Join us at The Argyros July 19-21 | Passes $25 per day

For the second year in a row, the Sun Valley Writers’ Conference (SVWC) will be hosting a Live Watch Party in downtown Ketchum! This July 19-21, we will broadcast select talks from the 2025 Writers’ Conference to the large theater screen at The Argyros Performing Arts Center, with state-of-the-art audio-visuals, air-conditioning, stadium-style seating, special guest appearances, music, and more.

This year, we are thrilled to announce that Typewriter Rodeo will be swinging by the Live Watch Party! This troupe of professional, friendly poets create custom, on-the-spot poems on vintage typewriters. Come see what all the hype is about and get your free poem—a perfect gift item or memento—on Saturday, July 19 from 4:45 – 5:45 PM. We will also have books, beverages, and SVWC gift items available for purchase in the lobby. Passes are $25 per day (no refunds or exchanges)

This event is separate from our free, at-home livestreaming which we will also be offering in 2025. Learn more about our free events at svwc.com/free.

Click the orange button below to purchase passes.

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Schedule of Talks

The below talks are available for viewing during the Live Watch Party. To read more about each talk, please see our Schedule & Program (you can filter in the top right corner by “Live Watch Party at The Argyros” to view only those talks).

Saturday, July 19

12:30 – 1:45 PM | “An Unfinished Love Story” with Doris Kearns Goodwin

2:15 – 3:15 PM | “The Art of Memoir” with Andre Dubus III, Griffin Dunne, and Sloane Crosley

3:45 – 4:45 PM | “The Life and Times of Henry V” with Dan Jones

4:45 – 5:45 PM | SPECIAL EVENT: Typewriter Rodeo will be writing free custom poems in the lobby!

5:30 – 6:30 PM | “Writer in the World” with a special surprise speaker

Sunday, July 20

9:30 – 10:30 AM | “The Paris Novel” with Ruth Reichl

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | “America and the World” with Admiral James Stavridis, Edward Luce, and Jonathan Blitzer

1:30 – 2:30 PM | “The Emperor of Gladness” with Ocean Vuong

3:00 – 4:00 PM | “You Have to See It to Believe It” with the Improvised Shakespeare Company

4:30 – 5:30 PM | “Our Transformative Presidents and How They Changed the Office and the Country” with Doris Kearns Goodwin, Max Boot, and Evan Osnos

Monday, July 21

9:30 – 10:30 AM | “Identity and the Brain: The Story We Tell Ourselves” with Dr. Theodore H. Schwartz

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | “The Friday Afternoon Club” with Griffin Dunne and Todd S. Purdum

1:30 PM – 2:30 PM | “Twist” with Colum McCann

3:00 – 4:00 PM | “From the Heart” with Dr. Vivek H. Murthy

4:30 – 5:30 PM | “Fever Beach” with Carl Hiaasen

ABOUT THE LIVE WATCH PARTY

We developed the Live Watch Party in 2024, due to overwhelming demand for our Full Conference Passes, single event tickets, and other free programs—all of which typically sell out and fill up within minutes. With the additional space provided at the Live Watch Party, we can invite even more of our local community to participate.

It is one of SVWC’s foremost goals to make our Conference and our content as accessible as possible, which is why we are keeping the cost of the Live Watch Party affordable. We offer a variety of ways to join SVWC at various price points, including many free events and programs. The Argyros is also ADA-accessible, which makes it a wonderful option for those who would like to escape the sun and heat (or possible smoky skies), for those who are hearing or visually impaired, or for those who would like to avoid large crowds due to health concerns. The Argyros also provides easy ramped access for anyone with mobility issues.

We hope those who join us at the Live Watch Party feel like they are part of SVWC, gathering with fellow local booklovers to celebrate the written word.

In the words of SVWC Creative Director James Tooley, “We are really excited to offer the Live Watch Party at The Argyros again as a way for people to come together to engage with our content and with each other. We have such a fantastic lineup of presenters this year and we can’t wait to share it with more of our community.”

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“The pricing for the Watch Party is a gift to the community.””

-2025 Live Watch Party Attendee

“I enjoyed the feeling of proximity to the talk that you don’t get on the lawn.””

-2025 Live Watch Party Attendee

“Very easy access for someone with walking disability.”

-2025 Live Watch Party Attendee

“The Argyros Theatre’s incredible visual and audio capabilities make it far easier to see and hear the presenters. I found it preferable to being seated in the Pavilion.”

-2025 Live Watch Party Attendee

“Cool, comfortable, easy to see and listen; coffee in the morning, wine in the late afternoon!”

-2025 Live Watch Party Attendee

“It is a great addition to the Writers Conference! It is generous and kind that you have this option to reach more people!”

-2025 Live Watch Party Attendee