TribFest 2025

Politicians and John Mulaney headline Texas publication's 2025 festival

Comedian and writer John Mulaney will appear at TribFest 2025.

Photo courtesy of John Mulaney

The Texas Tribune, a statewide publication tracking politics and policy, has announced the full lineup for its annual TribFest, held November 13-15 in downtown Austin.

Despite wide ideological gaps between the United States' two main political parties, the Texas Tribune maintains a non-partisan approach to festival programming, including political figures ranging from the lesser-known to the widely celebrated and controversial. Some entertainers, culinary professionals, and other less explicitly political guests are on the lineup, too.

The festival does not present headliners, but it does provide a selection of guests it deems notable in a press release announcing the finalized lineup:

Tim Walz, Minnesota governor and 2024 Democratic nominee for Vice President
Bill Kristol, Editor-at-Large at The Bulwark
Vicente Fox, former President of Mexico
State Sen. Carol Alvarado, D-Houston
Ruth Simmons, Distinguished Presidential Fellow at Rice University
Christine Brennan, Columnist for USA Today
Pete Buttigieg, Former U.S. Secretary of Transportation
Vanessa Fuentes, Austin Mayor Pro Tem
Alberto R. Gonzales, Former U.S. Attorney General
Ro Khana, D-California, U.S. Representative
Paula Kerger, President and CEO of PBS
State Rep. Caroline Fairly, R-Amarillo
Eric Holder, former United States Attorney General
Aaron Reitz, 2026 Republican candidate for Texas Attorney General
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota
John Mulaney, comedian, actor and writer

Speakers at the festival will appear on panels and in one-on-one conversations addressing a range of topics. The Tribune calls these "the issues that matter most to Texans."

Attendees will listen in at various venues around the downtown area. There will also be a day of programming on Congress Avenue on November 15 that anyone can attend for free.

The festival-within-a-festival, called "Open Congress," will be held between 7th and 11th Streets, and will tackle topics including "arts and culture, faith, education, food, how Gen Z is shaping the future, and more." There will also be live performances, interactive showcases, and other two-way activations that allow attendees to directly participate.

TribFest has more than 80 sponsors and media partners. The presenting, premiere, and major sponsors are as follows: JPMorganChase, BlackRock, bp America, Builders | TX, Chevron, Methodist Healthcare Ministries, PMI, Raise Your Hand Texas, Visit Fort Worth, Airbnb, Amazon, American Airlines, Baylor Line, Beyond Petrochemicals, Capital Factory, Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority, Dallas College, Educate Texas, HCA Healthcare, Houston Endowment, Intersect, Robert Woods Johnson Foundation, Sixth Street, Texas Monthly, Texas Woman's University, The Commit Partnership, The Sumners Foundation, and Western Governors University. A full list of sponsors is available toward the bottom of the festival's home page.

Tickets (starting at $269 for general admission and $65 for students and educators) are available at festival.texastribune.org.

festivals politics civic issues media

HAUTE PROPERTIES

Southern Living picks Texas Hill Country as location of 2026 Idea House

Southern Living Idea House Fredericksburg

Rendering by Jon Messer.

Southern Living Idea House will be open for tours beginning September 18.

Whether Texas is part of the South may still be an open question, but Southern Living is settling the debate with a big investment. The Birmingham, Alabama-based lifestyle magazine will build its newest Idea House in the Hill Country town of Fredericksburg.

For more than 35 years, Southern Living has drafted Southern builders, architects, and designers to build new homes that not only showcase the latest innovations in home design but are the epitomes of Southern style. This year, the magazine chose Fredericksburg's Friedën community, a 130-acre development featuring parks, nature trails, and lakes.

"We're excited to call Fredericksburg home for the year and to celebrate the distinct character of the Texas Hill Country,” says editor-in-chief Sid Evans in a release. “Surrounded by rolling hills and wide-open views, this home reflects the region's natural beauty and the relaxed spirit of the Lone Star State."

The design of the versatile home proves the modern farmhouse trend still has some legs. Southern Living’s designers update the look by ditching whitewashed everything for a more contemporary color palette that blends in with the Hill Country’s natural landscape. Floor-to-ceiling windows further “dissolve the boundaries” between the interior and the great outdoors.

To bring their vision to life, Southern Living drafted a local team, including builder Kurk Homes, architect Andrew Bray of Mustard Architects, landscape designer Melissa Gerstle, and interior designers Jean Liu, Marcus Mohon, and Paloma Contreras. But real estate gawkers will have to wait to see most of the details. The house won’t be unveiled until September 18, when public tours open and the October issue hits stands.

Southern Living, however, did tease a few details, saying the home is being built for “multi-generational” living with sustainable products and appliances, a motor court entry, and a private casita. No doubt, interior design buffs will also find inspiration in the decor's bold choices. Last year’s Idea House in Virginia mixed in everything from garden florals and African mudcloth to animal prints and kitchsy cottagecore art.

The Idea House will be open to the public for tours from September 18 through December 20, 2026. Tickets will be available beginning in April, with a portion of the proceeds supporting area charities. After the open house, the home will be available for sale at an undisclosed price.

homes home design interior design fredericksburg hill country southern living