The WBUR Festival: Full Schedule

11:30am EDT

Dying Well

Friday May 30, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm EDT

A bestselling author and a death educator talk about how we reckon with the end of life and what happens when we die.

Sponsored by

Speakers

Robin Young

Co-Host, Here & Now, WBUR

Robin Young brings more than 25 years of broadcast experience to her role as host of Here & Now. She is a Peabody Award-winning documentary filmmaker who has also reported for NBC, CBS and ABC television and for several years was substitute host and correspondent for "The Today S... Read More →

Sebastian Junger

Author

Sebastian Junger is the New York Times bestselling author of Tribe, War, Freedom, A Death in Belmont, Fire, and The Perfect Storm, and codirector of the documentary film Restrepo, which was nominated for an Academy Award. He is also the winner of a Peabody Award and the National... Read More →

Suzanne O'Brien

Founder & CEO, DoulaGivers Institute

Suzanne B. O’Brien, RN is the Founder & CEO of Doulagivers Institute. Her life's mission is to increase access to high quality end of life education and care for patients and families throughout the world. She has developed free resources and trainings for family caregivers and... Read More →

Friday May 30, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm EDT
Dance Theatre 915 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA

Health

1:00pm EDT

Our Homeless Neighbors

Friday May 30, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT

Dance Theatre

A devoted street doctor and the subject of Tracy Kidder’s “Rough Sleepers” shares his experience with a journalist who publishes the work of homeless writers.

In partnership with

Speakers

Dr. Jim O'Connell

President, Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program

Dr. O’Connell graduated summa cum laude from the University of Notre Dame in 1970 and received his master’s degree in theology from Cambridge University in 1972. After graduating from Harvard Medical School in 1982, he completed a residency in Internal Medicine at Massachusetts... Read More →

James Parker

Staff Writer, The Atlantic

James Parker is a staff writer at The Atlantic. Turned On, his 1998 biography of the punk-rock performer Henry Rollins, has been described as “breathlessly brilliant” (New Musical Express) and “a modern-day Pilgrim’s Progress” (Feed.com). He was previously a staff writer for the Boston Phoenix, where he won New England Newspap... Read More →

Friday May 30, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Dance Theatre 915 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA

Health

10:30am EDT

Art in Public

Saturday May 31, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am EDT

Dance Theatre

The head of the new Boston Triennial, a new media artist and WBUR Maker and a designer focused on social justice share their perspectives on the power of public art.

Sponsored by

Speakers

Caleb Hawkins

Design Director, MASARY Studios

Caleb Hawkins is an interdisciplinary designer and creative leader at the intersection of art, technology, and architecture. As Design Director at MASARY Studios, he synthesizes cutting-edge technologies, architectural principles, and artistic vision to create immersive public art... Read More →

Kenneth Bailey

Co-founder, Design Studio for Social Intervention

Kenneth Bailey is the co-founder of the Design Studio for Social Intervention. His interests focus on the research and development of design tools for marginalized communities to address complex social issues. With over three decades of experience in community practice, Bailey brings... Read More →

Kate Gilbert

Artist & Cultural Worker

Kate Gilbert cultivates the critical role the arts and artists play in transforming our cities, our relationships, and ourselves. These investigations manifest in artwork, a curatorial practice, and dedication to expanding the field of public art. As an artist and cultural worker... Read More →

Saturday May 31, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am EDT
Dance Theatre 915 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA

Arts & Culture

12:00pm EDT

Reimagining Boston: Building a Livable, Equitable, Resilient City

Saturday May 31, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm EDT

Dance Theatre

What will it take to create a better Boston for all? Join architect, urban planner and the author of “Idea City,” along with the book’s contributors, for a conversation on shaping Boston’s future. From housing to equity to climate resilience, this trio will explore ways to transform the city.

In partnership with

Speakers

Theodore Landsmark

Professor & Civil Rights Advocate

Ted Landsmark has been a civic planner, civil rights and equity advocate, higher education administrator, arts and culture researcher, and community-engaged social activist in Boston and nationally. He serves on the leadership committee of the Northeastern University Faculty Sen... Read More →

Marie-Frances Rivera

President, Massachusetts Budget & Policy Center

Marie-Frances Rivera is President at the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center. She has held many roles at the organization over the past several years, including Deputy Director, Director of Development and Policy AnalystPrior to joining MassBudget, Marie-Frances was a grantmaker... Read More →

David Gamble

Principal, Gamble Associates & Lecturer in Urban Design, MIT

David Gamble, AIA AICP LEED AP is an architect and urban planner and principal of Gamble Associates, based in Cambridge, MA. He is a Lecturer in Urban Design in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at MIT. David is editor of Idea City (UMass Press, 2022), a collection of essays... Read More →

Saturday May 31, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm EDT
Dance Theatre 915 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA

1:30pm EDT

The Future of Dinner

Saturday May 31, 2025 1:30pm - 2:30pm EDT

Dance Theatre

Global warming is shaping what’s on our plates. Join these culinary changemakers as they explore how a warming world is transforming what we eat — and talk about how we can build a more just and sustainable food system.

In partnership with

Speakers

Alex Pogany

Organics Management Specialist

Alex Pogany got his start as an organic vegetable farmer who created an on-site compost operation as part of a soil fertility plan. Once he noticed the power of compost as a mechanism to divert organics from the landfill, while enhancing soils and recycling nutrients, he switched... Read More →

Neftalí Duran

Co-founder, I-Collective

Neftali Duran is a cook, advocate, educator, and organizer working towards an equitable food system and building a network of indigenous food leaders.He is a Salzburg Global Fellow and cofounder of the I-Collective, an indigenous collective that promotes a healthy food system that... Read More →

Kannan Thiruvengadam

Director, Eastie Farm

Kannan Thiruvengadam grew up in a farming family in southern India where life was inextricably linked with land and agricultural adages were part of everyday parlance. After an early career in technology, he responded to his calling and returned to his agrarian roots.In response to... Read More →

Ang Roell

Founder, They Keep Bees

Ang Roell is the founder of They Keep Bees. Ang co-leads apiary management and designed all elements of TKB’s queen school and online bee school offerings. Ang has studied beekeeping with Treatment Free Beekeeping all-stars like Dee Lusby and Kirk Webster. Ang worked with Sam Comfort... Read More →

Saturday May 31, 2025 1:30pm - 2:30pm EDT
Dance Theatre 915 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA

Climate & Environment, Food & Drink

6:00pm EDT

Whose Woods are These?

Saturday May 31, 2025 6:00pm - 7:00pm EDT

Dance Theatre

Join passionate land stewards for a conversation about the future of our public and private lands, from conservation efforts to outdoor recreation and land ownership.

In partnership with

Saturday May 31, 2025 6:00pm - 7:00pm EDT
Dance Theatre 915 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA

Climate & Environment