The WBUR Festival: Full Schedule

4:00pm EDT

A Perfect Pairing: Lessons in Leadership

Thursday May 29, 2025 4:00pm - 6:00pm EDT

A renowned chef and a world-class conductor share insights from their years leading creative talent. Refreshments to be served.

Doors at 4:00 p.m. Event at 5:00 p.m.

Separate ticket required.

Speakers

Tiziana Dearing

Host, Morning Edition, WBUR

Tiziana Dearing is the host of WBUR’s Morning Edition. Prior to helping listeners start the morning with news from around the corner and around the world, Tiziana hosted Radio Boston, WBUR’s daily local magazine, for five years.Tiziana came to journalism after a career that... Read More →

Eric Ripert

Chef & Co-Owner, Le Bernardin

Eric Ripert is the Chef and Co-Owner of the acclaimed restaurant Le Bernardin. It has been ranked among the best restaurants in the world and in 2023 ranked No.1 on the annual list of "La Liste". It holds the maximum ratings of four stars from The New York Times for over three decades... Read More →

Keith Lockhart

Conductor, The Boston Pops

On May 10, 1995, Keith Lockhart, the 20th Conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra, opened his very first Boston Pops season, leading a concert featuring guests Sylvia McNair, Mandy Patinkin, and Doc Severinsen, and repertoire ranging from Wagner to “Charlie on the MTA.” He was... Read More →

Thursday May 29, 2025 4:00pm - 6:00pm EDT
WBUR CitySpace 890 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA

Arts & Culture, Food & Drink

10:00am EDT

Amicus

Friday May 30, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am EDT

WBUR CitySpace

LIVE PODCAST TAPING
A podcast about the law and the nine Supreme Court justices who interpret it for the rest of America.

In partnership with

Friday May 30, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
WBUR CitySpace 890 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA

Live podcast taping, Politics

11:30am EDT

Is Business Broken?

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

WBUR CitySpace

LIVE PODCAST TAPING
A special episode on AI safety and regulation. The Is Business Broken? podcast, produced by the Ravi K. Mehrotra Institute for Business, Markets & Society at BU Questrom School of Business, features conversations about the role of business in society with perspectives from academia, industry and the public sector.

This is a special session produced by our sponsor, The Mehrota Institute.

Sponsored by:

Speakers

Curt Nickisch

Senior Editor, The Harvard Business Review

Curt Nickisch is the Senior Editor of The Harvard Business Review.

Friday May 30, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm EDT
WBUR CitySpace 890 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA

Live podcast taping, Business

2:30pm EDT

On Point

Friday May 30, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT

WBUR CitySpace

LIVE PODCAST TAPING
This will be a bonus episode of On Point’s landmark series, “Falling Behind: The Miseducation of America’s Boys.” Boston’s first Chief Behavioral Health Officer shares his insights on why boys behave the way they do and what they need.

Speakers

Meghna Chakrabarti

Host, On Point, WBUR

Meghna Chakrabarti is the award-winning host and editor of On Point. Based in Boston, she is on the air Monday through Friday.On Point has been frequently recognized for excellence in journalism under Meghna's leadership.Chakrabarti is the former host of Radio Boston, WBUR’s acclaimed... Read More →

Dr. Kevin Simon

Chief Behavioral Health Officer, City of Boston & Pediatric Addiction Medicine Psychiatrist, Boston Children's Hospital

Dr. Kevin M. Simon is the City of Boston’s inaugural Chief Behavioral Health Officer, leading and advising on mental health strategies through the Boston Public Health Commission. A triple board-certified psychiatrist and physician-scientist at Boston Children’s Hospital, he is... Read More →

Friday May 30, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
WBUR CitySpace 890 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA

Live podcast taping, Health

5:30pm EDT

Design Matters

Friday May 30, 2025 5:30pm - 6:30pm EDT

WBUR CitySpace

LIVE PODCAST TAPING
A deep dive into how a leading scholar, poet, and advocate for AI justice designs her life.

Sponsored by

Speakers

Dr. Joy Buolamwini

Founder, Algorithmic Justice League & Poet of Code

Dr. Joy Buolamwini is a computer scientist and poet of code who uses art and research to illuminate the social implications of artificial intelligence. She founded the Algorithmic Justice League to create a world with more equitable and accountable technology. Her TED Featured ... Read More →

Debbie Millman

Host, Design Matters

Debbie Millman is the host of Design Matters, one of the first and longest running podcasts in the world. She is also Chair of the first-ever Masters in Branding Program at the School of Visual Arts, Editorial Director of PrintMag.com, an Executive Fellow at the Harvard Business School... Read More →

Friday May 30, 2025 5:30pm - 6:30pm EDT
WBUR CitySpace 890 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA

Live podcast taping, Arts & Culture

12:00pm EDT

Atlas Obscura

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

WBUR CitySpace

LIVE PODCAST TAPING
Explore hidden wonders and extraordinary places — from the other side of the world to the forgotten corners of your own backyard. Curiosity required, passport optional.

In partnership with

Speakers

Dylan Thuras

Co-founder, Atlas Obscura

Dylan Thuras is the Co-Founder of Atlas Obscura, the co-author of the Atlas Obscura book, and the host of the AO Youtube series 100 Wonders.

Saturday May 31, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm EDT
WBUR CitySpace 890 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA

Live podcast taping

1:30pm EDT

Sing for Science with Josh Ritter & Avi Loeb

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

WBUR CitySpace

LIVE PODCAST TAPING
The singer-songwriter and a Harvard astrophysicist will join Sing for Science host Matt Whyte for a live recording that blends music, storytelling and cosmic curiosity.

Sponsored by

Speakers

Avi Loeb

Astrophysicist, Harvard University

Abraham (Avi) Loeb is the Frank B. Baird, Jr., Professor of Science at Harvard University and a bestselling author (in lists of the New York Times,Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, Die Zeit, Der Spiegel, L'Express and more). He received a PhD in Physics from the Hebrew University... Read More →

Josh Ritter

Musician & Author

One of today’s most thoughtful and prolific voices, Josh Ritter has released ten studio albums including 2019’s widely acclaimed, Fever Breaks, of which NPR Music praised, “He remains a hydrant of ideas while embodying an endless capacity for empathy and indignation, often within... Read More →

Matt Whyte

Host, Sing for Science

Sing for Science is an award winning, Top 10 Music Interview Podcast on Apple’s charts where musicians talk about science with scientists, scholars, and science journalists. Past episodes include Korn front man Jonathan Davis and science writer Mary Roach on mortuary science, SIA... Read More →

Saturday May 31, 2025 1:30pm - 2:30pm EDT
WBUR CitySpace 890 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA

Live podcast taping, Arts & Culture

3:00pm EDT

Decoder Ring

Saturday May 31, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm EDT

WBUR CitySpace

LIVE PODCAST TAPING
This show takes a cultural question, object or habit; examines its history; and tries to figure out what it means and why it matters.

In partnership with

Speakers

Willa Paskin

Host, Decoder Ring, Slate

Willa Paskin is the host of the Decoder Ring podcast. She previously worked at Salon and Vulture. She is a graduate of the University of Chicago.

Saturday May 31, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
WBUR CitySpace 890 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA

Live podcast taping

4:30pm EDT

Vibe Check

Saturday May 31, 2025 4:30pm - 5:30pm EDT

WBUR CitySpace

LIVE PODCAST TAPING
This experience will feel like your favorite group chat come to life, as the hosts explore what’s going on in news and culture and how it all feels.

In partnership with

Speakers

Vibe Check

Podcast, SiriusXM

A weekly podcast where Sam Sanders, Saeed Jones, and Zach Stafford make sense of what’s going on in news and culture – and how it all feels. Vibe Check is your favorite group chat, come to life.

Saturday May 31, 2025 4:30pm - 5:30pm EDT
WBUR CitySpace 890 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA

Live podcast taping

6:00pm EDT

The Crossword Show

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

WBUR CitySpace

While the guest solves a crossword live on stage, you’ll follow Sherwin down rabbit holes of comedy, music, wordplay and trivia. Be ready for a grand finale that promises to be astonishing. No crossword expertise required!

Speakers

Meghna Chakrabarti

Host, On Point, WBUR

Zach Sherwin

Host, The Crossword Show

Zach Sherwin is a Los Angeles-based comedian and the creator and host of The Crossword Show, in which a panel of comedians and other luminaries solves a crossword puzzle live onstage. His writing for the web series “Epic Rap Battles of History” has received numerous Emmy and Streamy... Read More →

Saturday May 31, 2025 6:00pm - 7:00pm EDT
WBUR CitySpace 890 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA

Experience