Meeting people, especially at the opening reception. There’s no other place you can go to get this kind of total immersion in Rand’s life-flourishing ideas with over 500 rational, cool, like-minded people from around the world. It was a real spiritual boost for me!
Get excited! Objectivist Summer Conference 2018 will take place in beautiful Newport Beach, California, June 30–July 5.
The conference celebrates the 75th anniversary of Ayn Rand’s bestselling novel The Fountainhead and how its themes of independence and integrity continue to resonate with readers of all ages. Take part in this one-of-a-kind event that offers the unique experience of attending intellectually stimulating sessions with people who share your deepest values.
Harry Binswanger will give a course titled Logic, covering material similar to chapters six and seven of his book How We Know. There will be an arts course with talks on poetry, film music scores and architecture. Among the talks by businessmen, we’ll have Lars Christensen discussing the influence Ayn Rand has had on him and his business career as well as Tal Tsfany—ARI’s CEO designate—and Dakin Sloss discussing Rand’s influence on their respective careers and lives.
For speakers and events, see Program. A few additional speakers, meals and programming will be added in the weeks to come, so check back often.
A limited number of guest room reservations are available. Our room block is almost full.
Students: ARI has reserved a limited number of rooms exclusively for students at the conference hotel, which we will assign on a first-come basis. These rooms can only be booked through ARI. You do not have to stay in a student room, but if you do stay in a student room, you must have a roommate and your roommate must be another student registrant. (Exceptions may be granted at ARI’s discretion, on a case-by-case basis.) Contact students@aynrand.org to request a student room.
We hope you’ll join us! Registration is now open.
Refer a friend who’s never attended OCON and receive a $25 Amazon gift card if he or she attends OCON 2018! Ask your friend to name you when registering, and we’ll reward you after the conference.
Cannot make it to OCON but would like to support students attending the conference? Give a contribution to show your support. (Be sure to write “OCON student scholarships” under Additional Comments.)
Pretty phenomenal that so many people are coming together in the name of rational thinking.
Click above for more information on Speakers/Schedule.
Having time to reconnect with friends and to be reminded of values worth fighting for.
For me, it’s the social aspect. It’s absolutely exhilarating to be surrounded by so many people who share the same passion for ideas.
Our host hotel for OCON 2018 is Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa. Since all the conference events will be held there, it would be most convenient for you to stay there too, but there is no obligation to do so.
Surround yourself in luxury and enjoy easy access to some of California’s most pristine beaches and affluent areas, including Corona del Mar; popular attractions such as Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve and Balboa Island; and premier shopping and dining at Fashion Island.
A limited number of guest room reservations are available. You can reserve online or call 877-622-3056 and mention OCON to get our group rate. Group rates start at $135.
Students: ARI has reserved a limited number of rooms exclusively for students at the conference hotel at the $135 rate, which we will assign on a first-come basis. These rooms can only be booked through ARI. You do not have to stay in a student room, but if you do stay in a student room, you must have a roommate and your roommate must be another student registrant. (Exceptions may be granted at ARI’s discretion, on a case-by-case basis.) Contact students@aynrand.org to request a student room.
All the general sessions were inspiring and interesting. Seeing individuals who are passionate about how they are spending their lives was great.
Absolutely! Some of the content is designed for those new to Ayn Rand’s ideas.
Not at all. Every year there are dozens of first-time attendees. There are receptions and other social events where you can mingle with other attendees. We have attendees from all walks of life, from students to retirees, from first-timers to people who have been to every conference for the past thirty years.
OCON speakers are happy to make themselves available for discussion outside their classes. But please remember that they also need time to relax! Feel free to approach speakers with questions, but please be polite and nonintrusive.
One of the best ways to interact with other attendees before the conference is to join the OCON Facebook group. There, you can chat with other attendees about their plans for the conference. You can also follow OCON on Twitter for general conference updates.
We have a YouTube playlist of videos recorded at recent OCONs here. Also, many of our past conference talks and courses are available in MP3 format at the Ayn Rand Institute eStore.
The conference days have a mix of talks and panels. We have special programming designed for students as well as programming suitable for all attendees. The Day and Week Passes allow you to choose which days you want to attend and give you access to all the programming offered on those days. If you plan to leave early or arrive late to the conference, purchase a Day Pass for the day(s) you’ll be attending. If you plan to stay for the entire conference, purchase the Week Pass. With both passes, you don’t have to decide ahead of time which events to attend—simply show up and take advantage of everything offered.
Student pricing is available to current students only, and attendance at student events may be required to receive the discounted student pricing. Exceptions may be granted for unique circumstances (e.g., one is returning to school after an absence but not yet a current student). Contact us if you have a question about your eligibility.
Look under the Program.
The Week Pass gives you the best price if you plan to attend the entire conference. You gain access to all the programming offered throughout the conference and can take advantage of any of the talks, panels and other events offered each day. You don’t have to pay for individual talks nor do you have to decide ahead of time what you will attend. Simply show up and see what strikes your interest! The Day Pass allows you to attend most events on any single day. If you cannot attend the entire conference, this is the best option for you. Meals are not included in the Day Pass but can be bought separately, as can any meals not included in your Week Pass.
Meal registration is not included in the Day or Week Pass, but you can register separately for the meals you’d like to attend when they are made available in the spring of 2018. The Opening Reception will be on June 30 and the Closing Reception, Dinner and Dance on July 5. Lunches will be added to the schedule later.
Absolutely! You can leave a few days early, arrive a few days late or come only for a few days in the middle. Every year we have many attendees who can only stay for part of the conference. The new Day Pass makes it easier than ever to attend only part of OCON.
We are not offering the option of attending single talks or events at this year’s OCON. We recommend that you buy a Day Pass and hope you can take the time to attend several talks or other events on that day.
We are planning to offer livestreaming. More details later.
There is a discount for young adults twenty-nine and under as of June 15, 2018, for full-time students of any age with a valid student ID, and for anyone planning to attend the entire conference. For details, see Registration.
Additional passes can be purchased at any time. If you want to change the dates you are attending, but plan on staying the same total number of days, you can make these changes at any time until June 24, 2018.
If you registered between June 14 and 20, 2017:
If you cannot attend all the days you purchased passes for, you should cancel your passes as soon as possible to obtain the largest refund. Passes can be canceled at any time before or during the conference, but you will not receive a refund after April 30, 2018.
The Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa is our conference hotel and it would be most convenient to stay there. Summer conference attendees get a generous discount on their room at the Marriot, and we encourage you to take advantage of these savings. However, you are under no obligation to do so.
We are happy to help you find a roommate. Please call 800.365.6552, ext. 239, or email info@objectivistconferences.com to inquire about how we can help you. You can also inquire about roommates on the OCON Facebook page.
There may be a charge. The Marriott offers top-tier guestroom Internet access and other amenities at a daily charge.
You can take an airport shuttle, Uber or taxi from the airport. The closest airport is Orange County/Santa Ana/John Wayne (SNA).
OCON meeting rooms are on the first floor. We will have signs directing you to conference events. Also, when you first check in at our Attendee Services on the first floor, you will receive a program that contains complete conference information, including a guide and map showing where the events are taking place.
Staff will have bright yellow/goldenrod ribbons attached to their nametags. Feel free to talk to any of us!
OCON has a strict no-solicitation policy. All of our attendees are there to learn and enjoy themselves and should not be approached for funding, employment, etc.
No private audio or video recording is allowed. ARI records OCON events and makes them available later through our channels. However, you are encouraged to take photos and Tweet! We simply ask that you respect our speakers’ wishes and refrain from using flash photography during talks.
Visit the Ayn Rand Institute’s main website, AynRand.org, to explore a wealth of resources related to Ayn Rand and her philosophy, Objectivism. A selection of past conference talks and courses is available at the Ayn Rand Institute eStore, and the Ayn Rand Institute Campus has a large selection of free online courses.
The Closing Reception, Dinner and Dance is dressy. The rest of the conference is casual.
Expand the following registration options to see which one is right for you:
Register for the full conference. Passes.
The Prime Mover Week Pass includes tuition and meals. Please indicate if you plan to attend these meals when they are offered. A portion of your Prime Mover Week Pass is a tax-deductible donation to the Ayn Rand Institute and will sponsor student scholarships to OCON. The tax-deductible contribution is limited to the amount over the fair market value of OCON tuition and meals. We estimate a fair market value of these to be $1,900.
Register by April 30, 2018, to receive a 10% discount on a Week Pass. Regular Prime Mover Week Pass price is $4,400 and Day Pass $1,000.
The Prime Mover Day Pass includes tuition for one day (no receptions, dinners or lunches, which can be purchased separately). A portion of your Prime Mover Day Pass is a tax-deductible donation to the Ayn Rand Institute and will sponsor student scholarships to OCON. The tax-deductible contribution is limited to the amount over the fair market value of OCON tuition and meals. We estimate a fair market value of these to be $250.
Day Pass for July 4 $300
Register for the full conference.
The Adult Week Pass includes tuition. Meals will be offered separately.
The Adult Day Pass includes tuition. Meals will be offered separately.
Day Pass for July 4 $100
Register by April 30, 2018, to receive a 25% discount on a Day or Week Pass. Regular Adult Week Pass is $1,400 and Day Pass $250.
If you have not attended an OCON organized by ARI—i.e., any of those held since 2002—get an extra 10% discount regardless of when you register. First-timer Week Pass includes the Opening Reception on June 30.
Register for the full conference.
The Young Adult Week Pass includes tuition. Meals will be offered separately.
The Young Adult Day Pass includes tuition. Meals will be offered separately.
Day Pass for July 4 $20
Register by April 30, 2018, to receive a 25% discount on a Day or Week Pass. Regular Young Adult Week Pass price is $195 and Day Pass $50.
Apply for a scholarship to cover some or all your expenses.
In addition to steeply discounted registration pricing, OCON features special programming for students and the opportunity to apply for a scholarship to cover some or all a student’s expenses. Scholarships up to $1,500 will be awarded, based on merit and travel distance to students who register for a Week Pass. Any student currently in a degree program (high school or beyond) or ARI’s Objectivist Academic Center is eligible to apply. Apply for a scholarship to cover some or all your expenses.
Students: ARI has reserved a limited number of rooms exclusively for students at the conference hotel, which we will assign on a first-come basis. These rooms can only be booked through ARI. You do not have to stay in a student room, but if you do stay in a student room, you must have a roommate and your roommate must be another student registrant. (Exceptions may be granted at ARI’s discretion, on a case-by-case basis.) Contact students@aynrand.org to request a student room.
Register for the full conference.
The Student Week Pass includes tuition. Meals will be offered separately.
The Student Day Pass includes tuition. Meals will be offered separately.
Day Pass for July 4 $10
Register by April 30, 2018, to receive a 25% discount on a Day or Week Pass. Regular Student Week Pass is $100 and Day Pass $25.
This was my first OCON—I will have to attend a few more to make meaningful comparisons. However, I was very happy with finally meeting fellow objectivists.
