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Evan Smith meets backstage with U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, before the start of the closing keynote at The Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, TX on Sept. 23, 2023.
Tribune co-founder Evan Smith meets backstage with U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia, before the closing keynote at The Texas Tribune Festival in Austin on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023. Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune
The 2023 Texas Tribune Festival

The 2023 Texas Tribune Festival in photos

Here’s a look back at the 2023 Texas Tribune Festival through the eyes of Tribune photographers.

By Pu Ying Huang and Texas Tribune Photo Team
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The 2023 Texas Tribune Festival returned to downtown Austin for its 13th year. This year, we hosted nearly 300 speakers and over 125 sessions in three days, and brought big ideas about Texas politics and policy to attendees from all over the state and nation. Tribune photographers were there to capture moments on and off the stage. Here’s what they saw.

Texas Tribune CEO Sonal Shah, left, speaks with New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu backstage at The Paramount Theatre before co-founder Evan Smith's one-on-one conversation with Gov. Sununu during The Texas Tribune Festival 2023, in Austin, on Sept. 21, 2023.
Texas Tribune CEO Sonal Shah, left, speaks with New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu backstage at the Paramount Theatre before Smith's one-on-one conversation with Sununu on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune
Texas Tribune co-founder Evan Smith speaks with New Hampshire governor Chris Sununu on the future of the GOP, how the 2024 election will play out and his family’s commitment to public service at the The Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, TX on Sept. 21, 2023.
The audience watches the opening keynote of the Festival on Thursday. Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune
Hosted by Texas Tribune CEO Sonal Shah, this lunchtime reception will bring together women shaping politics, business, technology and public policy in Texas. Meet other women leading their fields and nab your credentials at The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 21, 2023 in Austin, TX.
Shah hosts a lunchtime reception bringing together women shaping politics, business, technology and public policy in Texas on Thursday. Credit: Stephen Spilllman for The Texas Tribune
Artist Sean Allen, who goes by Aye!, paints in front of the Paramount Theatre during The Texas Tribune Festival’s Open Congress Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023 in Austin, Texas.
Artist Sean Allen, who goes by Aye!, paints in front of the Paramount Theatre during TribFest's Open Congress on Saturday. Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner reacts to Texas Tribune co-founder Evan Smith announcing that Mayor Eric Johnson has switched from Democrat to Republican in a Wall Street Journal op-ed, prior to Turner's one-on-one conversation with Smith at The Texas Tribune Festival 2023, on Sept. 22, 2023.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner reacts to Smith announcing that Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson has switched from Democrat to Republican in a Wall Street Journal op-ed on Friday, Sept. 22, 2023. Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune
Dave Weigel speaks one on one with Asa Hutchinson, former governor of Arkansas, about his race for the 2023 Republican presidential nomination at The Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, TX on Sept. 22, 2023.
Dave Weigel speaks one-on-one with Asa Hutchinson, former governor of Arkansas, about his race for the 2023 Republican presidential nomination on Saturday. Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune
A light switch in the Paramount Theater is illuminated by light filtering through a slatted vent.
A light switch in the Paramount Theatere is illuminated by light filtering through a slatted vent. Credit: Julius Shieh/The Texas Tribune
Dick DeGuerin, former prosecuting attorney for the impeachment trial of Attorney General Ken Paxton, embraces General Investigating Committee chair Rep. Ann Johnson, D-Houston, following her one on one panel at The Texas Tribune Festival Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023 in Austin, Texas.
Dick DeGuerin, who was a prosecuting attorney in the impeachment trial of Attorney General Ken Paxton, embraces state Rep. Ann Johnson, D-Houston, a leader of the House impeachment managers, following her TribFest panel on Saturday. Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune
Audio/video crew while Texas Tribune political reporter Patrick Svitek speaks one on one with U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz about why he should be reelected to a third term at The Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, TX on Sept. 23, 2023.
Production crews monitor a video stream while Texas Tribune political reporter Patrick Svitek speaks with U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz about why he should be reelected to a third term. Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune
Lesley Briones, Harris County Commissioner, participates during the panel “Locals Controlled,” a part of Open Congress at the Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 23, 2023
Harris County Commissioner Lesley Briones speaks at the “Locals Controlled” panel, a part of Open Congress on Saturday. Credit: Greta Díaz González Vázquez/The Texas Tribune
Audience members, including Texas Tribune Editor In Chief Sewell Chan, watch as Evan Smith and Sonal Shah speak with U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, about his agenda for America at The Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, TX on Sept. 23, 2023.
Audience members, including Texas Tribune Editor in Chief Sewell Chan, second from right, watch as Smith speaks with Manchin at the closing keynote of the Festival on Saturday. Credit: Julius Shieh/The Texas Tribune
Festivalgoers on Open Congress during The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 23, 2023 in Austin, TX.
Festival-goers at Open Congress on Saturday. Credit: Stephen Spillman for The Texas Tribune
Attendees gather at the Student Breakfast at The Hub at the Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 23, 2023 in Austin, TX.
Attendees gather at a student breakfast at the Festival on Saturday. Credit: Jasmine DeFoore for The Texas Tribune
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Bart Barber, the President of the Southern Baptist Convention, sports a pair of cowboy boots on Friday. Credit: Julius Shieh/The Texas Tribune
Texas Tribune CEO Sonal Shah, right, speaks with journalist Katie Couric, second from left, at the Austin Club during The Texas Tribune Festival 2023, in Austin, on Sept. 22, 2023.
Shah, right, speaks with journalist Katie Couric, center, at the Austin Club on Friday. Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune
Festivalgoers at Visit Fort Worth on Open Congress during The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 23, 2023 in Austin, TX.
Festival-goers at the Visit Fort Worth tent during Open Congress on Saturday. Credit: Stephen Spillman for The Texas Tribune
Kathleen McElroy speaks with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones about confronting racial injustice at The Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, TX on Sept. 23, 2023.
Journalism professor Kathleen McElroy speaks with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones about confronting racial injustice on Saturday. Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune
People walk outside of The Paramount Theatre during Open Congress at The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept 23, 2023.
People walk outside of the Paramount Theatre during Open Congress on Saturday. Credit: Greta Díaz González Vázquez/The Texas Tribune
Rusty Hardin, former prosecuting attorney for the impeachment trial of Attorney General Ken Paxton, speaks with General Investigating Committee chair Rep. Ann Johnson, D-Houston, following her one on one panel at The Texas Tribune Festival Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023 in Austin, Texas.
Rusty Hardin, who was a prosecuting attorney in the impeachment trial of Attorney General Ken Paxton, speaks with Johnson following her one-on-one panel on Saturday. Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune
Camera crews film a panel titled Confronting America’s Opioid Crisis:The Next Steps We Need on Open Congress during The Texas Tribune Festival Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023 in Austin, Texas.
Camera crews record a panel titled "Confronting America’s Opioid Crisis: The Next Steps We Need" on Open Congress Saturday. Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune
A venue security guard takes a rest between panels at The Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, TX on Sept. 22, 2023.
A venue security guard takes a rest between panels on Friday. Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune
Texas Tribune CEO Sonal Shah, right, and COO Natalie Choate tour the event space at Troublemaker Studios for TribFeast, during The Texas Tribune Festival 2023, in Austin, on Sept. 22, 2023.
Shah, right, and Tribune chief operating officer Natalie Choate tour the event space at Troublemaker Studios for TribFeast on Friday. Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune
Texas Tribune Festival attendees listen to a panel on Open Congress Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023 in Austin, Texas.
Texas Tribune Festival attendees listen to a panel on Open Congress Saturday with the state capitol in the background. Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune
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Smith speaks Manchin in the closing keynote at the Paramount Theatre on Saturday. Credit: Julius Shieh/The Texas Tribune
Attendees gather at Open Congress at the Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 23, 2023 in Austin, TX.
Attendees gather at Open Congress on Saturday. Credit: Stephen Spillman for The Texas Tribune
Dolores Huerta signs copies of the book "50 Years of Ms.: The Best of the Pathfinding Magazine that Ignited a Revolution" at the Capital Factory inside the Omni Voltron during The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 22, 2023 in Austin, TX.
Dolores Huerta signs copies of the book "50 Years of Ms.: The Best of the Pathfinding Magazine that Ignited a Revolution" at the Festival on Friday. Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune
Evan Smith speaks with U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, about his agenda for America at The Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, TX on Sept. 23, 2023.
Manchin in the closing keynote on Saturday. Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune
Texas Tribune Festival goers file out of the Paramount Theatre following the closing keynote Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023 in Austin, Texas.
TribFest-goers file out of the Paramount Theatre following the closing keynote on Saturday. Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune

As The Texas Tribune's signature event of the year, The Texas Tribune Festival brings Texans closer to politics, policy and the day’s news from Texas and beyond. On Sept. 23, we wrapped our 2023 Festival — three lively days packed with 125+ sessions and events. Browse on-demand recordings and catch up on the biggest headlines from Festival events at the Tribune’s Festival news page.

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