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It’s only appropriate that the 25th anniversary edition of the Tribeca Festival is leaning hard into expansion. Tribeca has been about growth since its earliest days, when cofounders Robert DeNiro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff wanted to create a new cinematic community downtown in the aftermath of 9/11.
Since then the festival has evolved immeasurably, stretching into concerts, talks, podcasts and gaming. Today one ticket often covers multiple experiences: a show after a concert film, a Q&A paired with a romantic comedy, a cast reunion following a documentary.
Indeed, the 2026 festival opens on June 3 with the premiere of Questlove’s documentary Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial vs. That’s the Weight of the World), to be followed by a performance from Earth, Wind & Fire and the Roots. You’ll also get a two-for-one experience with several other music docs: Frampton, Mumford & Sons: The House Band, Travis Barker: Louder than Fear, Sara Bareilles: Good Grief and Alicia Keys: Girl from Hell’s Kitchen will all be paired with appearances from their central subjects. And while there may not be a movie attached, it could prove tough to pass up the chance to see Bono and Bruce Springsteen in conversation, when the latter receives the festival’s Harry Belafonte Voices for Social Justice Award.
You’ll also get to do some star-spotting in other corners of the fest. Expect a packed house for the romance Happy Hours, in which director/costar Katie Holmes reunites with her Dawson’s Creek beau Joshua Jackson. And if you’re a true nostalgist, you’ll also want to watch Boy Meets World cast members reconnect onscreen—and then onstage—for the premiere of Doc Meets World. Stick around, too, for the promise of “special guests” after Playing POTUS, about comedic political impressionists from Chevy Chase to Maya Rudolph.
The biggest celebrity events, though, may be the retrospective celebrations: a screening of Taxi Driver will follow a talk with Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro and Jodie Foster; Lilly Wachowski, Jennifer Tilly, and Gina Gershon will chat together after a showing of their iconic neo-noir Bound; and Ben Stiller and Matthew Broderick will cheerfully reminisce about The Cable Guy after making the audience sit through its 96 deliberately excruciating minutes.
All that said, the best festival experiences are often the quiet ones: sifting for undiscovered gems, learning something new, meeting a first-time filmmaker who’s as excited as you are to be there. So do make time for documentaries like Miss Representation: Rise Up, about the mainstreaming of misogynistic messaging, or Jean-Michel, which tells the story of artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, or Micronations, the amusing tale of people who have declared themselves sovereign.
Film Programmer Faridah Gbadamosi also says this year is particularly strong on romance. From Ephemera, a lesbian love story set in Shanghai, to the South Korean adaptation Seven O’Clock Breakfast Club for the Brokenhearted, Gbadamosi promises that “we have a variety of films that bring back yearning in earnest.”
Then again, you could actually skip movies altogether and remain busy for days. This is your opportunity to watch a podcast recorded live with very special guests, so take your pick: On with Kara Swisher (with Marc Maron), Fashion Neurosis (with Laurie Anderson) and Death, Sex & Money (with Peter Dinklage) are a few of the options.
Still not satisfied? Film & Games programmer Casey Baron adds that “this year we’re featuring our largest Games program ever at the Festival. Previous Tribeca Games titles have gone on to be nominated for 165 awards; I’d say you don’t want to miss The Keeper of the Camphor Tree: truly stunning visuals from beginning to end.”
We do realize that at this point, your head may be swimming. So take one more tip from Baron: “Pace yourself, and release yourself from the concept of FOMO… we host multiple screenings, so if you miss out, check the schedule for another—and always stay open-minded to a shift in plans.”
The 2026 Tribeca Festival runs from June 3 to 14 at venues across NYC. Ticket prices vary by date, time and event; tickets and schedules are available at tribecafilm.com. Rush tickets will be offered when advanced tickets are sold out at venues other than the Beacon Theatre. The Rush system functions as a standby line that will form at the venue approximately one hour before scheduled start time.