VANCOUVER -- The tickets, at US$8,500 each, are sold out. Lavish hotels have been booked, first-class flights arranged, chauffeurs at beck and call.

With the arrival of TED 2015 in Vancouver in the coming days comes the onslaught of some big-pocketed patrons.

Among them will be Hollywood stars, renowned musicians and tech giants.

While the list of famed speakers is widely known, its roughly 1,000 ticketed attendees are sure to offer a few high-profile surprises.

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CLICK HERE to see photos of TED talk stars in Vancouver, or if using a handheld device, tap the image above and swipe.

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Astronaut Chris Hadfield, singer Sting and geek icon Bill Gates gave TED talks last year, and among the celebrity guests was A-lister Will Smith. The actor was treated to a private dinner at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia with a number of influential speakers and attendees.

This year’s list of more than 70 speakers includes Gates (again), White House intern-turned-social activist Monica Lewinsky, children’s rights activist and 2014 Nobel Peace Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi, Google exec and space jumper Alan Eustace, and iPod creator Tony Fadell, to name a few.

Plans for an exclusive dinner are in the works, according to sources, which is set to take place at a glitzy downtown restaurant. The guest list and location is being kept hush-hush.

TED 2015 runs from March 16-20 at the Vancouver Convention Centre, with the majority of visitors staying within the city core.

Great bars/restaurants for star-spotting downtown include The Prohibition, Gerard Lounge, The Opus, Blue Water Cafe and Cin Cin.

Hotels that may be swarming with famous faces include the Shangri-La, Fairmont Pacific Rim, Sutton Place, The Opus and Rosewood Hotel Georgia.

And if this isn’t enough to get cameras flashing, this month also marks the arrival of some big-name actors as production begins on two large motion pictures.

Filming of Steven Spielberg’s The BFG, based on the Roald Dahl book, is set to begin March 23.

Work also begins that day on Deadpool, starring homegrown hero Ryan Reynolds.

This week also marks the start of filming for JJ Abrams’s latest TV series, Dead People, which will be shooting here until April 7.

And summer heats up Hollywood North, with Star Trek pushing to start filming in June, and a couple of other projects in the works.

But if you’re still bummed about missing out on TED 2015 tickets this year, don’t fret: donor memberships are still available, at a paltry US$17,000 for one year, or a patron membership can be yours for just US$150,000 for five years.

Applications to buy tickets for TED 2016 in Vancouver (Feb. 15-19) are now open, at a price of US$8,500.

Too much? Maybe consider streaming it live from home or watch for free at various locations throughout the city.

kholloway@vancouversun.com

Twitter: @KatyaVanSun

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CLICK HERE to see photos of TED talk stars in Vancouver, or if using a handheld device, tap the image above and swipe.

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MORE RELATED LINKS:

George Clooney kicks back at a Vancouver bar

Where the stars stay when visiting Vancouver

TED 2015 program guide

Stream TED 2015 live: http://tedlive.ted.com/

Watch TED 2015 streamed for free at various locations throughout Vancouver

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