I’m off to the IdeaFestival again this year (we are proud media partners), an event founded in 2000. Louisville-based IdeaFestival is a celebration for the intellectually mischievous, an event dedicated to an eclectic network of global thinkers and one-of-a-kind innovators bound together by an intense curiosity about what is impacting and shaping the future of the arts, business, technology, design, science, philosophy and education.
The content of IdeaFestival is as diverse as the network itself – presentations range from discussions about life before life to the existence of parallel universes; from global politics to the philosophy of randomness; from disruptive innovation to living to be 250 and beyond.
As always, it will be held at The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, a beautiful and historic venue that houses artworks by such 20th century masters as Joan Miró, Jean Dubuffet, Louise Nevelson, John Chamberlain and Alexander Calder.
While there will be sessions starting tomorrow September 24, 2013, I won’t be arriving until Wednesday, where in the first morning session Maria Konnikova, who writes the weekly “Literally Psyched” column for Scientific American, will explore the ideas and lessons behind her recent New York Times bestselling book, How to Think like Sherlock Holmes. Through the fictional character of Holmes, she delves into the keys to contemplative reasoning and the path to thinking critically and clearly.
A fun and quirky kick off session bright and early on Thursday morning includes a session by prolific national blogger and author Kevin Smokler who plans to discuss why all those books we were forced to read in high school really weren’t the complete waste of time we all thought.
Also in an early morning session, there will be a mashup on Friday morning (September 26) that will dive into the future from those who will create it. In other words, the connected world. In the last twenty years being digitally connected to the world has gone from part-time luxury to full-time necessity. The current “generation” will be the first generation to grow up where being connected is a common and necessary as water and electricity. A discussion will revolve around how does this shape one’s view of the world? The panel will include middle school and high school age students from across Kentucky as they discuss and imagine life in the near future.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
