Asheville Ideas Fest

The first-ever Asheville Ideas Fest (AIF) takes place June 14-18, 2022. The inaugural experience will take place on the campus of UNC Asheville and at key sites in our region, including Biltmore Estate, Grove Park Inn, and Wortham Center for the Performing Arts. The core programming of this inaugural event will be convening global thought leaders who have gathered in Asheville to focus on the most consequential issues of our time.

The many talented speakers at Asheville Ideas Fest include Fareed Zakaria, host of Fareed Zakaria GPS for CNN Worldwide and a bestselling author; Bill McKibben, environmentalist author and founder of 350.org; Jon Meacham, presidential historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author; Dr. Kizzmekia S. Corbett, Ph.D., assistant professor in the department of immunology and infectious diseases at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; and Jason Mott, bestselling author and National Book Award Winner, just to name a few. In addition, several of our own UNC Asheville faculty will participate with other notable and influential leaders as panel respondents across a variety of themes and topics.

In addition to conversations and discussions with national thought leaders, Asheville Ideas Fest includes daily wellness and guided outdoor discovery activities, special receptions and dinners, and entertainment, including a concert featuring Grammy-winning guitarist and vocalist Graham Sharp of the Steep Canyon Rangers. Asheville Ideas Fest is also proud to welcome guests to attend a live taping of the Waters & Harvey Show, a nationally syndicated NPR program that explores the experiences of historically marginalized people and their communities.

Visit www.ashevilleideasfest.com for more details, including schedules by day, speakers, ticket info, and more.