What are some good alternative conferences or festivals for thinkers?

May 1, 2015 2:04 PM

I want to take a vacation that includes some sort of intellectual festival or conference where I'll meet interesting people and discuss ideas. (I'm a party animal.) Think TED gone to summer camp or Davos for hipsters ;-) The Do Lectures and Porcupine Freedom Festival both sound massively interesting - what other events should I look into?

Anywhere within the continental US is fair game.

posted by Junebug79 to Travel & Transportation around United States (6 answers total)

You can go to Chautauqua Institute proceedings in upstate New York or Boulder. See also the events produced under the Renaissance Weekend umbrella.
posted by carmicha at 2:15 PM on May 1, 2015

Conference on World Affairs at the University of Colorado Boulder (go Buffs!). It takes place in April so the next one will be in 2016.
posted by shaun at 2:16 PM on May 1, 2015

PopTech is often fun, and it's in a beautiful spot in Maine.
posted by three_red_balloons at 2:33 PM on May 1, 2015 [1 favorite]

Consider the Allied Media Conference.
posted by tjenks at 2:36 PM on May 1, 2015

How about actual academic conferences? The Association of American Geographers (that just wrapped up its annual conference) had 6000 presentations, including everything from environmental management, Deaf studies, atmospheres, the sidewalk vendors of Ho Chi Minh City, creative place-making, international drug policy, NYC's High Line Park, and those are just the sessions I can remember attending. People are not always as snappy and polished as the TED talk variety, but there's often other experts in the room, contributing to a very rich conversation.
posted by spamandkimchi at 5:20 PM on May 1, 2015

Aspen Ideas Festival

International Festival of Arts and Ideas
posted by Miko at 9:30 PM on May 1, 2015