Grab a speaker's book at Elliott Bay Book Company, have a poem written just for you, chainstitch your favorite phrase, screen print a festival tote with the Vera Project, fill your belly at a food truck, take advantage of food and drink specials at Fremont Social, and caffeinate at the Lighthouse coffee booth.
ESPN icon Kenny Mayne on Seattle's NBA dream and a media industry he barely recognizes anymore—where algorithms and hot takes have replaced storytelling. Characteristically sharp, sardonic, and unfiltered.
Kendi discusses Chain of Ideas, his new history of how "great replacement theory" became the engine of our authoritarian age. He argues that fear of being replaced—racially, culturally, electorally—is what powers strongmen worldwide, and that naming the playbook is a first step toward defeating it.
Cascade PBS’s Knute Berger and Nick Zentner explore how geology and history have shaped the Pacific Northwest—from ancient floods, earthquakes, and eruptions to the region’s enduring mysteries. What remains unknown, and what can we expect from the future?
Renowned foreign policy voices Danielle Pletka and Julia Ioffe offer competing vision on the Iran war, other global hotspots, and the world order under President Trump. They discuss of U.S. foreign policy, the war’s impact on U.S.-Russia relations, and much more.
Tonya Mosley speaks with Eddie S. Glaude Jr. about race, democracy, and the moral tensions shaping America. They examine history's echoes in today's politics, and how honest storytelling can illuminate injustice while opening paths toward accountability and renewal.
Laura Gibson is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose music blends literary folk with experimental instincts. Her most recent album Goners is a meditation on grief and empathy—both raw and incessantly beautiful, tracing the tension between longing and instinct.
Rebecca Nagle and Daisy Hernandez examine how citizenship has been granted, denied, and weaponized—and how both the Cherokee and Mexican American experience reveal the contradictions at the heart of who this country says belongs here.
Robby Hoffman on growing up Hasidic, leaving it all behind, and building a comedy career from queer identity and outsider life. From her Netflix special to her Emmy-nominated turn on Hacks—bracingly honest about belonging and why the best jokes still sting.
King County Executive Girmay Zahilay on his first months in office—blocking ICE from county property, tackling homelessness and addiction, restructuring county government for accountability, and what it takes to lead in an era of upheaval and uncertainty.
Senator Adam Schiff on Iran, AI, and the DOJ's drift toward political weaponization. He warns of efforts to suppress voters in 2026 and what it will take for Democrats to defend America's democratic institutions.
Monica Lewinsky and Laverne Cox on identity, resilience, and reclaiming their own narratives. They reflect on public scrutiny, the evolution of media, and how to challenge stigmas and build empathy in a polarized world.
A conversation exploring the vibrant world of indigenous music in the Pacific Northwest. From traditional sounds to contemporary voices reshaping the scene, the discussion traces how Native artists are reclaiming, reimagining, and amplifying their cultural voices in unexpected ways.
Chanda Prescod-Weinstein on dark matter, the nature of the universe, and who gets to ask the biggest questions in science. She challenges assumptions about objectivity and identity—making the case that who does science shapes the science we get.
Nancy Pelosi speaks with Hanna Rosin about power, leadership, and women in politics. Reflecting on decades in public life, she offers insight into governing in a polarized era and the challenges shaping America's democratic future.
KEXP DJ, Kevin Sur, hosts a closing capstone where attendees can mix, mingle, debrief and decompress from a day that will surely leave us all with a lot to talk about. Enjoy libations and gyrations (if you're so inclined). Presented by Edward Jones
The Cascade PBS Ideas Festival is a full-day event featuring live podcast recordings and studio television tapings by The Atlantic, NPR, The New Yorker, CNN, PBS, Pushkin, and more. Watch live as journalists, newsmakers, and thought leaders -like Nancy Pelosi, Laverne Cox, Ibram X. Kendi, Tonya Mosley, and Robby Hoffman- take on compelling topics and headlines making the news. Plus, community meetups, speaker meet-and-greets, micro-sessions, food trucks, DJs, -and surprises. Join us on June 6th at Fremont Studios, The Picklr and Hidden Hall in the heart of Seattle's Fremont neighborhood.
