One of our favorite television events of the year is back. The annual ATX TV Festival in Austin returns in 2026 on May 28-31, with another stacked lineup of panels, screenings, and industry conversations celebrating the art of television. While partially an industry event, ATX is also open and welcoming to fans, with badges on sale now starting at $150 (which includes up to four panels and one Marquee Programming event), and up to $535 — giving fans several ways to experience the festival. Single tickets are also available for select panels.
This year’s programming includes anniversary celebrations, behind-the-scenes creator conversations, and early screenings, including reunions for Friday Night Lights and Everybody Loves Raymond, a retrospective on Homicide: Life on the Street, a screening for the upcoming Apple TV+ Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed (with stars Tatiana Maslany, Murray Bartlett, and Brandon Flynn on hand), and a live script reading celebrating the 75th anniversary of I Love Lucy. The festival will also feature several panels tied to the 100th anniversary of NBC, examining the legacy of the network’s procedural storytelling and its long-running comedy and drama franchises.
New programming joining the lineup includes:
- Behind the Scenes of The Paper – Creators and cast discuss the fandom around season one and preview what’s coming next for the Peacock and Universal Television series.
- A Conversation with Lisa Katz & Erin Underhill – The NBC & Peacock scripted president and Universal Television president discuss cross-platform storytelling, franchise building, and NBC’s 100th anniversary.
- Universal Studio Group Presents: Funny AF – An annual fan-favorite panel featuring top comedy creators and showrunners discussing the chaos and craft behind great TV comedy.
- NBC 100: Investigating the Legacy of Procedurals – A look at the storytelling engine behind television’s most enduring genre with talent from NBC’s iconic procedural series.
- Screening & Q&A for Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed – The Apple TV+ dark comedy-thriller stars Tatiana Maslany, Murray Bartlett, and Brandon Flynn will preview episodes and discuss the series with creator David J. Rosen.
Additional highlights include a 75th anniversary live script reading of I Love Lucy, a casting deep dive panel titled “How to Cast a Procedural (and Get Away with It)” presented by the Casting Society, and a conversation with actors and producers Steve Zahn and Rick Gomez about making their indie series You Belong Here.
The festival will also present its first-ever Collaborator Award to casting directors Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas for their work on series including Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, Barry, and Better Call Saul.
ATX will also feature major anniversary celebrations, including a 20th anniversary reunion of Friday Night Lights with cast members including Connie Britton, Kyle Chandler, Jesse Plemons, Adrianne Palicki, and Aimee Teegarden, as well as the 30th anniversary celebration of Everybody Loves Raymond featuring Ray Romano and Phil Rosenthal alongside writers from the series.
