T-Squared: Save the date! The Texas Tribune Festival is Sept. 20-25

Mark your calendars: The 11th annual Texas Tribune Festival will be the third full week of September, kicking off on Monday the 20th and concluding on Saturday the 25th. We’re planning the usual array of one-on-one interviews with leading Texas and national lights from the worlds of politics and public policy, plus panel discussions and other creative formats designed to inspire you to participate civically — to be a more active and productive citizen.

We’ll talk education, health care, infrastructure, energy, climate, immigration, ethics and more. We’ll focus on the aftermath of the winter storm, the winding down of the pandemic, the comeback of the economy and the persistence of systemic racism. We’ll mop up the 2021 regular legislative session and look ahead to redistricting and the coming special session, and with an election year around the corner we’ll be all about politics and #tx2022. There’s so much to talk about — and to think about.

You’ll recall that #TribFest20 was, by necessity, virtual. We had 30 amazing days of programming featuring big names like Anthony Fauci, Rachel Maddow, Marco Rubio, Hillary Clinton, Bob Woodward, Susan Rice, Jeb Bush and Nikole Hannah-Jones — and also Ted Cruz, Betsy Price, Dan Crenshaw, Veronica Escobar, Sylvester Turner, Lina Hidalgo, Beto O’Rourke and Kay Bailey Hutchison.

We’re planning a virtual fest this year as well — #bowtoreality — but we’re keeping our eyes on the reopening of Texas and the improving public health picture. If there’s an opportunity to add some in-person experiences, we’ll do our best to make it happen. Regardless, we want every single session to be memorable and meaningful and convenient to watch: Once again, we’ll make the bulk of our schedule available on demand.

Tickets for #TribFest21 go on sale June 15, the day we announce our first batch of speakers. As usual, we’ll have discounts for Tribune members as well as students and educators. Sign up for festival updates today. We’ll see you in September!