ATX TV Festival’s 2025 Lineup: Mad Men and Leftovers Reunions, King of the Hill Revival and More
Reunions, premieres and a career honor for Christine Baranski highlight this year’s television festival in Downtown Austin
ATX TV Festival returns May 29 to June 1 for its 14th season, bringing a full slate of reunions, world premieres, exclusive panels, live performances and fan events to downtown Austin. The annual television festival, founded in 2012 by Caitlin McFarland and Emily Gipson, gathers fans and industry professionals to celebrate the TV medium’s past, present and future.
McFarland and Gipson, who met while working as assistants at Fox Studios, launched the festival after realizing there was no community-driven television festival. “We felt very strongly that festivals needed to be destinations,” McFarland said. “Austin was very much that.”
Event highlights from season 14
- Achievement in Television eXcellence Award: Christine Baranski will be honored for her acclaimed television career, including roles in Cybill, The Good Wife, The Good Fight and The Gilded Age.
- Mad Men Retrospective: Jon Hamm joins for a 10th anniversary reflection on his Emmy-winning role as Don Draper.
- King of the Hill Reunion and Revival Sneak Peek: Creators and cast will revisit the animated classic and preview its upcoming Hulu revival, followed by a backyard-style party with Texas-themed food and activities for Camp Badgeholders.
- The Leftovers Reunion: Stars Justin Theroux and Carrie Coon, along with showrunner Damon Lindelof, return to reflect on the hit series’ three-season journey.
- Andor Panel with Tony Gilroy and Beau Willimon: Creator and executive producer Tony Gilroy and writer Beau Willimon will discuss building the complex world of Andor and crafting the acclaimed Star Wars prequel series.
- Late Night with Seth Meyers: Seth Meyers makes his ATX TV Festival debut with a special Opening Night event, offering an inside look at NBC’s Emmy-nominated Late Night with Seth Meyers
Building a television community
ATX TV Festival has carved a niche by balancing insider conversations with fan-friendly programming, reflecting the unique connection audiences form with television.
“Television is something that you watch so much in your living room and you know these people so well and have invited them so much into your life that it feels that it’s more community-driven as opposed to a separation that I think movies can have,” Gipson said.
Organizers say the festival’s welcoming atmosphere remains central to its success. “We work really hard to not have it be that overwhelming experience some other festivals have become,” McFarland said.
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As television consumption habits evolve, the festival continues to emphasize the importance of gathering in person to share a communal viewing experience. “It doesn’t matter when you watched it or how you watched it or where you watched it,” Gipson said. “When you come to the festival, you can talk about it as if you just watched it.”
Beyond star-driven panels, the festival prioritizes discovery. “Discovery is something that we feel very passionately about,” McFarland said. “Go to something you know nothing about. That’s usually where the magic happens.”
Badges and tickets include the all-access Camp Badge ($535), the General Programming Badge ($335), the TV Pass ($150) and select single tickets for events at the Paramount Theatre. Festival badges and tickets for ATX TV Festival Season 14 are available at atxfestival.com.
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