The Atlantic Festival Announces Full Agenda and Evening Programming
August 1, 2023
The Atlantic is today announcing the complete agenda, evening programming, and additional speakers for the 15th annual Atlantic Festival, taking place on Thursday, September 28, and Friday, September 29, at The Wharf in Washington, D.C. Newly announced are interviews with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, former Representative and 2024 Republican presidential candidate Will Hurd, former Representative Gabby Giffords, and Mira Murati, the chief technology officer of OpenAI; a night of live storytelling with Oscar-, Emmy-, and Peabody-winning filmmaker Spike Lee, in conversation with Atlantic contributing writer Jemele Hill; and the debut of Netflix’s forthcoming docuseries Big Vape: The Rise and Fall of Juul, followed by a conversation featuring the series’s director and renowned documentarian, R.J. Cutler.
In-person and virtual passes are available now, and the full event agenda is posted on the festival’s website. Press should request a credential by emailing press@theatlantic.com.
This year’s festival will be an unparalleled exploration of the most significant issues of our time—with dozens of events addressing the state of global democracy, happiness and building a more considered life, AI regulation across industries, the climate crisis, race and racism in America, book banning, and governing in times of division.
The agenda, out now in full, features interviews on the Ideas Stage with the individuals announced above, along with Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi in conversation with The Atlantic’s editor in chief Jeffrey Goldberg; actor, producer, and activist Kerry Washington in conversation with staff writer Clint Smith; Representative Joaquin Castro interviewed by staff writer Caitlin Dickerson; secretary of the Smithsonian Institution Lonnie G. Bunch III; writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie; Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania; Governor Spencer Cox of Utah; and Russell Moore, the editor in chief of Christianity Today.
New this year is an In Pursuit of Happiness forum led by Arthur C. Brooks, who writes The Atlantic’s “How to Build a Life” column, with Cheryl Strayed, author of Tiny Beautiful Things, and psychiatrist Robert Waldinger; book talks with Jake Tapper about his new thriller, All the Demons Are Here, and Lauren Groff about her new book, The Vaster Wilds; a live taping of Radio Atlantic, the relaunched weekly podcast, with host and senior editor Hanna Rosin; and an event with Women of Washington bringing together women from the administration, Congress, and the media.
The Atlantic is also releasing its evening lineup, exclusively for in-person ticket holders. On Thursday night, Netflix will debut its new documentary series Big Vape: The Rise and Fall of Juul, directed by R. J. Cutler, followed by a conversation with Cutler and Jamie Ducharme, a Time correspondent and author of the book on which the docuseries is based. Big Vape is produced by Amblin Television, This Machine (a part of Sony Pictures Television), and Time Studios. On Friday night, join a live storytelling session with filmmaker Spike Lee, who will be in conversation with Atlantic contributing writer Jemele Hill. The wide-ranging conversation will explore the personal and professional experiences that shaped Lee’s prolific career, the intersection of art and activism, and much more. Both evening events will take place on the District Pier.
The 2023 Atlantic Festival is made possible through the generous support of Presenting Level Underwriters Leaps by Bayer, Pfizer, and Southern Company; Supporting Level Underwriter Allstate; and Contributing Level Underwriters AHIP, Barbour, Boston Consulting Group, City of Hope, Eli Lilly and Company, Genentech, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and Visit Seattle.
The Atlantic Festival
September 28–29, 2023
The Wharf, D.C., and Virtually
For Passes: https://theatlanticfestival.com
