The city of Austin is gearing up for a nostalgic return of Friday Night Lights. The festival organizers confirmed today that the Taylors will make a much-anticipated appearance at the Austin ATX Television Festival this coming May to mark the 20th anniversary of the iconic show. Although Tim Riggins, the celebrated running back, won’t be attending, the event will still be star-studded. The reunion panel will include prominent actors such as Connie Britton, Kyle Chandler, and Adrienne Palicki, along with key producers Jason Katims, David Hudgins, Jeffrey Reiner, Liz Heldens, and Kerry Ehrin. Furthermore, the festival will honor Friday Night Lights with the “Made In Texas” award for the second year in a row, which recognizes productions filmed in Texas that have significantly contributed to local employment.

The ATX TV Festival has a packed schedule featuring many other well-known television figures. Highlights include a look back at Homicide: Life on the Street with creators Tom Fontana, David Simon, and actor Kyle Secor; a celebration of the 10th anniversary of Sweet/Vicious with Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, Amanda Lasher, Stacey Sher, Emily Levitan, Eliza Bennett, and Taylor Dearden; and a panel discussion featuring non-writing producers such as Melissa Bernstein of House Of The Dragon, Stacey Sher of Mrs. America, Sarah Timberman of Justified: City Primeval, Kathleen McCaffrey of Industry, and Karen Wacker of Lanterns.

The festival will take place in Austin from May 28 to May 31, 2026, offering a rich mix of retrospectives, reunions, and insightful panels that celebrate television as a powerful medium for storytelling.