The free event will bring residents and community leaders together for conversations about issues shaping Berks County.
Spotlight PA will host a Berks Ideas Festival on Saturday, Oct. 3, at the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts in Reading.
The festival will bring together residents, community leaders, and experts from across Pennsylvania and beyond to explore solutions to issues shaping Berks County. The day will feature conversations about data center development, the changing landscape of youth sports, urban green space, community cats, and more.
“The Ideas Festival is an opportunity for people across Berks County to connect, learn from one another, and take part in thoughtful conversations about the future of their communities,” said José Joel Delgado-Rivera, General Manager for Spotlight PA Berks. “We hope residents of all ages will join us for a day that is engaging, informative, and fun.”
The festival is open to the public and will run from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The event will also include children’s activities and food trucks during lunch. Attendees may participate in a single session or spend the entire day at the festival. View the complete schedule and register for free at spotlightpa.org/ideasfestival.
A ticketed Community Spotlight Breakfast will precede the free festival from 9 to 10:30 a.m. The breakfast will celebrate inspiring people featured in Spotlight PA’s Community Spotlight series — neighbors whose work is making Berks County a better place to live, work, and do business. Tickets are $50.00 and support Spotlight PA’s mission. Purchase here: zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/united-way-community-spotlight-breakfast.
Event details
What: Spotlight PA’s Berks Ideas Festival
When: Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Where: GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, 201 Washington St., Reading, PA
Cost: Festival programming from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. is free; advance registration is encouraged. View the complete schedule and register for the free festival at spotlightpa.org/ideasfestival.
Before the free programming, the Community Spotlight Breakfast from 9 to 10:30 a.m. is ticketed. Tickets are $50.00 and can be purchased here: zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/united-way-community-spotlight-breakfast.
About Spotlight PA
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism about Pennsylvania state government and urgent statewide issues. Last year, Spotlight PA launched a local news bureau dedicated to serving Reading and Berks County. All articles are available at no cost at spotlightpa.org and are shared with more than 125 news organizations across Pennsylvania. Sign up for Spotlight PA’s free daily (Monday to Friday) email newsletter for Berks County at spotlightpa.org/newsletters/gooddayberks.
