About the Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium

The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City’s Economic Policy Symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, is one of the longest-standing central banking conferences in the world. The event brings together economists, financial market participants, academics, U.S. government representatives, and news media to discuss long-term policy issues of mutual concern. 

Learn more about the event below or view a timeline highlighting important moments in the symposium's history. The 2025 Economic Policy Symposium, "Labor Markets in Transition: Demographics, Productivity, and Macroeconomic Policy," will take place Aug. 21-23.

Attending Jackson Hole

To foster the open discussion the symposium is known for, attendees are selected based on each year’s topic. In a typical year, around 120 people attend. Attendees consist of:

• Central bankers
• Federal Reserve System representatives
• Academics
• Journalists
• Financial industry leaders
• Government officials

A key feature of the event is the thoughtful discussion that takes place among the participants. Given the participants and the topics being discussed, there is substantial interest in the symposium. However, to help foster the open discussion that has been so critical to the symposium’s success, attendance at the event is limited.

Similarly, although the Bank receives numerous requests from media outlets worldwide, press attendance is also limited to a group that is selected to provide important transparency to the symposium, but not overwhelm or influence the proceedings. All symposium participants, including members of the press, pay a fee to attend. The fees are then used to recover event expenses.

What's discussed?

We select the symposium topic each year and ask experts to write papers on related subtopics. To date:

• More than 150 authors have presented papers on subjects such as inflation, labor markets and international trade.
• More than 370 attendees have contributed to symposium programming since 1975.

All papers from past events are available online. Papers provided to the Bank in advance and presented at the annual economic policy symposium will be posted online at the time they are presented at the event. Other papers, such as discussant comments, may not be provided until after the symposium but are posted as they become available. Additionally, transcripts of the proceedings are posted on the website, a process that generally takes a few months. Finally, the papers and transcripts are compiled into proceedings books which are both posted on the website and published in a volume that is available online or in print, free of charge.

Worldwide Representation

The goal of the Economic Policy Symposium when it began was to provide a vehicle for promoting public discussion and exchanging ideas. Throughout the event’s history in Jackson Hole, attendees from across the globe have gathered to share their perspectives and experiences. As of 2025, representatives from 70 countries have attended or participated in the symposium.

To this day, the symposium continues to foster meaningful dialogue and collaboration among policymakers, economists, and thought leaders from around the world.

Want to learn more?

View a historical timeline of the event, which spans more than four decades, or explore frequently asked questions about the symposium. The full history of the Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium is detailed in the book In Late August, free to download here.

External LinkClick here to access event resources the Bank provides to the media, members of Congress and the public.