Ignite Boulder

I've long been a fan of TED Talks. In fact, when I worked at the Yellin Center, I often tried to watch one during my lunch break if I wasn't too busy, and I went through lots of them while waiting for my jet lag to abate in Israel. Watching fascinating people talk about their ideas is always motivating and exciting. So when my friend Candice described Ignite Boulder as being sort of like TED, I was immediately interested...even though I didn't know what on earth she was talking about.

Ignite Boulder, it turns out, is a quarterly series of talks by locals who volunteer to share information about something they care about. People who want to speak apply, and if they are chosen they prepare a five-minute talk on their topic (which can be just about anything). That's the first big difference between Ignite Boulder and TED: the latter talks can last up to 20 minutes (though many don't), but Ignite Boulder moves at a much quicker pace. Another aspect of Ignite Boulder that's interesting is that visual aids are required. Specifically, each speaker must prepare a slideshow and set it so that the slide changes every 15 seconds. As far as parameters go, that's pretty much it. Several of my friends had been before and all raved, and since the shows always sell out I hurried to get tickets as soon as they went on sale.

We arrived at the event space in Chataqua Park, which, though pleasant, was apparently unusual. Ignite Boulder is typically held in the Boulder Theater downtown. The space was huge and felt like a barn. We settled into our seats and watched the place fill and before long the evening's host took the stage to introduce the event. We learned that this was the 26th Ignite Boulder. After warming up the crowd a bit, the host took his seat and the first speaker stepped up to the lectern.

A terrible picture, but the only one I was able to get.

I enjoyed the evening very much, though some of the talks were, naturally, better than others. One woman talked about her experiences as a movie extra. A man talked about suicide awareness and prevention. We learned about Boulder housing laws, voting, the numerous ties between video games and real life, the impact of mentorships, alternative modes of transportation, the importance of supporting the men and women who serve in the armed forces, weather balloon photography, and gender identity. Some of the talks were funny, some a little boring, and some very moving. Some speakers seemed to have chosen random images that related to their topic which flashed behind them as they spoke, while others choreographed their slideshows to line up perfectly with what they were saying at each moment. There was a brief intermission, and the evening was over before we knew it.
 
It wasn't as sophisticated as some of the events I attended in New York, but Ed and I enjoyed it, and I will certainly attend another Ignite Boulder. I will have to remember that I'm no longer in the city that never sleeps, though. Ed and I planned to have dinner out after the show, and we arrived at a nearby brewery at about 9:10. Although it was essentially a bar on a Thursday night, we were lucky to be handed the late-night menu, as the kitchen was going to close soon. In New York, restaurants would just be getting warmed up...