The WBUR Festival
The 2026 WBUR Festival runs May 29-30. Get your tickets at festival.wbur.org. Below, see our past coverage of the Festival's inaugural year and its speakers.
Bryan Stevenson meets Mass. man freed from prison thanks to 'Just Mercy' attorney's landmark case
Bryan Stevenson has spent years fighting for people on death row and juveniles sentenced to life in prison. Today, he continues that legal work, and on a recent visit to...
Photos: José Andrés, Celeste Ng, David Cross and more at The 2026 WBUR Festival
The second-annual WBUR Festival was a hoot, filled with thought-provoking discussions and delightful moments. See scenes from the lively conversations, performances and fun hangs below.
Rahm Emanuel says he's mulling a 2028 run for president
Former mayor of Chicago Rahm Emanuel told a WBUR Festival audience he’s thinking about running for president in 2028 — but wasn’t ready to make an announcement.
Boston’s 'Line Dancing Queens' want to see you on the dancefloor
Line dancing has become something of a sleeper hit in Boston over the last five years, according to Line Dancing Queens, Molly Albert and Vicky Falso. I chatted with them...
Former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy: 'staying human' requires connection and time away from tech
Murthy, a former Boston internal medicine physician, is launching a podcast and newsletter focused on helping people build community and fulfillment in their lives. He says loneliness, lack of purpose...
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6 ways to spend your weekend at The WBUR Festival
Here are six ways to spend your day at the 2026 WBUR Festival — with itineraries shaped around personal interests like national politics, journalism, sustainability, health and more.
What the piping plover's recovery in Mass. can teach us about conservation and saving other local birds
Local author and ornithologist Scott Weidensaul talks about the successful rebounds of local birds, like piping plovers and oystercatchers, and the challenges that remain.
Two artists on the creative process and making bad art
At The WBUR Festival, NPR Tiny Desk winner and local singer-songwriter Alisa Amador and former Boston Poet Laureate Porsha Olayiwola talked about how they develop their work and shared tips...
Scientists under siege: What Anthony Fauci said at The WBUR Festival
Fauci spoke with On Point’s Meghna Chakrabarti at the WBUR Festival about the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and the how to rebuild trust in science institutions.
At The WBUR Festival, exploring the good and bad scenarios for Massachusetts’ future
The panelists laid out some reasons for optimism about the future of innovation in our state, and also some reasons for concern.
Meet the 5 Bostonians awarded WBUR's Community Honors
Meet WBUR's Community Honors Award winners. These five individuals represent a powerful narrative of community service in Greater Boston — past, present and future.
If elected mayor, Kraft says he’d lean on philanthropy and improve community engagement
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and her lead challenger Josh Kraft both agree that federal funding cuts will hit the city hard. But Kraft, the former CEO of Boston Boys &...
Photos: Fauci, McCarthy, Goldberg, Wu, Kraft and more at The WBUR Festival
Celebrating the public radio station's 75th birthday, the festival featured more than 200 speakers across eight stages in conversation, live podcast tapings and musical performances.
As Trump bears down on Boston, Mayor Wu says she'll keep the focus on city residents
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said "everything that the city represents is under attack" by the Trump administration and local communities are being harmed. As she runs for a second term,...
Katie Nolan talks sports like a Boston bartender. It’s because she was one
Katie Nolan hosts "Casuals," a SiriusXM podcast that takes a breezy, comedic look at sports news. She spoke with WBUR about how her Massachusetts roots have shaped her career.
Economist Paul Krugman says Boston's 'Jenga tower' economy teeters on Harvard
Paul Krugman argues that if Harvard crumbles under pressure from the Trump administration, the rest of Greater Boston's economy could crumble with it.
What to know before you go to The WBUR Festival
From the schedule and lineup to how to get around, here's what you need to know before heading to our big birthday bash from May 29 to May 31.
6 ways to spend your day at the WBUR Festival
The WBUR Festival descends on Boston's Commonwealth Avenue on May 29-31! We’ve curated six festival itineraries based on interests like food, culture, climate and news to help you schedule your...
Economist Paul Krugman on globalization and tariffs
Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman talks about whether President Trump's tariffs signal the end of this prevailing international trade system.
Mount Holyoke College president: 'Colleges are not the enemy'
The Trump administration is cracking down on colleges and universities whose behavior it finds objectionable.