THE 2020 CITIES WE WILL VISIT VIA THE WRLDCTY FESTIVAL
THE 2020 CITIES WE WILL VISIT VIA THE WRLDCTY FESTIVAL
As a lifelong resident of New York, I find it unsettling to see once-vibrant sections of theaters, comedy clubs, hotels, and movie theaters covered in paper or board, promoting events starting in March 2020 as though they’re stuck in a time warp. In recent months, COVID has cleared the city’s streets, leading some fair-weather residents to declare that “NYC is dead.” (Don’t worry—Jerry Seinfeld defended the city.) Though it’s a bit absurd to think that a city as dynamic as New York—or London, Paris, or Tokyo—could genuinely “die” short of nuclear war or a revolution, some areas of the city, like Midtown Manhattan, which is usually a hub for nightlife, white-collar industry, and culture, do appear to be hibernating. Yes, that can be unsettling for the never-sleeping city.THE 2020 CITIES WE WILL VISIT VIA THE WRLDCTY FESTIVAL
But look beyond the financial centers or traditional downtowns and you’ll see late-night parties in the parks (on a Sunday, no less). Same for Paris, where its locals are reveling in a city free(er) of tourists. Tokyo’s biggest attractions are empty, and that might be a good thing.
Could COVID prompt a reset of great urban centers around the world? How will they rebound from this pandemic, and how can we continue to support the cities we love from far away? There’s one easy way to start: This October 22–24, the WRLDCTY Festival, a first-of-its-kind virtual event, will bring together urbanists, entrepreneurs, DJs, authors, and artists for a three-day, round-the-clock celebration of cities.
Producer Resonance Consultancy Inc. expects roughly 10,000 people to attend, given the appetite for engaging with cities (somehow) right now. “We may not be traveling to other cities, but the planet’s urban centers are still innovating, growing and evolving, now more than ever amidst the pandemic,” says Resonance Consultancy president and CEO Chris Fair. “We wanted to unite this global community of citizens and creative nomads, activists and artists, entrepreneurs, students, planners and policy makers from around the world to explore, create and celebrate the best of urban life.”
Across three stages and six hubs—London, Singapore, Los Angeles, Toronto, New York, and Hong Kong—big names in urban development will lead conversations about the future of our cities: design, economies, culture, you name it. Meanwhile, musicians and artists, from Chicago to Tel Aviv, will livestream or record performances and all are welcome. No matter what time zone you’re in, you could log on to the Experience Stage and join things like:
- An early-access tour of the new Academy Museum of the art and science of movies (possibly led by museum board member Tom Hanks!) before it opens to the public in spring 2021 in Los Angeles
- A livestream from Badaboum Club in Paris
- DJ sets at landmarks and down backstreets of Montreal
- A cocktail-making session with Jonathan Kahn, who designed the drinks program for Time Out Market in Chicago
A $25 ticket also gets access to everything on the Experience Stage as well as the City Stage, site of panels, keynote talks, and fireside chats. There will be a lot of big ideas shared by leaders in urban innovation that—hopefully, ideally–will shape the future of our cities. Richard Florida, author of The Rise of the Creative Class and The New Urban Crisis, will join a panel discussion on hot topic “This Is Not the End of Cities,” while former Toronto mayor and climate change specialist David Miller will dig into “How the World’s Great Cities Are Fighting the Climate Crisis.”
We’re also interested in joining chats about “Design for Distancing” (inner tube restaurants?!), the future of “Music Festivals in Urban Public Spaces,” and the notion of “The 15-Minute City,” or “la ville du quart d’heure,” a concept developed by Sorbonne professor Carlos Moreno that says “residents can fulfill their typical daily needs for goods, services, and recreation within a 15-minute reach on foot or by bike,” per WRLDCTY organizers.
A Pro Pass for $99 gives anyone who wants to wonk out on the topic or develop professional connections to network and attend live Q&As with experts. AFAR (as a media partner) will also host a panel—we hope to see you there.
THE 2020 CITIES WE WILL VISIT VIA THE WRLDCTY FESTIVAL
READ ALSO: LEARN ABOUT THE WORLD WITH LEGO