The annual fall Texas Tribune Festival never fails to put together an unexpected rendezvous of today’s influential politicians, policymakers, and press, and this year’s programming is similarly stacked. At this political moment, fresh off a tense multi-session legislative season on issues that affect all Texans, the very much across-the-aisle nature of the roster should prove for some compelling policy conversation.
Today’s announcement puts a former Mexican president, a quite-recent VP candidate and current governor of Minnesota, and a Democrat Houston senator under the same roof to talk issues: Vicente Fox, Tim Walz, and State Sen. Carol Alvarado. Speakers added to the lineup from the press world are The Bulwark editor Bill Kristol, USA Today columnist Christine Brennan, and CEO of PBS Paula Kerger. Longtime leader in Ivy League academia and presidential fellow at Rice University, Ruth Simmons, is also joining the table.
Others speakers added to the lineup today range from local to national representation:
- Pete Buttigieg, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation
- Vanessa Fuentes, Austin Mayor Pro Tem
- Alberto R. Gonzales, former U.S. Attorney General
- Ro Khana, D-California U.S. Representative
- Gio Capriglione, R-Southlake State Representative
Other notables from the full list of previously announced speakers include Austin’s State Rep. Gina Hinojosa, Mayor Kirk Watson, and AISD superintendent Matias Segura. Bipartisan conversation can be expected from a cohort of Texas reps and city mayors making the potentially lengthy drive into Austin from constituencies across the state, including Beaumont, New Boston, Jacksboro, Fort Worth, Plano, San Antonio, and El Paso.
The probably unprecedented mashups continue: TribFest will also bring together the likes of high-profile comedian John Mulaney with the former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, as well as speakers U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar and former El Paso Rep. Beto O’Rourke.
Tickets for the full Fest can be purchased here, taking place in Downtown Austin Nov. 13-15.
For those skipping the whole TribFest badge this year, the Tribune is also putting on a kind of political street festival, free and open to the public, with its returning Open Congress at The Texas Tribune Festival, happening Saturday, Nov. 15. Expect live performances, book signings, small business exhibits, and policy conversations along Congress Avenue from 7th to 11th Streets. Anyone can RSVP for the Open Congress for free; schedule to be announced soon.
The Austin Chronicle is a media partner of the 2025 Texas Tribune Festival.
