TEDxFondduLac Inaugural Event a Tremendous Success

Six hours after tickets for the first TEDxFondduLac event went on sale, all were sold out, showing to organizers of this inaugural experience that Fond du Lac has been waiting for this event to occur.

On Saturday, August 19, TEDxFondduLac, an independently organized event in the spirit of the TED Conferences mission of “Ideas worth spreading”, showcased 14 speakers across a variety of platforms and demographics to provide a unique experience to the 100 attendees in the audience. The theme for the event, Fear Forward, struck a chord with attendees as some were emotionally moved by Talks related to ageism, inequality, and standing up for yourself in the face of adversity. Levity was offered, though, in the form of Talks that discussed emojis and the impact they have on the world and how taking up a hobby could make someone a more rounded individual.

“Our team took the approach of making a bold statement and not shying away from tough topics for our first event, and I believe we succeeded” stated Sarah Spang, founder and lead organizer. “The outpouring of support attendees had for the volunteers, organizing team, and of course for the speakers exceeded all of our expectations. Attendees having conversations with speakers, and each other, happened organically as everyone learned from one another and traded ideas as to how they were impacted by what they just heard.”

“I can’t thank the entire TEDxFondduLac team enough for all the hard work and hours they voluntarily put into bringing this event to downtown Fond du Lac for the first time,” continued Spang. She added that she has been asked if another event will happen in 2018.“I already applied to renew our license, so absolutely, we’re in the works of bringing TEDxFondduLac back.”

All Talks from this event were photographed and filmed in adherence with the TED-granted license. Videos are currently in the process of being edited and will be available in the upcoming weeks online for the world to view.

A TEDx event is organized independently of any other event, organization, or other affiliation in the spirit of TED conferences (Technology, Entertainment, and Design). This volunteer-driven initiative, operated under a license granted by the TED organization, combined live speakers and official TED videos, as well as an interactive environment, to challenge the thinking of all those who attend. More about this initiative can also be found at www.TEDxFondduLac.com and its Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/tedxfonddulac.