From Feb 29th-March 1st, the year's most prominent event for sound and storytelling is coming back to Brooklyn's Wythe Hotel, and I'd love to know if you'd like to join us. Described as the Sundance of Audio and "the Coachella of podcast festivals" (Fast Company), On Air Fest is pulling out the stops for 2024, bringing together the eclectic vanguard of those shaping both the present and future of podcasting. From Seth Meyers to Serial, Laurie Anderson to The Lemon Twigs, Malcolm Gladwell to Norah Jones, exclusives first listens to unprecedented live performances, each day will fill five different spaces and stages with media powerhouses, emerging new voices, visionary thinkers and intrepid musicians, pushing the medium far beyond the limits of our personal listening devices.
Thursday, Feb 29
Hosted by Avery Trufelman, Creator of Radiotopia's Articles of Interest. Main Hall sessions from Serial co-creators Sarah Koenig and Julie Snyder, Laurie Anderson in conversation with radio legends The Kitchen Sisters, Fresh Air co-host Tonya Mosley's exclusive first listen of her new limited series, She Has A Name, an interactive edition of The Allusionist with host Helen Zaltzman, a panel about politics in podcasting from The Weeds' Jonquilyn Hill, Swati Sharma (Editor-in-Chief, Vox), Astead Herndon (Co-Host, The New York Times' The Run-Up) and Kate Shaw (Co-Host, Crooked Media's Strict Scrutiny), and an early look at season two of Audible's Hot White Heist. In the Podcast Penthouse will be live tapings of Sheroes with host Carmel Holt and Norah Jones, Talkhouse Podcast with musicians The Lemon Twigs and Adam Green, Sing For Science with neuroscientist Bevil Conway and musician Sid Sriram, and Weight For It with host Ronald Young Jr.
Friday, March 1
Hosted by Vulture Critic, Nick Quah. Main Hall sessions include a live taping of Design Matters with Debbie Millman, a conversation from Seth Meyers & Josh Meyers about their new podcast, Family Trips with the Meyers Brothers (moderated by Dan Taberski), a wide-ranging interview between 2024 Audio Vanguard Award recipient Malcolm Gladwell and Gretta Cohn (CEO, Pushkin Industries), Freakonomics host Stephen Dubner in a conversation with Hot Pod's Ariel Shapiro, and the first look at WBUR's brand new series, Beyond All Repair. The Podcast Penthouse will showcase Decoder Ring and host Willa Paskin, plus live tapings of Switched on Pop with hosts Charlie Harding and Nate Sloan, reality dating show Hang Up!, and Dungeons & Dragons podcast Join The Party.
Feb 29 + March 1
Both days will include group listening experiences with Audio Flux, happy hours and performances in the iHeartPodcasts Theater, a creator space with ESPN 30 for 30 where producers can pitch podcast ideas and interact with editors, and the Now On Netflix Lounge, a takeover of Bar Blondau with skyline views and networking + hospitality.