Dear OZY Tribe,

I write to you with a heart that’s both disappointed and grateful — and a head that’s reflective, optimistic and brimming with ideas.

This weekend, the City of New York canceled all large outdoor events, including the fourth annual OZY Fest, as a historic heat wave swept the U.S. We were looking forward to bringing together 100,000 people over two days in Central Park for the summer’s most interactive festival of ideas. But in the end, amid warnings of the hottest New York day in seven years, health and safety had to come first.

OZY Fest epitomizes what OZY is bringing to the world. What started as a small idea four years ago grew into an utterly original blend of thought leadership, music, food, comedy and entrepreneurship from across the spectrum. It’s a space to meet new people, engage with world-renowned guests and get smarter in unique ways.

This year was to feature our most amazing lineup yet:

  • Bold ideas from Megan Rapinoe, Malcolm Gladwell, Stacey Abrams and Sean Spicer

  • Comedy from Trevor Noah and Ronnie Chieng

  • Cooking from Padma Lakshmi and Rachael Ray

  • 2020 vision from Beto O’Rourke, Kirsten Gillibrand and John Kasich

  • Music from John Legend, Miguel and Tove Lo

  • Business acumen from Mark Cuban and Thasunda Duckett

Now we’re working with the City of New York to bring OZY Fest back this fall. We’ll be sure to keep you all informed.

I wanted to mention two other things before I sign off.

No. 1: Thank you. The support we’ve received from the Tribe has been extraordinary; here’s a glimpse:

  • “Bravo to everyone affiliated with @OZYFest — You all have handled this with such care and humanity! We appreciate you so much, and we’ll stay curious. Missing you so much this weekend, but it’ll make our reunion in the fall that much sweeter♥️💭✨👊🏽” ~ Kara

  • “Canceling because of the heat? That’s a tough one. S/O to the organizers of @OZYFest for doing the right thing and taking it on the chin. Never wish bad weather on any event.” ~ Wes Jackson

  • “Super bummed, but what a beautiful message. Thank you and see you in the fall 🙏⭕️🙏⭕️” ~ Brooklynbugs

And No. 2: The weekend’s events have made us even more thoughtful about a bunch of issues, including climate change. Starting tomorrow, we’ll be launching a new series on climate change and mental health called Mind Melt. For now, you can discover some of OZY’s best coverage of climate change here.

Be safe, stay well and keep cool.

Carlos

Carlos Watson
OZY CEO and Co-founder