The conference is one of two annual events hosted by the Free State Project in an effort to recruit 20,000 individuals with libertarian ideals to move to New Hampshire, the other being the Porcupine Freedom Festival. As of February 3, 2016, the group has 20,000 participants signed on,[1] hence completing the original goal. The signatories are now expected to move to New Hampshire by 2022, five years after the end of the drive.
The 2016 New Hampshire Liberty Forum was held from February 18 through February 21, 2016,[2] at the Radisson Hotel in Manchester, New Hampshire. The theme of the 2016 conference was "Living Liberty," which focused on participants who had already moved to New Hampshire and how they are exploring and expanding their personal liberties there.
NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden gave the keynote speech, via live video stream [3] from his exile in Russia. Lyn Ulbricht spoke and shared an update on the appeal trial of her son, Ross Ulbricht, sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole[4] for allegedly creating a darknet market named Silk Road under the pseudonym Dread Pirate Roberts.
The 2015 conference was held on March 5 through March 8, 2015, at the Radisson Hotel in Manchester, New Hampshire. The event was branded using dark blue, light blue, white, and gold theming. The logo featured a stylized map of New Hampshire, divided into polygonal shapes using the branding colors of the event, but introducing different green and blue shades which were only present in the logo. The slogan of the event was "Moved By Liberty".
The event featured a media room, various speakers organized into interest-based tracks, a vendor showcase, children's activities, and art workshops. Event tickets were sold in tiers, and many attendees of the event were also entitled to catered meals for lunch and dinner, a brunch, access to snacks, and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages with purchase of the VIP-tier ticket, which permitted access to the hospitality suite.
In contrast with previous events and aligning with the creation of interest-specific tracks, speakers for the 2015 event were not designated 'keynote' speakers. Despite this shift, scheduling changes caused by January 2015 North American blizzard and subsequent winter storms caused more than one formal event host to declare that a 'keynote speaker' had been rescheduled.
David Kelley – Author, doctorate – The Sciences, Reason, Harvard Business Review, Unrugged Individualism: The Selfish Basis of Benevolence, The Art of Reasoning
Dan Alban – an attorney with the Institute for Justice who litigates cutting-edge constitutional cases protecting free speech, property rights, economic liberty and other individual liberties
Bill Buppert – expert on irregular warfare and revolutionary movements, author of ZeroGov
James O'Keefe – journalist whose investigations have exposed corruption and malfeasance in major taxpayer-funded institutions, including ACORN, Planned Parenthood and NPR
The 2013 conference was held from February 21 to 24, 2013 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Nashua, New Hampshire.
The 2011 conference was scheduled for February 24–27 in Nashua, New Hampshire but in December 2010, it was announced by Free State Project President Varrin Swearingen that the 2011 conference would be canceled. A primary reason for the cancellation included slow ticket sales after the event announcement was delayed partially due to the keynote speaker unexpectedly backing out.[15]
The 2010 conference was held from March 18 through March 21 in Nashua, New Hampshire, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
Keynote speakers
Judge Andrew Napolitano – former New Jersey Superior Court Judge, former host of Freedom Watch and senior judicial analyst on the FOX business network[16]
NH State Rep. Dan Itse – sitting New Hampshire State Representative[17]
Jacob Hornberger – founder and president of The Future of Freedom Foundation, a libertarian educational foundation
Speakers
Angela Keaton – development director of Antiwar.com, producer of Antiwar Radio; serves on the boards of Outright Libertarians and Ladies of Liberty Alliance
Brad Spangler – Director of the Center for a Stateless Society, proponent of agorism
Brett Veinotte – host of School Sucks Podcast
Catherine Bleish – Executive Director of the Liberty Restoration Project
Charles W. Johnson – individualist-anarchist writer and activist, founding member of the Alliance of the Libertarian Left, occasional columnist; writes at radgeek.com
Devin S. Standard – firearms instructor, accomplished martial artist, hunter
Eddie Allen – International Currency Director for the American Open Currency Standard
Ernest Hancock – publisher of FreedomsPhoenix, host of "Declare Your Independence" on the Liberty News Radio Network and the Republic Broadcasting Network; best known as creator of the Ron Paul r3VOLution logo
Jason Talley – author, contributes to fr33agents.net
Jenn Coffey – National Coordinator of the Second Amendment Sisters, elected NH State Representative
Kenneth W. Royce – aka "Boston T. Party", founder of Free State Wyoming, shooting instructor, speaker, author of books on guns, history, law, politics, and government
Michele Seven – mother taking up her case against the IRS
Pasha Roberts – producer/director of the movie "Silver Circle" (silvercirclemovie.com)
Scott Bieser – cartoonist, former video game animator
Shelly Roche – libertarian activist with a podcast at ByteStyle.tv; computer programmer, entrepreneur
Skip Coryell – founder of the Second Amendment March; author of seven books related to personal defense and 2nd Amendment activism; Chief Instructor and co-owner of Midwest Tactical Training
Stewart Rhodes – founder and director of Oath Keepers; former firearms instructor and former member of Ron Paul’s D.C. staff.
Tom Baugh – entrepreneur, inventor; author of "Starving the Monkeys: Fight Back Smarter"
Tom Mullen – author of "A Return to Common Sense: Reawakening Liberty in the Inhabitants of America"
William Norman Grigg – award-winning investigative journalist and author; blogs at freedominourtime.blogspot.com
Additionally, members of the Liberty Caravan (libertycaravan.org) spoke about their journey to New Hampshire.
The 2009 conference was held from March 5 through March 8 in Nashua, New Hampshire, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
Keynote speakers
Dick Heller – brought suit against Washington, D.C., with the Bill of Rights Foundation, and together they overturned the D.C. ban on handguns. Mr. Heller is a participant in the Free State Project.
Kenneth Royce (Boston T. Party) – author of books on guns, history, law, politics, and government
Matt Simon – Director of NH Common Sense Marijuana Policy
Lisa Snell – Director of Education and Child Welfare, Reason Foundation
Marc Stevens – author of "Adventures in Legal Land"
Deborah Stevenson – Executive Director of National Home Education Legal Defense
Aaron David Ward – libertarian comedian
The 2008 conference was held from January 3 through January 6 in Nashua at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Moved to first weekend in January based on predicted New Hampshire primary date of Tuesday, January 8, 2008, which came to pass.
Slogan: Moving Liberty Forward