Weekly TEDTalks will be hosted  Wednesdays at noon at 16 West Marketplace. TEDTalks are online videos that share ideas on technology, entertainment and design.  The first TEDTalk will take place on Sept. 5. These events are free and open to the public.

Here is the press release from 16 West Marketplace.

Roanoke, Va. (August 27, 2012) –16 West Marketplace in downtown Roanoke will host weekly TEDTalks, carrying on a tradition begun two years ago by Katherine Walker in The Shadowbox which became a popular lunchtime activity for downtown residents and professionals. The talks, free and open to the public with no registration necessary, will be hosted every Wednesday at noon.

“Locally hosted TEDTalks have become a launching pad for discussion about our collective vision for Roanoke and how all of us can work together to move this city forward,” says John Garland, owner of 16 West Marketplace. “We’ve heard comments from so many people about how much they enjoyed this event and hoped to see it continue in another location.  16 West is an ideal location so it was an easy decision to make to continue to host the TEDTalks here in the heart of downtown.”

The first TEDTalk at 16 West will be held on Sept. 5 and will feature Stephen Ritz, a teacher in New York’s South Bronx who grows gardens with his kids for food, greenery and jobs. He will discuss the many ways to grow hope in a neighborhood many have written off.

New TEDTalk topics will be chosen each week, moderated by the owners of 16 West and other members of the community, with group discussions to follow a video presentation of the original TEDTalk.  Food will be available for purchase at Café 16, which opened in late April and offers organic, gourmet fare including tea, coffee, smoothies and lunch items such as wraps, sandwiches and salads.

TEDTalks began as a simple attempt to share what happens at TED, a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading, with the world. Under the moniker “ideas worth spreading,” talks were released online, rapidly attracting a global audience. Since 1984, TED has grown from a single conference to two conferences, bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design, and includes the award-winning TEDTalks video site.

16 West Marketplace, scheduled to be complete in October 2012, aims to cater to the healthy, innovative, and savvy tastes of those who live, work, and frequent Downtown Roanoke. The marketplace offers one-stop shopping for many daily routines and needs. Located in the former S&W Cafeteria, at 16 West Church Avenue, just off Jefferson Street, the historic building has been restored to its original art-deco splendor. The building is currently comprised of Carilion’s RAC Xpress, Fleda A. Ring Artworks, Core Chiropractic and Wellness Center, Café 16 and eight apartments.

For more information about the TED Talks, contact John Garland at 540-342-6001 or jgarland@spectrumpc.com. For more information about 16 West Marketplace, visit 16westmarketplace.com.