5. GET AHEAD PROFESSIONALLY
   
   If you work in or around politics or public policy in Texas, The Texas Tribune Festival is where you need to be to get ahead and to get a jump on your competitors. At TribFest, you’ll hear directly from elected officials, decision-makers and industry leaders on what they’re solving today and what they’re watching out for in the future.
   
   Pair insights and access that you will gain at TribFest with regular briefings of the ins and outs of Texas politics found in the Tribune’s premier newsletter, The Blast, and you’ll be unstoppable.