The cult of TED can sometimes feel self-important and self-congratulatory, and the Portland chapter is no exception. But the speaker curation for the one-day conference is solid every year, and the event is expertly-run. Tickets jumped to $137 this year, but include breakfast, lunch, Salt & Straw, Stumptown Coffee, a commemorative hardcover book, and (usually) some nice swag.

https://www.tedxportland.com