PorcFest Begins Sunday: Choose Your Own Adventure

The Porcupine Post Newsletter
Friday, June 19, 2026

Hon. Eric Brakey – Free State Project, Executive Director

PorcFest kicks off in two days! Have you registered yet?

Here are a few things we are reporting on in this week’s Porcupine Post:

• Starting Sunday, build “Spontaneous Order” with us at PorcFest XXIII. For one week, choose your own adventure across ten festivals throughout the regions of the Free State.
  
• Want to Run for Office? Check out this Guide to Consider Running for State Representative from our friends at the NH Liberty Alliance.
  
• Many Reasons to Visit this Summer and Autumn. In July, check out the NH Liberty Dinner and FreedomPalooza. In August, come for the Family Planning Weekend or set sail with me and other Free State friends on the Tom Woods Cruise.
  
• Planning an Event in NH? Let us help you promote it. Contact our new Invite Director, Olga Sorens, at events@fsp.org.
  
• A Porcupine Patron Update. Thank you to all 327 Porcupine Patrons that fund our year-round mission. Become a patron!

Weekly FSP newsletters are long because a lot is happening. Skip ahead to whatever interests you.

Media Spotlight on PorcFest

In three days, the 23rd annual Porcupine Freedom Festival begins. Have you registered yet?

This week, InDepthNH published a mostly fair overview of the upcoming festival — and it also hit on the broader success of the Free State Project itself.

Read for yourself.

June 15, 2026 By Zach Laird After 25 years of working to create a concentrated community of like-minded libertarians in the state, the Free State Project’s summer staple event, PorcFest, is returning… “PorcFest XXIII: Spontaneous Order” is the 23rd festival, hosted by the Free State Project, and will run from June 21-28 with 10 mini-festivals… throughout the state for people to choose from.  … Brakey explained they don’t really need to gather on a single campground for PorcFest anymore because “we actually have that all around New Hampshire. We have club houses, we have people who own and operate farms, we have all kinds of businesses.”  “The idea this year was to invite all of those people who have built these things to host their own mini-festivals around New Hampshire.”Rather than just inviting people to come visit this one campground, let’s invite people to come and take a tour of the entire state of New Hampshire; visit the many regions, see the different Free State communities, see the different kinds of events people are putting on.”

When the reporter interviewed me, he also asked about the impact of the Free State Project over the last two decades.

Brakey said the Free State Project and the people who migrated to the state as part of it have “tipped the scales on something that was already here in New Hampshire.”He said New Hampshire has always been the “Live Free or Die” state, which has always had a strong libertarian ethic…He thinks the concentration of more like-minded people who believe in that spirit helped ensure that New Hampshire is the way it is today, versus every other state in New England, “which has been captured by a much more progressive, big-government ideology.”When asked if there were certain policies or legislative victories he viewed as evidence of the Free State Project’s impact in New Hampshire, he said:“…there’s still no income tax in New Hampshire, despite many who have tried; “…all remnants of the income tax have been abolished, including the Interest and Dividends Tax;”…New Hampshire is leading in school choice with the Education Freedom Account Model, and making the education system cater to parents and families, rather than to unions and bureaucracies.”

The piece also featured a local freedom hater who is upset about the 25 years of success of the Free State Project.

Louise Spencer, co-founder of the Kent Street Coalition… said she feels… the [Free State] movement has taken over the Republican Party……“[T]hey’re wanting to remake the state into this Free State image… dismantling public schools… dismantling state government… “Unfortunately, right now, they (Free Staters) seem to have had an iron grip on the State House, and unfortunately, I think the Governor (Kelly Ayotte) has felt that she needs to go along with what they have been pushing through.”

I am always amused by freedom haters who think the value of the chains they seek to enslave us with are self-evident.They sing of our victories, assuming all right-thinking people want to be ruled as they do.Of course, I responded.

Brakey responded to concerns from critics that the project is trying to fundamentally reshape the state’s government and institutions:“New Hampshire is the ‘Live Free or Die’ state. New Hampshire is the state where the American Revolution began. “The vision that the Free State movement represents is the vision that New Hampshire has always stood for — and our mission is to not change or transform New Hampshire, but to help restore that spirit and to keep New Hampshire free.”

You can click here if you want to read the full article.

Spontaneous Order Emerges

PorcFest begins in 2 days.

I am finalizing my own personal path through the regions all week.

Have you looked at the calendar yet?

As we invite you to choose your own adventure, I thought it might be helpful to share with you how I am choosing mine.In planning my path through PorcFest XXIII, my personal goal is to visit as many of the different festivals and events as possible.Feel free to join me at any stop of my PorcFest adventures through the regions of the Free State next week.

However you choose your own adventure, this June 21-28 is the week to explore spontaneous order across the Free State at PorcFest XXIII.

Grab your tickets and explore the full event calendar at PorcFest.com.

Be sure to watch our FSP introduction video: “Live Free or Die — Start your journey with the Free State Project.”  Thank you to FSP Video Strategist Reinita Susman.

Plan Your Porcupine Vacation

For many future movers, this is how it starts.Be sure to check out our friends at the Independence Inn — and ask about a “Porcupine Vacation” for up to 50% off your stay.Free Stater-owned and operated, the Independence Inn mission includes helping more liberty lovers visit and explore New Hampshire. Any week of the year, come for a visit and they can guide you to Free State events, across five different communities, each within a one-hour drive.The Independence Inn is a sponsor of the Porcupine Post newsletter and Porcupine Report podcast.

More Reasons to Visit New Hampshire

PorcFest is not the only reason to visit the Free State.Free State communities and friends of the Free State are hosting events every single week of the year, so check out our “NH Liberty Calendar” to find countless reasons to visit.Additionally, read below for several events we are highlighting for the spring and summer.

NH Liberty Calendar

July 2026

The third annual FreedomPalooza at Chris & Jennifer’s farm will be bigger than ever! Live music, workshops, talks, beer, camping, and more! If camping on a farm in northern NH while hanging out with old and new friends, debating politics, attending homesteading workshops and homeschooling talks, drinking locally crafted beer, watching kids explore nature, and listening to awesome live music sounds like a good time, then you have found your favorite event of the year! FreedomPalooza started as a weekend celebration of good music and is expanding this year to more days, more activities, more campfires, and more fun that you don’t want to miss! Space is limited, so be sure to get tickets before they sell out!

Each year, the New Hampshire Liberty Alliance hosts Liberty Dinner — bringing together the people helping make NH a beacon of freedom; from legislators and activists to donors, volunteers, and community leaders.This year’s event features expanded awards and recognition, honoring more of the individuals who are making a difference across the Granite State. Reserve your seat today at LibertyDinner.com.

August 2026

August 28-30 — The Women of the Free State are hosting “Family Planning Weekend” It can be hard to imagine what your life could be like after a move or after your first child — so why not get a preview? Whether you are considering growing your family or you want to have children “once we’re settled,” this weekend is for you.  Come explore local birth options, see our community in action, and meet the liberty families raising your future children’s best friends. Sign up early to connect with liberty families ahead of your visit!

Free Staters are setting sail aboard the Tom Woods Cruise this August 22 – 29. Click here for more information and to register for the Tom Woods Cruise.Hosted by friend of the Free State, Tom Woods, this cruise will depart from Boston, Massachusetts — sailing up the New England and Canadian coastlines with a journey down the St. Lawrence River — and make its final port of call in Quebec City. Included in this cruise:Large-scale games, hosted by Tom, that have everyone in stitches.No boring lectures on the Nonaggression Principle — instead, great talks from Scott Horton, Clint Russell, and others.Delicious dinners with friends you haven’t met yet.Exciting excursions on shore with Tom Woods.While this cruise will not stop in New Hampshire, this is a wonderful opportunity for Free Staters to mix with outside liberty lovers (who could become future Free Staters, like Tom Woods himself).I will be aboard, along with Chris Lopez (FSP Engagement Director) and other participants from the Free State community. We hope to spend the week with you at sea!Click here to join our Free State Signal group for participants on the upcoming Tom Woods Cruise.

Thank you to our Porcupine Patrons!

This entire newsletter — and the outreach you just read about — exists because of our patrons.If you believe in our mission to build a liberty homeland in New Hampshire, I’d like to ask you to become a Porcupine Patron for the Free State Project. For just $10/month, you can support our year-round efforts to build “Liberty in Our Lifetime.” Additionally, you will receive exclusive patron benefits, including our quarterly print newsletter, access to our private Signal group, and perks at all FSP events.Our Porcupine Patron community is constantly growing. Currently, we have 327 active patrons. Can you help us reach 330? As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, donations to the Free State Project are tax-deductible. We welcome donations in dollars, cryptocurrency, and other forms.Can I count you in as a Porcupine Patron?

Porcupine Patron Pin. In addition to other fantastic benefits, every Porcupine Patron of the Free State Project receives this “Porcupine Patron Pin.” These pins are not just for show! Patron pins grant access to exclusive FSP event perks, including VIP rooms, patron-only events, and courtesy drink tickets. Click here to become a Porcupine Patron for the Free State Project.

It is my honor to serve as Executive Director of the FSP.Please read on for more of our weekly newsletter from the Free State, prepared with assistance from our Communications Director, Mahgdalen Rose. For Liberty! Hon. Eric Brakey Executive Director Free State Project

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

Recurring Free State EventsNew Mover Potluck Parties! Manchester – First FridayNorth Country – Third SaturdayUpper Valley – First SaturdayLocal Meetups!Bedford – weekly, TuesdaysPlymouth – semi-monthly, WednesdaysSeacoast – weekly, Thursdays (changes town) Upper Valley – monthly, fourth TuesdayNashua – weekly, SundaysLakes – monthly, third Saturday Ossipee – monthly, second SundayMadison – Monthly, second Saturday and third TuesdayGrafton – Monthly, second SaturdayKeene – weekly, SundaysLower Valley – monthly, third FridayThis is only a small sample of what’s going on in the Free State! Recurring topical events include agorism, family play time, range shooting, and crypto.Find upcoming events across the state on our NH Liberty Calendar.

NHLA Power HourOur friends at the New Hampshire Liberty Alliance are now hosting a weekly meeting to network, hear from guest speakers, stay informed and help accelerate the liberty movement. You are invited. Every Friday, AFP 8025 S. Willow St, Manchester11:30 – 12:00, Networking & Lunch12:00, Meeting beginsClick here to RSVP (for free lunch).

NH Liberty Calendar

Free State Voices

PorcFest and The Next Generation’s Fight Over the Free State | The Independents25 years after libertarians began migrating to NH, young politicians are now deciding to embrace or resist the vision. PorcFest, now with 10 mini-fests, gives you an opportunity to check out the buzz for yourself!Click here to watch the episode.

Have you ordered your copy yet?FSP Director Eric Brakey published his first book — a pithy door-knocking guide of 13 rules for liberty candidates running for local office. This is a must-have for anyone who wants to win at the door.All proceeds benefit the Free State Project.Click here to order a copy on Amazon.

As Seen in the Free State

Calling New Movers! At yesterday’s volunteer night at the Quill, Eric, Chris and others spent the evening calling recent out-of-state signers of the Statement of Intent, checking in to help them plan their move to New Hampshire.

Pedro Calling. Making calls to people who have recently signed their intent to move to NH, Outreach Director Pedro Serra remarks, “They all sounded so excited!”

Jane Calling. After making calls at the Quill, Outreach Strategist Jane Bennett remarks, “My calls went well too!  People from all over the US planning their move – Washington, Utah, a few in New England.”