We’re two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, and so much has changed. We have vaccines, we’ve grown accustomed to virtual ways of staying connected, we mask up and we have learned safe practices to prevent spreading disease. But we are still living in a world where COVID is a presence in our daily lives. Some of us are feeling vaxxed, rested and ready to go out. And some of us are still relying on best practices to stay safe and stay home. Either way, this year's Crosscut Festival will be ready for you.
At the Crosscut Festival, speakers from across the nation and around the region will join us to consider issues in politics, social justice, the economy, science, the environment, innovation and much more. The festival will include three days of virtual panels and interviews from May 4 to 6, two exciting nights of in-person keynote talks at Town Hall Seattle on May 7 and a day of in-person events on the Seattle University campus on May 7.
Our virtual and Town Hall sessions will tackle issues affecting the nation and the world at large, while the in-person sessions at Seattle University will include conversations with leaders and luminaries from around the Northwest. To ensure the safety of those who attend our in-person sessions, we will require proof of vaccination along with an ID. If you are not vaccinated, we welcome you to join our virtual conversations. In-person events will not be streamed live, though some will appear on KCTS 9 and our Crosscut Talks podcast series in the weeks following the festival.
All virtual sessions will be free, and any ticket you buy to the festival will include access to all virtual sessions. So, if you choose our free “Virtual Only” ticket option, you will have access only to our virtual sessions, May 4 to 6. To attend a festival event in-person, you have several à la carte options. We do not have combination tickets available this year, so we recommend individual purchases for the events you would like to attend.
The “Saturday Keynote” ticket is $40 and includes general admission to the Saturday keynote event taking place on May 7 at Town Hall Seattle. And, of course, the ticket also includes access to all virtual sessions.
Our “Saturday Day” ticket is $25 and includes general admission to events taking place at Seattle University on May 7. And, you guessed it, the ticket also includes access to all virtual sessions.
Looking to buy one package? The “VIP” ticket is $100 and includes access to Friday and Saturday keynotes at Town Hall Seattle, Saturday daytime activities at Seattle University and all virtual sessions. It also includes priority access lines at Town Hall and Seattle University, priority seating at Town Hall, a copy of a book by one of our keynote speakers and an invitation to the VIP reception.
If you are a member of Cascade Public Media (KCTS 9/Crosscut), you will also receive access to special benefits at the Crosscut Festival, including priority access lines and a members-only lunch at Seattle University on Saturday, May 7. Want to sign up to be a member? Choose "Become a Member" when you purchase tickets to receive these benefits and more.
There are still more ways to attend the Crosscut Festival. We are hosting the black-tie optional Headliners Gala on Saturday, April 30, to kick off the festival. And we are always looking for volunteers to assist with the Crosscut Festival and Headliners Gala. Please visit our volunteer page if you're interested in volunteering; volunteers can attend Crosscut Festival sessions free outside of their volunteer hours.
For more information about our ticket options or to purchase tickets, please visit our website. And our FAQ page is also a great resource of information about attending the festival.
UPDATE: Due to the health and comfort of attendees, we have decided to move our in person events at Seattle U to virtual sessions. For questions or additional information please reach out to events@kcts9.org.
