TED is a nonprofit organization invested in spreading ideas through lectures and conferences. The institution gained widespread recognition with its TED Talks series—filmed speeches that went viral, with each featuring a different innovator sharing his or her inspiring vision and work.
In addition to embodying a vital spirit of the global Information Age, TED also hosts live events that bring communities together. TEDxMileHigh is the Colorado group of TED-enthusiasts encouraging local leaders, thinkers, creators, and activists to collaborate with each other. On June 13, 2015, it will host Ideas Unbridled, the 5th annual conference at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in Denver, where speakers and attendees from various fields will meet to engage with and learn from one another. If you’re curious about the event, here are three important features that’ll help you become more informed:
TEDx Events are Independently Produced
While Ideas Unbridled captures the essence of an official TED conference, it is actually produced independently by TEDxMileHigh. The TEDx Program allows individuals and groups to host TED-like events, where TED videos can be screened under a free license granted by the organization. The affairs are sanctioned, but are planned and arranged independent of the institution, which allows local organizers to coordinate their own unique conferences under the TED banner.
TEDxMileHigh’s 2015 Conference Schedule
While it is not a bona fide TED event, the Denver program features lectures, performances, and networking opportunities that are typical to the organization’s own forums. On Saturday, June 13th from 11am – 7pm, Ideas Unbridled will host 15 Colorado-based speakers and performers from different sectors, including entrepreneurs, artists, and community leaders, who will take 3-15 minutes to share their ideas, stories, and personal work ethics or experiences. The talks are held in the hopes of motivating the audience with their own projects and contributing to overall community progress.
The schedule of speakers will be announced in the next couple of weeks, but previous lineups have included CU Boulder Professor Michael Huemer, Denver-based musician Esmé Patterson, and activist/entrepreneur Ashara Ekundayo, who owns BluBlak Media Consulting and helped create The GrowHaus.
In addition to presentations, attendees can meet and mingle with each other at the Exhibits Lounge. The program concludes with an evening Cocktail Reception, which offers another opportunity to socialize and network. Using social media is also encouraged throughout the event, with the use of hashtags #TEDxMH2015 and #IdeasUnbridled.
Ticket Tiers
Tickets to Ideas Unbridled can be purchased on Eventbrite and are priced based on access to presentations. Discounted early bird tickets (Tiers I and II) have already sold out, but Tier III tickets, which offer the same admission features but at full price, are still available for $75 per person. Tier III or GA passes give access to the Exhibits Lounge, Cocktail Reception, all lectures, and are good for a free meal from one of the food trucks that will be at the event. VIP tickets are $100 and allow early admission to every lecture, for priority seating. Hero and Superhero ticketholders ($250 and $500, respectively) also enjoy priority seating and help sponsor TEDxYouth@MileHigh, a free conference for students that occurs every April.
General Admission passes are likely to sell out, since attendance is expected to reach 2,000 guests. TedxMileHigh 2015: Ideas Unbridled is a major event that draws in a large and diverse crowd of Colorado’s movers and shakers, so if you want to attend, be sure to purchase your ticket now. Those who cannot make the live event can still follow it on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, as well as watch uploaded talks on YouTube.