T-Squared: Get your tickets now for the 2024 Texas Tribune Festival

Sign up for The Brief, The Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.

Big news: Tickets are now on sale for The Texas Tribune Festival, our annual ideas gathering that brings Texans together in conversation on politics, policy and all the issues that affect our communities.

This Sept. 5-7, during an election year like no other, there’ll be plenty to talk about, and we’ll gather in downtown Austin to connect with fellow decision-makers, industry leaders, journalists, community activists and students to consider what’s at stake in November, Texas and national politics, the state of democracy, and more.

Today, we’re also announcing our first round of confirmed speakers joining us for one-on-one interviews and panel conversations on our TribFest stages in September. These are the leaders and thinkers shaping the worlds of politics, policy, journalism, philanthropy, business and beyond, and they join us in Austin to provide unique perspective and deeper understanding of the issues that affect our daily lives.

Speakers include: U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, a 2024 Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate; Former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton; environmental and climate justice activist Catherine Flowers; U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston; Travis County District Attorney José Garza; U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio; Céline Gounder, senior fellow and editor at large at Kaiser Health News; Errin Haines, editor at large at The 19th*; Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar; Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo; former NATO Ambassador Kay Bailey Hutchison; U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-California; Former U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Illinois; Melissa Murray, professor of law, NYU School of Law; Jennifer Palmieri, contributing editor at Vanity Fair and former White House communications director; Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker; Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry; Karl Rove, former White House deputy chief; Tom Steyer, co-founder, Galvanize Climate Solutions; and Kara Swisher, editor at large, New York Media.

We’re reminded every day of how much the world has changed since our first TribFest in 2011. Yet the continued success of our annual gathering in downtown Austin demonstrates that, especially in the age of virtual meetings and information at our fingertips, of deep polarization and growing echo chambers, we find power through connection: in coming together for three days to wrestle with big ideas and come up with thoughtful solutions, to find common ground and better understand one another when we vehemently disagree. That’s the power of joining other Texans who care deeply about their communities in meaningful dialogue. And it’s the reason the most prominent and impactful voices shaping our world choose to join us in these conversations, on and off our stages.

Each year at TribFest, educators and students can join us at a steep discount, and students enjoy a special experience just for them, including exclusive events and career-boosting networking opportunities. Student tickets are just $50, and faculty and staff can attend TribFest for only $75.

Get your tickets today to join the TribFest conversation in September. We’ll see you there.