6 ways to spend your weekend at The WBUR Festival

Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR's Saturday morning newsletter, The Weekender. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here. 

How do you describe the feeling of being in a room with people who share your interests?

It’s sort of like the buzz before a concert, or the cozy atmosphere in your favorite dive bar. It’s a little easier to let your guard down, and you might even feel inclined to strike up a conversation with a nearby stranger. (After all, you’ve already got something in common.)

We’ve cultivated pockets of connection like this all across The WBUR Festival this month, where you can meet people who share your curiosities and concerns. Reflect on stories of justice with lawyer and activist Bryan Stevenson; learn about what health interventions are worthwhile at a session with the American Medical Association’s CEO Dr. John Whyte; play a game of Scrabble with “Word Freak” author Stefan Fatsis. Whatever you choose, you’ll find yourself among people just as passionate as you.

This year’s festival takes place on Friday, May 29 and Saturday, May 30. And like last year, it will span across Boston University’s campus along Commonwealth Avenue. (Click here for more details to know before you go.)

The full two-day schedule and speaker lineup are available online now. But if you’d rather flip through a more curated selection, we’ve got you covered. Here are six ways to spend your day at The WBUR Festival, with itineraries shaped around personal interests like national politics, journalism, sustainability, health, fun and food.

P.S. — Once you’ve settled on your itinerary, download The WBUR Festival app (Apple, Android) to map out your day. We hope to see you there!

Friday

11:15 a.m. to noon — Join NPR’s All Things Considered host Mary Louise Kelly as she speaks with former U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan about conflicts in the Middle East, how technology has transformed warfare and where we can begin on the path to a more peaceful world. Head to the Tsai Performance Center for this one.

2:15 p.m. to 3 p.m. — After lunch, it’s time for a foreign policy talk from a different perspective. John Bolton, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and national security advisor during the first Trump administration, will be interviewed by On Point host Meghna Chakrabarti back at the Tsai Performance Center.

3 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. — Another afternoon option: WBUR CitySpace will host a live taping of KRCW's politics podcast Left, Right & Center. Host David Greene will lead a conversation about the key debates driving this year's midterm elections.

Saturday

10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. — Meet us in the morning to hear reflections on the changing role of the U.S. in the world from Samatha Power, former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. and USAID administrator. She’ll speak with Here & Now co-host Indira Lakshmanan at the Tsai Performance Center for “Leading in an Unstable World.”

Friday

1:45 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. — Can NPR stay afloat after losing federal funding? Snag a seat in the auditorium at the College of General Studies to hear NPR President and CEO Katherine Maher discuss the future of the NPR network — sans over $1 billion in federal funds — with The Atlantic’s Evan Smith.

Saturday

12:15 p.m. to 1 p.m. — Get a glimpse into the pressures and ethical dilemmas of reporting from the West Wing. Three White House journalists — The New York Times’ Zolan Kanno-Youngs, The Atlantic’s Tom Nichols and NOTUS’ Jasmine Wright — will share their experiences with WBUR’s All Things Considered host Lisa Mullins during a midday session at the Tsai Performance Center.

1:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. — Listen to three bilingual media leaders muse on the future of journalism and the challenges it faces around the globe. “Truth Across Borders” will be held at the Tsai Performance Center in both Spanish and English, with former Washington Post and Boston Globe editor Marty Baron, MS Now and Telemundo contributor Paola Ramos and El Planeta founder Javier Marin on stage.

5:15 p.m. to 6 p.m. — Close out the day with “On the Front Lines: Covering Mass Deportations.” Three journalists will share their firsthand accounts of covering the Trump administration's immigration crackdown in a discussion moderated by WBUR’s Simón Rios at the CFA Concert Hall.

Friday

11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. — Bring your dreams for a cleaner, greener future to the Student Lounge for “Visioning a Better Climate” with Grist. Participants will be asked to imagine a healthier, more equitable future for the planet — and the possible pathways there — in this interactive session.

1:45 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. — How can we make climate change tangible? Visit CitySpace to hear storytellers and artists share how they use art to illustrate the climate crisis and inspire action for the planet’s future at “Creative Climate: Art That Makes the Crisis Visible,” a session moderated by WBUR’s Arielle Gray.

Saturday

11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. — Begin your Saturday with “The Price of Power: Why Your Energy Bills Keep Rising.” Energy experts will unpack the market and policy drivers behind the skyrocketing cost of electricity and gas in New England alongside WBUR’s Miriam Wasser. They'll also share practical steps that consumers can take to save some cash in this session at CFA Concert Hall.

1:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. — Dig into a discussion on alternatives to meat, from plant-based proteins to lab-grown innovations. Erik Dobrey, senior chef at Impossible Foods, Joanne Molinaro, founder of The Korean Vegan, and Nicole Tichenor Blackstone, associate professor at Tufts University, will join WBUR's Amory Sivertson at the Booth Theatre for “Meating Demand: The Future of Protein.”

Friday

10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. — Explore how deep friendships can boost resilience in work and life with Demond Martin, CEO and co-founder of WellWithAll, and WBUR's Martha Bebinger at the CFA Concert Hall.

2:15 p.m. to 3 p.m. — Stretch your legs and grab a bite before heading back to the CFA Concert Hall for a discussion about the importance of community and connection in our lives with former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy. He’ll be speaking with Robert D. Putnam, author of "Bowling Alone,” in this live taping of Murthy’s podcast, Staying Human.

Saturday

2:15 p.m. to 3 p.m. — What does it take to lead a good life? Explore this question with Marielle Segarra, host of NPR’s Life Kit, and Rachel Wilkerson Miller, author of “The Art of Showing Up: How to Be There for Yourself and Your People” in this live podcast taping at CitySpace.

3:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. — Hear insights on the value of medical interventions like full-body scans and fitness trackers — and how to find health information you can trust — from American Medical Association CEO Dr. John Whyte. This session, “How to Be Healthier,” is moderated by WBUR’s Deborah Becker.

Friday

5:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. — Test your knowledge of Boston against that of several noteworthy Bostonians in “The Game Show,” an exclusive event for WBUR Members and VIPs happening in the Metcalf Ballroom of the George Sherman Union. (Want to go? Become a member now to get in!) We’ll have journalist Dart Adams, chef Laurence Louie and Boston Globe columnist Meredith Goldstein in the house for this high-energy game show, co-hosted by WBUR’s Candice Springer and Ally Jarmanning.

Saturday

Noon to 6 p.m.— This year's Street Fair at BU Beach is shaping up to be even more fun than last year. Learn a few swingin’ steps from the Line Dancing Queens at 1 p.m., contribute to our WBUR Festival Community Mural or flip through the vintage racks of the FOUND Market throughout the day.

2:45 p.m. to 3 p.m. — Does the news leave you scratching your head? Sometimes, it helps to laugh. Join satirists from The Onion and The Atlantic as they discuss the importance of humor in today’s news cycle with Ally (again!) in “No Laughing Matter: Satire in the Age of the Political Absurd,” happening at the Tsai Performance Center.

4 p.m. to 5 p.m. — Be a part of the process of music-making with comedy band Wolves of Glendale, who’ll be performing their "Iron Songwriter" act at CFA Concert Hall. Using a beloved Boston movie as their inspiration, the band will create an original song on the spot. This session is "part concert, part comedy and completely unpredictable."

5 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. — Close out your festival weekend with a puzzler — literally. Join WBUR's Eve Zuckoff for a session with "Word Freak" author Stefan Fatsis, who will be playing Scrabble at the Festival Hub. Fatsis will talk all things words and games, and then face off against five challengers in simultaneous Scrabble matches. If you’re a word nerd, you won't want to miss it.

Friday

3 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. — Friday afternoon is for the foodies! Come to the Marsh Chapel for a chat with Jeni Britton, founder of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams and Floura Fiber, about how she built a food empire. WBUR’s Meagan McGinnes-Bessey will be asking Britton to share her recipe for success. And yes, there will be Floura bars to sample.

4:45 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. — After that, make your way over to the Tsai Performance Center for a conversation with acclaimed chef and humanitarian José Andres, who will be discussing his new cookbook, “Spain My Way: Eat, Drink, and Cook Like a Spaniard” with radio and podcast host Sam Sanders. The first 200 attendees will receive a copy of Andres’ new book.