To view past Events & Appearances, visit the Archive page here.
- Optional Saturday Welcome Dinner (Sept. 19): Arrive a day early to mingle and network! Join a large group of fellow attendees for a casual kickoff dinner at 5:30 PM at the Charter Restaurant inside the Hilton Albany (at participant’s expense).
- Discounted Hotel Block: Stay right in the heart of downtown Albany at the Hilton Albany (40 Lodge Street, Albany, NY 12207) for a special rate of $149/night. Rooms must be booked by August 28, 2026. Reserve your room online at unyft.org/hotel or call 1-800-445-8667 using group code 4UNYFT.
September 21, 2026 – ‘Great American Freethought Songbook’ – Composers Richard and Mary Rodgers (Madison, Wis. and live-streamed)
Photo by Chris Line
The Freedom From Religion Foundation in the sixth installment of its unique monthly freethought concert series spotlights composers Richard and Mary Rodgers on Monday, Sept. 21!
“The Great American Freethought Songbook with Dan & Darcie” (approximately one hour in duration), presented before a live audience in Madison, Wis., will be live-streamed starting at 7 p.m. CDT on FFRF’s Facebook page, YouTube channel and Freethought TV, FFRF’s free streaming service for smart TVs and other devices. (It’s easy and free to download) The show will be available to watch afterward on YouTube and Freethought TV at your convenience.
The seven-month concert series celebrates major figures of the Great American Songbook and their secular viewpoints. September’s program highlights Richard and Mary Rodgers. Richard, with 43 Broadway musicals and over 900 songs to his credit, was one of the best-known American composers of the 20th century, and his work significantly influenced popular music. Rodgers was the first person to win all four of the top American entertainment awards in theater, film, recording, and television—an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony—now known collectively as an EGOT. He also won a Pulitzer Prize, making him the first person to receive all five awards. Richard’s first daughter, Mary, composed Once Upon a Mattress and wrote children’s books.
The show will feature performances of many of their best known works, accompanied by stories about their remarkable careers and freethinking philosophies.
The monthly series is hosted by FFRF Co-President Dan Barker, a veteran pianist and freethinker, alongside Madison vocalist Darcie Johnston. Through live performances and historical commentary, they examine the stories behind some of the nation’s most enduring songs while highlighting the secular and freethinking ideas that influenced many of their creators.
The upcoming concert finale will be on Monday, Nov. 9, featuring a medley of nonreligious 20th-century songwriters, including Jay Gorney, Burton Lane, Tom Lehrer, Frank Loesser, Thelonious Monk, Stephen Sondheim and Charles Strouse.
If you missed earlier installments, you may catch them now on YouTube or look for them in Freethought TV’s archive. If you live in the Madison area, you may RSVP at ffrf.us/RSVP-Concerts.
Celebrate the music, life & views of Richard and Mary Rodgers.
Monday, September 21, 2026 ( RSVP by Thursday, September 17 ) (Please only RSVP if you are able to attend in person)
Charlie Brooks Auditorium
Freethought Hall, Madison, Wis.
6:15 – 6:45 p.m. Refreshments served: Wine, non-alcoholic beverages, dessert.
6:45 – 6:50 Please be seated. (Concert is being video-recorded and live-streamed.)
7 – 8 Enjoy the performance with Dan Barker & Darcie Johnston.
RSVP by Thursday, September 17. Invite your family, friends and colleagues! (Please only RSVP if you are able to attend in person)
Watch the performance live by going to FFRF’s YouTube channel or Facebook page. It can also be viewed on Freethought TV, FFRF’s new streaming service for smart televisions and mobile devices. For installation instructions, go to freethoughttv.ffrf.org on your smart tv or cellphone.
Free street parking after 6 p.m. Close to Overture Center parking ramp, West Mifflin.
Mark your calendar for the concert series finale:
Monday, November 9 — Finale. Medley including Dorothy Fields, Jay Gorney, Burton Lane, Tom Lehrer, Frank Loesser, Thelonious Monk, Stephen Sondheim and Charles Strouse.
September 20, 2026 – Freethinkers Weekend Gathering (Albany, NY)
Make it a Weekend Getaway: Autumn in New York
Capitalize on beautiful autumn in Upstate New York! Late September is prime travel season in the historic Hudson Valley region, offering the perfect, scenic backdrop for this premier national gathering. Because this is a high-demand season for regional tourism and weddings, attendees are strongly encouraged to secure their lodging immediately:
Please remember to also obtain your Sunday tickets at unyft.org/go
Event Description
Open to the general public and FFRF members nationwide, hosted by Upstate New York Freethinkers–a chapter of FFRF, this special gathering combines deep American freethought expertise with top-tier cultural history.
The morning kicks off with an immersive musical welcome featuring secular compositions by FFRF Co-President Dan Barker, followed by an urgent mid-term election year dispatch from FFRF Washington D.C. Governmental Affairs Director Mark Dann on grassroots activism and combating Christian nationalism. Acclaimed author Kate Cohen (We of Little Faith) will introduce the day’s featured keynotes, including David Hoffman, PhD, author of American Freethought, and Jeff Ingersoll, presenting an exclusive spotlight on the historic Robert Green Ingersoll Birthplace Museum.
Registration & Tickets
Your registration features a hot buffet luncheon, coffee/tea service, and full afternoon access to the magnificent collections of the Albany Institute of History & Art—providing the perfect backdrop for open mingling, and collaborating on national secular developments.
Tickets are $85 and limited by venue capacity. Secure your spot, view the full lunch menu, and preview the weekend agenda today at unyft.org/go
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
