FreedomFest 2026: Full Schedule

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8:30am PDT

Beyond Control: Drug Prohibition, Gun Regulation, and the Search for Sensible Alternatives (Refreshments provided)

Saturday July 11, 2026 8:30am - 9:15am PDT

Discover the “Forbidden Idea” that has powered human flourishing for millennia: individual liberty grounded in natural law, self-ownership, and the non-aggression principle.

In this fast-paced session, you’ll trace how these ideas emerged, why they matter, and how they are being challenged today by collectivist ideologies—and what must be done to advance liberty in our lifetime.

Come ready to “Think Independent,” and leave with the tools to act boldly.

Speakers

Jacob Sullum

Senior Editor, Reason

Jacob Sullum is a senior editor at Reason and a nationally syndicated columnist. He is an award-winning journalist who has covered drug policy, public health, gun control, civil liberties, and criminal justice for more than three decades.

Billy Binion

The Criminal Justice Reporter

Billy Binion is a reporter at Reason magazine, where he writes about criminal justice and civil liberties.

He has been published in The Free Press, Newsweek, the San Francisco Chronicle, HuffPost, The Saturday Evening Post, and the Washington Examiner, among other publications, and his work has been cited in leading outlets like The New York Times, The Atlantic, Fox News, and others. He reg... Read More →

Exhibitors

Reason

322

Founded in 1968, Reason is the nation's leading libertarian magazine. We produce hard-hitting independent journalism on civil liberties, politics, technology, culture, policy, and commerce. As the magazine of free minds and free markets, Reason exists outside of the left/right echo... Read More →

Saturday July 11, 2026 8:30am - 9:15am PDT
Jefferson Salon Room 124-125

Salon Session

2:00pm PDT

Crime in the 50 States: Why Self-Defense Is Critical for Public Safety (Refreshments provided)

Saturday July 11, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT

Adams Salon Room 126

(90 mins)

Speakers

John Lott

America's Crime Expert

Dr. John R. Lott Jr. is an economist and internationally recognized expert on crime and public policy. During the Trump administration, he served in senior research roles within the U.S. Department of Justice. Lott has taught or conducted research at institutions including the University... Read More →

Exhibitors

Crime Prevention Research Center

T19

The Crime Prevention Research Center (CPRC) is a research and education organization dedicated to conducting academic quality research on the relationship between laws regulating the ownership or use of guns, crime, and public safety; educating the public on the results of such research... Read More →

Saturday July 11, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT
Adams Salon Room 126

Salon Session

3:00pm PDT

Against Mamdani: How and Why Capitalism Outperforms Domestic Imperialism (Refreshments provided)

Saturday July 11, 2026 3:00pm - 3:45pm PDT

Jefferson Salon Room 124-125

Speakers

Keith Knight

Host, Don't Tread on Anyone

Keith Knight is Managing Editor at the Libertarian Institute, author of Domestic Imperialism: Nine Reasons I Left Progressivism, Editor of The Voluntaryist Handbook, and Host of the Don't Tread on Anyone podcast. Keith's work primarily focuses on advocating for the decriminalization... Read More →

Saturday July 11, 2026 3:00pm - 3:45pm PDT
Jefferson Salon Room 124-125

Salon Session

3:00pm PDT

The Capitalist Space Revolution Has Begun! (Refreshments provided)

Saturday July 11, 2026 3:00pm - 3:45pm PDT

Franklin Salon Room 102-103

Followed by Book Signing

Speakers

Rainer Zitelmann

Defender of Capitalism

Dr. Rainer Zitelmann is a historian, sociologist, and bestselling author known for shaping global conversations on capitalism, economic freedom, and history. He has written 30 books translated into 30 languages, including The Power of Capitalism and In Defense of Capitalism, influencing... Read More →

Saturday July 11, 2026 3:00pm - 3:45pm PDT
Franklin Salon Room 102-103

Salon Session

3:00pm PDT

The Free Will Debate: Are Humans Predictable and Rational, or Wayward and Incalculable? (Refreshments provided)

Saturday July 11, 2026 3:00pm - 3:45pm PDT

Philosophers Room Room 104

Moderators

Mark Skousen

America's Economist, FreedomFest

Mark Skousen is an economist, investor, and educator known for bridging academic theory and real-world markets. He is the founder and producer of FreedomFest and has spent decades advancing the case for free markets, entrepreneurship, and sound money.

A former professor at Columbia Business School and current professor at Chapman University, Skousen has authored more than 25 books on economics, history, and liberty. His latest book, The Greatest American: Benjamin Franklin — The Most Versatile Mind of His Era, reframes Franklin... Read More →

Speakers

Michael Shermer

The Professional Skeptic, Skeptic Magazine; Columnist, Scientific American

Michael Shermer is a science writer, historian of ideas, and one of the world’s most prominent public skeptics. He is the founder of The Skeptics Society and publisher of Skeptic magazine, dedicated to investigating extraordinary claims and promoting scientific thinking.

A Presidential Fellow at Chapman University, Shermer has written numerous bestselling books on belief, reasoning, and the psychology of persuasion, including Why People Believe Weird Things and The Moral Arc. His upcoming book, Truth, examines how humans distinguish fact from fiction... Read More →

Jennifer Grossman

The Ambassador of Objectivism, The Atlas Society

Jennifer Grossman is CEO of the Atlas Society, where she leads efforts to advance Ayn Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism to new generations. Under her leadership, the organization has expanded its digital reach and cultural engagement, translating ideas about reason, individual rights... Read More →

Doug Stuart

Content Director, Libertarian Christian Institute

Doug Stuart is Content Director of the Libertarian Christian Institute and co-host of the Libertarian Christian Podcast. He holds an MDiv from Missio Seminary and currently lives with his wife and three children in Lancaster, PA. Beyond LCI, Doug operates website design and video... Read More →

Saturday July 11, 2026 3:00pm - 3:45pm PDT
Philosophers Room Room 104

Salon Session

3:00pm PDT

How to Lean into Your Future with Authenticity and Resilience: a FreedomFest Workshop with Joel F Wade, PhD (Refreshments provided) (90 mins)

Saturday July 11, 2026 3:00pm - 4:30pm PDT

Adams Salon Room 126

Speakers

Joel F. Wade

Marriage and Family Therapist

Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Los Gatos, California, and as a teacher of graduate students and therapists over the years. As a Life Coach, I am finding that I can bring all of the best of what I have learned to my clients, without... Read More →

Saturday July 11, 2026 3:00pm - 4:30pm PDT
Adams Salon Room 126

Salon Session

8:30am PDT

2:00pm PDT

3:00pm PDT

3:00pm PDT

3:00pm PDT

3:00pm PDT

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