After the inaugural TEDxBearCreekPark went off without a hitch at city hall’s Centre Stage earlier this year, organizers are readying for a “bigger and better” event next year.
While organizers were limited to selling 100 tickets last year, they hope to sell 1,000 in the event’s second iteration, set for Feb. 29, 2020 at the Bell Performing Arts Centre.
“We are making a significant step up this year to a beautiful, larger venue that is ideally suited for a TEDx event,” explained Ocean Park resident Alan Warburton, a retired school principal and lead organizer of TEDxBearCreekPark.
The full-day event will include entertainment, as it did in its 2019 edition, in the form of “energizers” to provide a change of pace for the audience. Also, there will be live music again.
See more: Organizers of Surrey TEDx talk seek ‘inspirational’ speakers (Nov. 1, 2018)
“For TEDxBearCreekPark 2020, we will be providing food for everyone as well,” explained Warburton. “We want our audience to stay with us at lunch time and not need to leave the venue. We will be providing a delicious boxed lunch for everyone and nutritious goodies at our breaks. The ticket price will include all the food and snacks provided throughout the day.”
The 2020 theme is “A Shift in Thinking.” Organizers are looking for 14 speakers in total and say each speaker needs to have “a compelling idea; a high level of expertise or experience related to their idea; and experience speaking in front of audiences of 100+ people.”
“We’ve approached a number of people already, but we also know there may be some people out there who we don’t know about,” said Warburton, noting a half-day information meeting is set for this weekend, for people who may be interested in learning more about applying to be a speaker at TEDxBearCreekPark 2020. “Anyone who is keen and interested in being a speaker is welcome to attend one of our information meetings.”
The Sept. 14 meeting will run from 9 a.m. to noon (another was held on Sept. 7). Email tedxbearcreekpark@gmail.com for details.
Tickets for the full-day event are expected to go on sale Dec. 1 and the talks are set to run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Bell.TEDx events are locally sponsored and operate under a license from TED. TED is a global community that welcomes people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world. The main purpose for TED and TEDx events is for selected speakers to share “ideas worth spreading.”
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