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The purpose of TEDxPhilly was to bring together thinkers and innovators such as Moore to share their ideas in 18-minute presentations. Thursday's event was a local version of the exclusive TED conference, which has drawn big names such as Microsoft's Bill Gates and Google's Larry Page and costs thousands of dollars to attend - if you're lucky enough to get a ticket.
TED - which stands for technology, entertainment and design - began approving TEDx events after videos of TED conference speakers drew millions of viewers to the organization's website. Less than two years after its first event, TEDx has reached every continent. Monday's conference in Berlin was the 1,000th TEDx, according to the TED blog.
While tickets were still hard to come by, TEDxPhilly brought the city's flair to the conference. Musicians showcased avant-garde instruments during intermissions and food trucks lined up on the street.
The presenters came from a variety of backgrounds, but were all rooted in Philadelphia. Victory Brewery Co. co-owner Bill Covaleski spoke about the city's return to homegrown food and drink after decades of relying on processed foods, which he described as a "fake food fad." Simon Hauger challenged traditional education, using his after-school program at West Philadelphia High School as a model. He and a group of West students design energy-efficient cars that have beaten MIT and Cornell in national competitions, even garnering the attention of President Obama.
