Past Events

GBH presented a national virtual event honoring travel expert, Rick Steves.

Rick sat down for a wide-ranging discussion with Samantha Brown, television travel host of PBS’s Samantha Brown’s Places to Love. Rick shared reflections on his career, his decades-long connection to public media, and shared a few tips on some of the best places to visit and explore around the globe. A few guests asked Rick Steves their own travel questions.

Our virtual event was recorded in early October, 2026.

More about Rick Steves: Rick Steves, America's most respected authority on European travel, empowers Americans to have European trips that are fun, affordable, and culturally broadening. In 1976, he started his business, Rick Steves' Europe. Rick produces a best-selling guidebook series, a popular public television show, a weekly public radio show, a syndicated travel column, and free travel information available through his travel center and ricksteves.com. Rick Steves' Europe also runs a successful small-group tour program taking 30,000 travelers to Europe annually.

More about event host Samantha Brown: Over the last 20+ years, Samantha Brown has traveled around the world visiting over 250 cities in 62 countries and 40 of the 50 U.S. states, creating hundreds of hours of programming content. Samantha’s career began in 1999 when she began hosting Travel Channel’s Great Vacation Homes. She’s since also hosted Girl Meets Hawaii, Great Hotels, Passport to Europe, Passport to Latin America, Great Weekends, Green Getaways, Passport to China, and Samantha Brown’s Asia. Then, in January 2018, she began hosting and producing the Emmy award winning show, Samantha Brown’s Places to Love on PBS.

More about: On The Hippie Trail: Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer Book description: Stow away with Rick Steves for a glimpse into the unforgettable moments, misadventures, and memories of his 1978 journey on the legendary Hippie Trail.In the 1970s, the ultimate trip for any backpacker was the storied “Hippie Trail” from Istanbul to Kathmandu. A 23-year-old Rick Steves made the trek, and like a travel writer in training, he documented everything along the way: jumping off a moving train, making friends in Tehran, getting lost in Lahore, getting high for the first time in Herat, battling leeches in Pokhara, and much more. The experience ignited his love of travel and forever broadened his perspective on the world.

This book contains edited selections from Rick’s journal and travel photos with a 45-years-later preface and postscript reflecting on how the journey through Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Nepal changed his life.

You know Rick Steves. Now discover the adventure of a lifetime that made him the travel writer he is today.

Ticket price: $75 (includes a link to watch the pre-recorded 60-minute Zoom Webinar event and a signed copy of his soft cover book, On The Hippie Trail: Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer, mailed to the ticket purchaser’s address).

How it works:

Purchase a ticket and we will e-mail you the link to the recording of this event and the book, On The Hippie Trail: Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer, will be mailed to the ticket purchaser’s address. Ticket purchasers have 90 days to watch the event recording. You choose the time and place! Gather your family and friends for a fun time! We know you'll enjoy this lively conversation.

Don’t miss your chance to recreate this memorable event hearing directly from Rick Steves and his entertaining stories and wealth of travel wisdom. And remember, your ticket purchase supports the GBH programming you love.

Please note:

- Books can be shipped to the USA, Canada or globally as well.

- Secure your Event on Demand bundle today. This opportunity expires November 30, 2026 at 5pm ET. The book will be delivered to your homes before December 24, 2026.

THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT

GBH presents a national virtual event honoring travel expert, Rick Steves.

Rick sits down for a wide-ranging discussion with Samantha Brown, television travel host of PBS’s Samantha Brown’s Places to Love. Rick will share reflections on his career, his decades-long connection to public media, and share a few tips on some of the best places to visit and explore around the globe. There will also be time during the event where a few guests can ask Rick Steves their own travel questions.

Join us to celebrate all things Rick Steves!

More about Rick Steves: Rick Steves, America's most respected authority on European travel, empowers Americans to have European trips that are fun, affordable, and culturally broadening. In 1976, he started his business, Rick Steves' Europe. Rick produces a best-selling guidebook series, a popular public television show, a weekly public radio show, a syndicated travel column, and free travel information available through his travel center and ricksteves.com. Rick Steves' Europe also runs a successful small-group tour program taking 30,000 travelers to Europe annually.

More about event host Samantha Brown: Over the last 20+ years, Samantha Brown has traveled around the world visiting over 250 cities in 62 countries and 40 of the 50 U.S. states, creating hundreds of hours of programming content. Samantha’s career began in 1999 when she began hosting Travel Channel’s Great Vacation Homes. She’s since also hosted Girl Meets Hawaii, Great Hotels, Passport to Europe, Passport to Latin America, Great Weekends, Green Getaways, Passport to China, and Samantha Brown’s Asia. Then, in January 2018, she began hosting and producing the Emmy award winning show, Samantha Brown’s Places to Love on PBS.

More about: On The Hippie Trail: Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer Book description:  

Stow away with Rick Steves for a glimpse into the unforgettable moments, misadventures, and memories of his 1978 journey on the legendary Hippie Trail.

In the 1970s, the ultimate trip for any backpacker was the storied “Hippie Trail” from Istanbul to Kathmandu. A 23-year-old Rick Steves made the trek, and like a travel writer in training, he documented everything along the way: jumping off a moving train, making friends in Tehran, getting lost in Lahore, getting high for the first time in Herat, battling leeches in Pokhara, and much more. The experience ignited his love of travel and forever broadened his perspective on the world.

This book contains edited selections from Rick’s journal and travel photos with a 45-years-later preface and postscript reflecting on how the journey through Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Nepal changed his life.

You know Rick Steves. Now discover the adventure of a lifetime that made him the travel writer he is today.

Ticket price: $75 (includes a Zoom link to join the live 60-minute Zoom Webinar event on October 8 and a signed copy of his soft cover book, On The Hippie Trail: Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer, mailed to the ticket purchaser’s address). (*additional fees incurred for books mailed to Canada or other International locales).

An expert panel will explain how Israel's electoral system works, break down the key parties and issues shaping the race, and explore what the results could mean for Israeli society, U.S.-Israel relations, and the Middle East.

Emerson Professor Dr. Mneesha Gellman, artist Cedric Douglas, and Boston’s Chief of Arts and Culture Joseph Henry will consider how communities remember, revisit, and reimagine the stories that define them; and the roles that memory, art, and civic life play in shaping our understanding of the past and the future.

GBH Jazz Nights showcase the incredible range of jazz talent in the Greater Boston area. The series is co-hosted by JazzBoston and GBH Music, taking place on the second Thursday of every month from September through May. Tickets are free, but registration is encouraged. Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis, so arrive early! By registering, you agree to receive email communications from GBH Music.

HYE Fusion is a trio of classically trained musicians who blend Western jazz with the rhythms and melodies of their Middle Eastern backgrounds. Mal Barsamian is a multi-talented instrumentalist equally skilled on classical and rhythm guitars, clarinet, saxophone, and the traditional Middle Eastern oud. Harry Bedrossian is a classically trained concert pianist who has embraced the Jazz tradition through the work of Oscar Petersen and Bill Evans. He is also an accomplished oud player. Charles Dermenjian is a talented percussionist who has shared the stage with a number of jazz greats and performed extensively both nationally and internationally. He plays the doumbek, a traditional percussion instrument common throughout Middle Eastern cultures.

GBH Jazz Nights are made possible by the Goldstein Family Fund.

Host Ron Mitchell, Publisher and Editor of The Bay State Banner, sits down with top regional leaders—U.S. Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Massachusetts State Representative Russell Holmes, and Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden—for a special edition of GBH Amplifies. This dynamic panel breaks down the pivotal policy, legal, and community issues shaping local ballot measures and national races in the 2026 Midterm Elections. Tune in for an insightful, front-row look at civic decision-making in action as these decision-makers unpack what's at stake for local voters and the broader Black community.

GBH Amplifies is a community conversation series focused on expanding the reach of local voices from Greater Boston and beyond. The series features community leaders hosting public conversations in the GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square, providing a platform for inclusive perspectives on the issues that matter most to New England communities. GBH Amplifies happens weekly on Thursdays from 12:30-1:30pm at the GBH BPL Studio. This event is free and open to the public.

GBH Amplifies is also being supported by the Barr Foundation.

Registration is encouraged for this free event.

Limited seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. If you require a seat, we encourage you to arrive before the start time of this event.

Nathaniel Philbrick, author of "In the Heart of the Sea" and "Mayflower" turns his storytelling lens West to follow the gold as it moves from riverbed to countinghouse to halls of power, revealing how the pursuit of gold shaped the development of the United States,

Focusing on native materials such as bulrush and wampum, the talk will show how plants and shells are not simply resources, but living connections to land, water, craft, and identity.

Get ready to reclaim the streets! Open Streets Boston is back, transforming major city thoroughfares into vibrant, car-free spaces filled with pedestrian fun, local vendors, live music, and community spirit.

As a proud partner of Open Streets Boston, GBH will be out in the neighborhood all season long! Stop by our booth to connect with the team, learn about what’s happening at your local public media station, and pick up some cool swag. PLUS, keep your eyes peeled for our favorite aardvark, Arthur, who might just be making a few special guest appearances this year!

Bring your family, bring your friends, and come celebrate community with us. We can't wait to see you out on the street!

The Boston Public Library welcomes award-winning author Ann Patchett to speak at the 2026 Maury A. Bromsen Lecture. Patchett is joined in conversation by her friend and fellow author, Katrina Kenison.