MARC JACOBS
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON — After more than a decade of storytelling, connection, and packed crowds, Talk20 Hutch will hold its final event this Friday, bringing an end to a volunteer-driven community program that has become a signature gathering in Hutchinson.
Organizer Kari Mailloux joined the BW Morning Show to reflect on the event’s legacy and explain why now is the right time to conclude the series.
Talk20 Hutch follows the PechaKucha presentation format that originated in Japan: each presenter shows 20 slides, advancing automatically every 20 seconds, for a total of six minutes and 40 seconds per talk. Ten presenters share the stage at each event, creating a fast-paced evening featuring ten distinct stories.
Since launching in January 2014, Talk20 Hutch has hosted 22 editions and featured more than 200 presenters, drawing crowds that at times exceeded 400 people.
“This has been a volunteer gig for me for 12 years,” Mailloux said. “That’s a long run. It’s truly been a labor of love, but it’s also taken a lot of time, energy, and coordination from many people.”
Mailloux credited the Hutchinson Public Library staff — particularly Director Gregg Wamsley and his team — along with co-organizers Ryan Diehl and Jackson Swaim, for making each event possible. While Mailloux helped curate the presenters and shape the program, library staff handled logistics such as room setup, seating, and audiovisual support.
The decision to end Talk20 Hutch was driven largely by life changes among the organizers.
“We’ve all grown up a lot in the last 12 years,” Mailloux said. “Families have grown, jobs have changed, responsibilities have increased. We’re not tired of the event itself — we’re just stretched thin. We decided it was better to end it while it’s still strong and people are still showing up.”
Mailloux said she hopes the final edition serves as inspiration for others to create new ways of bringing the community together.
The final Talk20 Hutch will feature 10 presenters, including nonprofit leaders, musicians, longtime contributors to the event, and Mailloux herself. Among those scheduled to present are Shara Gonzalez of New Beginnings, Alex Johnson with Classical Revolution, Library Director Gregg Wamsley, and videographer Greg Holmes, who recorded the earliest Talk20 events.
For the first time, Mailloux will also take the stage as a presenter.
“I put it off for a long time,” she said. “For me, this is about telling the story of why Talk20 started and how I see community, place-making, and gathering. It’s been hard, but meaningful, to reflect on that journey.”
When asked about standout moments from the past 12 years, Mailloux cited several presentations that left a lasting impression, including stories of recovery, education, creativity, and personal growth — and the unique experience of watching some presenters return years later with new chapters of their lives.
Mailloux also reflected on the absence of co-founder Patsy Terrell, who died suddenly in 2017.
“She never had the chance to give her own Talk20,” Mailloux said. “That’s something I wish could have happened. She had so much energy and joy for bringing people together.”
Despite the decision to conclude the series, Mailloux considers Talk20 Hutch a resounding success.
“That very first night, we expected maybe 100 people,” she said. “Instead, more than 150 showed up, sitting on the floor and standing in the hallways. That told us this community was hungry for connection.”
Even in recent years, Mailloux noted that roughly one-third of each audience consisted of first-time attendees.
The final Talk20 Hutch takes place Friday, January 30, at 7 p.m. at the Hutchinson Public Library. The library will close at 6 p.m. and reopen at 6:30 p.m. for the event.
“This community showed up for 12 years,” Mailloux said. “I’m incredibly proud of that — and grateful.”