To view past Events & Appearances, visit the Archive page here.
October 15–18, 2026 – Freedom From Religion Foundation 49th Annual Convention (Milwaukee, Wis.)
Registration is now open for the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s 49th annual convention, taking place mid-October in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This year’s event will feature a dynamic lineup of activists, authors, educators and state/church advocates for a weekend of thought provoking programming.
The convention will be held at the Baird Convention Center, beginning Thursday afternoon, Oct. 15, with “early bird” workshops, registration and a complimentary welcome reception. The formal program will run Friday, Oct. 16 through Saturday, Oct. 17, followed by FFRF’s annual membership and state representatives meetings on Sunday morning, Oct. 18, concluding by noon.
Featured speakers include acclaimed novelist Percival Everett, podcast host Jennifer Welch, marriage equality plaintiff Jim Obergefell, civil rights leader Maya Wiley, and labor leader Randi Weingarten. Additional speakers include content creators Drew McCoy and Forrest Valkai. Attendees will also hear from award recipients and activists, including Peter Isley and Ibtissame Lachgar, among others. The convention will conclude with a keynote address by Ron Reagan. Read more about featured speakers by clicking here.
Programming will include workshops such as the popular “Ask an Attorney” panel, advocacy training sessions, and a chapter development workshop. The weekend will also feature executive and legal updates, student activist recognition, book signings, social events, and FFRF’s signature Non-Prayer Breakfast.
A discounted room block is available at the Hilton Milwaukee, located at 509 W. Wisconsin Ave., for $229 per night plus taxes. Attendees can reserve online or by phone using FFRF’s group code. Reserve your room now by clicking here.
The event is open to members and nonmembers alike. To learn more about the convention visit FFRF’s website, here.
FFRF works nationwide to defend the constitutional principle of separation between state and church and to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism.
November 19–21, 2026 – Dan Barker to Speak at 4th Latin American Freethought Meeting (Costa Rica)
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is pleased to announce Co-President, Dan Barker, will be a featured speaker at the 4th Latin American Freethought Meeting (“Encuentro Latinoamericano de Librepensamiento”), taking place Nov. 19–21, 2026, in Costa Rica.
The international gathering will be held at the National University of Costa Rica (Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica, UNA), with the opening session scheduled for 9 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 19, at the Clodomiro Picado Twight Auditorium. The three-day event will bring together freethinkers, secular activists and human rights advocates from across Latin America and beyond.
Centered on the theme “Ideas without borders, thought without limits, secularism and human rights,” the conference aims to foster dialogue on the importance of freethought, the defense of secular governance and the advancement of individual liberties throughout the region.
Barker, a longtime state/church activist, author and former evangelical minister, will join other speakers in addressing the role of secularism in protecting fundamental rights and promoting critical thinking. As co-president of Freedom From Religion Foundation, Barker has represented the organization at events worldwide, advocating for the separation of religion and government and the rights of nonbelievers.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a U.S.-based national nonprofit organization with more than 40,000 members, dedicated to upholding the constitutional principle of separation between state and church and educating the public on matters relating to nontheism.
The Latin American Freethought Meeting is open to the public, and organizers encourage participation from individuals interested in secularism, human rights and free inquiry.
For more information about the event, including registration and schedule details, please visit the conference website: https://piensalibre.lat
January 12-13, 2027 – FFRF Co-Presidents to speak to Fredericksburg Religious Freedom Alliance (Fredericksburg, VA)
The Freedom From Religion Foundation Co-Presidents Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Barker will speak at the 250th anniversary of Thomas Jefferson’s Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom, which will be celebrated there on Monday and Tuesday, Jan. 12–13, 2027 as part of Fredericksburg Religious Freedom Week, January 9-16, 2027. Also speaking will be Americans United Executive Director Rachel Laser.
Both presentations will be in the theater/auditorium of the Central Rappahannock Regional Library, on Caroline Street, called the Three Freedoms Corner. The auditorium is close to the site where, in 1777, Jefferson outlined his Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom; where, in 1862 to 1863, thousands of men, women, and children self-emancipated behind Union Army lines; and where in 1960, high school students peacefully staged sit-ins and desegregated the lunch counters.
Download this powerpoint to view a small glimpse of these layers of history.
