After much deliberation, I have decided to cancel TEDxLancaster 2020. This was not an easy decision. TEDxLancaster was scheduled for September 12th. It is unlikely that large events will be allowed to take place by that date. Even if they are, social distancing will probably still be in effect. The health and safety of our attendees, speakers, volunteers, and venue staff is of the utmost importance. It seems that the experts do not feel there will be a 100% safe environment by this September.

I consulted with my good friends at the Ware Center. They stated that the number of attendees in their Hall would be cut in half, at best, if attendees need to keep a six foot distance from each other. TEDxLancaster events are all about sharing ideas. We highly encourage our attendees to interact with their fellow like-minded attendees. This would be difficult to do given the present climate.

While a “virtual” event was considered, I decided against it. I want members of the community to get a TED-like experience when they attend TEDxLancaster. I consulted with many of my fellow TEDx organizers from around the world, many of which have held virtual events. After getting their feedback, I felt even stronger that an in-person event is more favorable than a virtual event. The magic happens from attending a TEDx event in person. You just don’t get that experience online.

I also want the experience to be memorable for our speakers. Virtual TEDx events have speakers giving their talks in empty venues with nothing more than a livestream camera. That is not the experience I want for them. Speakers feed off the audience, which brings out the emotion and passion of their idea worth spreading.

Please know that this decision did not come lightly. I consulted with dozens of people over several months to come to this difficult decision. I am planning to hold TEDxLancaster 2021 next September. We hope by then that the environment will be safer for large gatherings. In the meantime, I invite you to join one of our TED Circles that we hold each month. They are free and are now taking place online rather than in person. Find out more here. Thank you for your interest in ideas worth spreading and in TEDxLancaster.

Bob Vasile

TEDxLancaster Executive Director