IdeaFestival 2017 Releases Full Agenda and Announces Delta Dental as Presenting Sponsor

Presenters include CNN’s John King, play expert Peter Gray, social entrepreneur Anshu Gupta, musician psychiatrist Richard Kogan, WIRED’s Emily Dreyfuss and more

LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IdeaFestival® 2017, a leading celebration for creative thinkers and the intellectually curious, releases this year’s full agenda and announces Delta Dental as this year’s Presenting Sponsor. The Festival boasts over 20 presenters who will inspire, entertain and promote disruptive idea creation and innovation from Sept. 26th - Sept. 28^th, at The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts. Festival Passes are currently on sale for $249. Festival Pass pricing will increase and Day Passes will be available on September 5^th.

The Festival kicks off on Sept. 26th with Thrivals 10.0, led by Dr. Nat Irvin, professor at the UofL College of Business. IdeaFestival programming runs Sept. 27^th through Sept. 28th.

This powerful event brings together an impressive list of topics presented by emerging and well-known influencers from a variety of disciplines including:

• Polarization: A View from the Front Lines, with John King – CNN National Correspondent and anchor of Inside Politics.
• Unleashing the Power of Play - Peter Gray, American psychologist and professor at Boston College who explores how play makes children happier, more self-reliant and better learners for life. In partnership with Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest.
• The Trash-Based Economy of the Future - Anshu Gupta, 2017 Curry-Stone Design Prize Social Change Circle Honoree, Indian social entrepreneur and founder of Goonj, a Delhi-based non-governmental organization.
• The Age of Disruption, with Emily Dreyfuss – Senior Writer at WIRED who covers the intersection of technology, society and culture.
• The Art of Food as Medicine - Timothy Harlan, physician, chef and director of the Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine at Tulane University.
• Visual and Transmedia Artist Lars Jan – Founder of a genre-bending performance + art lab which explores emerging technologies, live audiences and unclassifiable experience. In partnership with artwithoutwalls.
• Humans and the Planet: An Unnatural History - Scott Hotaling, biologist studying the effects of global climate change.
• The Mind and Music of Chopin - Richard Kogan, Julliard-trained concert pianist and Harvard Medical School psychiatrist.
• The Cyberpunk Future is Coming for You - Rudy Rucker, mathematician, computer scientist and founder of the cyberpunk science fiction movement.
• The Science and Engineering of Whiskey - Eric Simanek, Chemistry and Biochemistry professor studying the science of whiskey.
• Beyond Pain and Horror: Rebuilding a Future - William Kellibrew, international advocate against violence and for civil, human, women, children and victims’ rights.
• To Innovate: Start at Crazy - The Rise Group, high-energy team that focuses on high speed innovation, execution and the mechanics of big ideas.
• Ideas On The Edge - Artists Ann Carlson and John Ewing, Carmen Montoya and Christopher Robbins of Ghana ThinkTank. In partnership with Creative Capital.
• Taste: The Culinary Artists of the Region – IdeaFestival’s signature food and networking experience will be held Sept. 27th at Copper & Kings.

Delta Dental of Kentucky's Chief Operating Officer, Tammy York Day, shared "We are very excited to be the Presenting Sponsor of IdeaFestival again this year. IF shares our core values of innovation, community and integrity, and this is a great opportunity to partner with an event that promotes innovative thinking that can position us to take our organizations to the next level of relevance."

Visit ideafestival.com to learn more about 2017 confirmed presenters and to purchase your Festival Pass. Follow us @ideafestival and #IF17 to get the latest updates on speakers, sessions and other events.

Stay Curious™- Stay Relevant