Your favorite television shows aren’t just for bingeing. They spark conversations between strangers on airplanes, provide solace after a long day, and serve as portals to new worlds and perspectives.
For Caitlin McFarland and Emily Gipson, co-founders and co-presidents of ATX TV Festival, television is a way to bring people together.
Over the last 14 years, the Texas natives have built an inclusive community where fans, creators, and celebrities unite over a shared love of episodic storytelling in Downtown Austin.
As they gear up for Season 14 — running Thursday, May 29 through Sunday, June 1 — we sat down with the duo to chat about the fest’s origins, growth, and what’s in store for 2025.
ATX TV Festival’s evolution
Rewind to 2012. The television industry and the Capital City were starkly different than they are today — but the city rallied around McFarland and Gipson’s dream of hosting a television festival here.
“Austin knew how to throw a festival, and the people here knew how to do that. Whether that’s volunteers or seasonal staff or the venues themselves, they knew what was up,” McFarland told ATXtoday. “It helped us as people who had never thrown anything before.”
Since then, Austin’s festival-friendly spirit has remained strong, but the way people watch television has drastically changed. When ATX TV Festival began, fans nationwide tuned in to weekly episodes as they aired. Now, thousands of television shows are available on demand across various platforms.
“For a moment, it was so exciting because of how much TV all of the sudden was in so many different places and how accessible it was,” Gipson said. “And then, I think it hit that overwhelming moment of ‘Oh, there’s too much now.’ I believe TV lost a little bit of its community.”
While viewing habits have shifted, the festival has remained a place for fans to connect, converse, and discover shows old and new together.
“It doesn’t matter when you watch (the shows),” Gipson said. “Everyone gets to come and talk about them as if you just did.”
Tune in to Season 14
Over a decade in, the founders’ original vision is still at the heart of the festival: celebrating television’s past, present, and future while blending fan and industry experiences.
The result? A dynamic, welcoming atmosphere where TV lovers of all backgrounds connect at screenings, panels, script readings, and interactive events like trivia nights and TV karaoke.
“Our attendees are so inclusive,” Gipson said. “The people that come year after year, especially our year-round members, they love new faces and they are the first ones that are like, ‘I don’t know you, come sit next to me.’”
This year’s lineup features major reunions, behind-the-scenes conversations, and live events you won’t find anywhere else:
- Christine Baranski will receive the 2025 Achievement in Television Excellence Award for her legendary career.
- Jon Hamm will participate in a “Mad Men” retrospective panel, bringing Sterling Cooper nostalgia to Austin.
- “The Leftovers” cast will reunite to reflect on the show’s lasting impact.
- Bill Lawrence of “Ted Lasso” and “Scrubs” will lead a panel with special guests.
- Mike Flanagan of “The Haunting of Hill House” and “Doctor Sleep” will host a live table read of an unproduced script.
- “Unreal” will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a retrospective panel.
- “Sidebar: A Suits Watch Podcast” will record a live episode in front of fans.
- Greg Iwinski and Jim Fagan will bring a late-night show experience to the festival stage.
Plus, take programming recs from the co-founders:
“You Belong Here” | Screening and Q+A with Rick Gomez, Ouita Michel, and Steve Zahn
McFarland: “We’re going to be premiering an indie unscripted pilot from Steve Zahn. He’s producing it and it’s about a Kentucky chef, and I’m pretty obsessed with Kentucky. I think it’s kind of a sister state to Texas, but it’s a really cool travel food show.”
“The Golden Girls” and “Designing Women” | Script readings
Gipson: “I’m really excited for the script reads. We’re doing ‘Designing Women’ and ‘Golden Girls,’ and we’re casting them with a really fun cast that hopefully we’ll announce in a few weeks.”
Ready to get plugged in? Here’s how:
- Buy a badge or pass. TV Camp Badges start at $535 and grant you access to exclusive events and swag, but you can also snag a TV Pass for $150 to pick-and-choose sessions, or purchase single tickets.
- Sign up for a newsletter. Get show recommendations from Weekend Watch, announcements, promotions + discounts from ATV TV Festival News, and alerts for in-person happenings from Events News/Reminders.
- Follow ATX TV Festival. Stay up to date on the latest news via Instagram.
