An essential ingredient in the creation of art is also vital to technology development: innovation. 

Thus, it is perhaps not so odd that the Mission Creek Festival should host a technology and innovation conference among a slew of musical, literary, and cinematic events.

The second Mission Creek Innovation Conference will take place Saturday at hotelVetro, 201 S. Linn St., beginning at 8 a.m. Keynote speakers include Johanna Blakley, the managing director and director of research at the media-focused University of Southern California think tank the Norman Lear Center; and Jeff Casimir, the executive director of Turing School of Software and Design.

Casimir is also the founder of JumpStart Lab in Denver and a co-creator of the Hungry Academy in Washington, D.C.

Ten other speakers — including locals Howard Butler, Mark Nolte, Kathryn Dickel, and Andy Stoll  — will also take the mike. 

Breakout sessions will be interspersed between talks, some tailored to technology and others to entrepreneurship. Patrons can pick based on their interests.

In addition to the conference, daylong workshops will be held Friday, providing “in-depth” and “hands-on experience,” according to Mission Creek. Programmers are encouraged to enroll in the Clojure Workshop, while those interested in leadership may attend the Diversity Workshop.

The two-day program will round out with a talk by Mission Creek headliner Jad Abumrad, Radiolab host and music composer, who is credited with reinterpreting the art and science of radio broadcasting. The event, held at the Englert Theater, 221 E. Washington St., at 8 p.m., will boil down to single theme: innovation.

Tickets for the conference cost $35 ($20 for students) while a combination package — including a pass for the Friday workshop, conference, and Abumrad event — cost $115 ($100 for students).