Austin’s ATX TV Festival has announced additions to its 2026 lineup, including a 30th anniversary conversation for Everybody Loves Raymond and an expanded 20th anniversary reunion for the high school football drama Friday Night Lights.
Founded in 2012, ATX TV is one of a handful of U.S. festivals devoted primarily to television. Its inaugural season featured a Friday Night Lights reunion, and the 2026 panel marks the Austin-shot drama’s second official appearance at the festival. Over the years, ATX TV has paired on-screen stars with the showrunners, writers, and producers behind the scenes, featuring reunions for series such as Gilmore Girls, Mad Men, and The West Wing, along with craft-focused conversations about how television gets made.
The 2026 ATX TV Festival, which runs May 28–31, sells tiered badges. Each badge is assigned to a unique email address.
To mark three decades since Everybody Loves Raymond premiered on CBS in 1996, the festival will host creator Phil Rosenthal, star Ray Romano, and members of the Emmy-winning comedy’s writing team for an evening reflecting on the real-life family dynamics that inspired the series. The sitcom won 15 Primetime Emmy Awards during its nine-season run.
The Friday Night Lights anniversary event will include cast members Gaius Charles (Smash Williams), Jesse Plemons (Landry Clarke), and Aimee Teegarden (Julie Taylor), joining Connie Britton, Kyle Chandler, and Adrianne Palicki. Executive producers and writers Jason Katims, David Hudgins, Jeffrey Reiner, Liz Heldens, and Kerry Ehrin are also slated to participate. The series will receive the festival’s 2026 “Texas Made” Award, presented with Media for Texas.
Original promotional photo for Friday Night Lights, which featured the fictional Dillon Panthers high school football team.Virginia Sherwood/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty
In 2023, ATX TV Festival also staged an anniversary conversations for Dawson's Creek. The festival hosted a 25th anniversary panel featuring writers and producers Liz Tigelaar, Rina Mimoun, Gina Fattore, Anna Fricke, and Maggie Friedman; series star James Van Der Beek, who died this week, did not attend that event.
The festival has also newly announced:
- A featured screening and Q&A for The Other Bennet Sister, hosted in partnership with BritBox, with star Ella Bruccoleri scheduled to appear.
- “A Conversation on Medical Accuracy on TV,” presented by the John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health, examining how medical storytelling influences viewers’ understanding of healthcare.
- “A Nuclear Renaissance on TV,” a discussion presented by the Nuclear Threat Initiative exploring how atomic storylines shape public perception and policy awareness.
- “Around the TV Set,” an industry roundtable in partnership with the Television Critics Association.
- A live taping of the “Lead with Kindness” vodcast hosted by showrunner Melinda Hsu.
- The return of Pluto TV as host of the official Badgeholder Lounge, featuring daily activations and complimentary pedicab rides for badgeholders.
Badges (starting at $335) and passes ($150 for five events) are available now at atxfestival.com. A limited number of discount badges and passes for locals will be released as the event nears.
DIIV's set was moody, but propulsive thanks to strong bass lines.Photo by Brianna Caleri
Zachary Cole Smith can always be counted on for a nostalgic 'fit.Photo by Brianna Caleri
Starcleaner Reunion singer Jo Roman keeps the beat.Photo by Brianna Caleri
From the looks of it, no one had a better time onstage than Wayne Coyne, frontman of the Flaming Lips.Photo by Brianna Caleri
The tinsel whip was one of many props.Photo by Brianna Caleri
The Flaming Lips are known for touring with huge inflatables.Photo by Brianna Caleri
A joyful crowd reacts to being blasted with confetti during the Flaming Lips' set.Photo by Brianna Caleri
Ty Segall was king of the guitar jams.Photo by Brianna Caleri
Segall's painted jeans were probably the most unique fashion statement all weekend.Photo by Brianna Caleri
The Psych Fest uniform: Earthy shorts and calf tattoos.Photo by Brianna Caleri
Thomas Attar Bellier of Al-Qasar plays a beautifully adorned electric saz.Photo by Brianna Caleri
The more mics, the better for Al-Qasar.Photo by Brianna Caleri
A closer look at the saz.Photo by Brianna Caleri
Lyrics in Arabic brought extra gravitas to the set.Photo by Brianna Caleri
How's that for a desert hallucination?Photo by Brianna Caleri
New Candys guitarist Emanuele Zanardo puts a physical flourish in his playing.Photo by Brianna Caleri
The Black Angels interrupted the technicolor parade for a largely black-and-white set.Photo by Brianna Caleri
Black Angels bassist Misti Hamrick-French basks in the cold glow of a strobe light.Photo by Brianna Caleri
Dumbo Gets Mad reminds us that Italians just get fashion.Photo by Brianna Caleri
Guitarist Luca Bergomi gets in on bassist Ivan Torelli's shot.Photo by Brianna Caleri
LA LOM bassist Jake Faulkner captures the sun.Photo by Brianna Caleri
Guitarist Zac Sokolow danced for the whole set, which happened to be on his birthday.Photo by Brianna Caleri
Faulkner's grandstanding added flavor to the show, which ultimately didn't need psychedelic visuals.Photo by Brianna Caleri
Faulkner's howls cut through the air, hardly amplified.Photo by Brianna Caleri
Trish Toledo paid homage to mothers and couples in her romantic set.Photo by Brianna Caleri
Not a practical shoe for a rainy weekend. We salute her sacrifice for fashion.Photo by Brianna Caleri
Thee Sacred Souls closed out the festival with a brass section.Photo by Brianna Caleri
This backup singer was exquisitely styled in blue.Photo by Brianna Caleri
Singer Josh Lane snapped a photo of an adoring audience. See you next time, Josh.Photo by Brianna Caleri