Festival of Ideas
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Festival of Ideas
A Colorado Classical Symposium
At Festival of Ideas, you'll explore thought-provoking topics and engage with content experts from across the country. With a session for every passion, this is a perfect opportunity to expand your horizons, connect with fellow curious minds, and engage in fascinating discussions.
The Festival is a celebration of presentations from diverse disciplines, each contributing to The Great Conversation and the Western intellectual tradition. Together, we examine enduring questions, timeless works, and the ideas that continue to shape our world.
This free event is open to the public and recommended for attendees ages 12 and up. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.
Save the Date
Festival of Ideas 2026
Saturday, October 3rd, 2026 | Fort Collins, CO
Saturday, October 3, 2026
8:30AM – 3:15PM
Liberty Common High School
Announcing the 2026 Keynote
Susan McWilliams Barndt is a professor of government at Claremont McKenna College and a scholar of American political thought. She is the author of The American Road Trip and American Political Thought (2018) and Traveling Back: Toward a Global Political Theory (2014), and has edited several notable collections, including A Political Companion to James Baldwin and The Princeton History of American Political Thought (forthcoming). Her commentary and writing on American politics have appeared in major outlets including The Atlantic, The New York Times, Politico, and Newsweek.
McWilliams has received numerous honors for her scholarship and teaching, including a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship, the Graves Award in the Humanities, and the Jack Miller Center’s Teaching Excellence Award. Before joining Claremont McKenna, she taught at Pomona College. She earned her B.A. from Amherst College, her M.A. and Ph.D. from Princeton University, and a leadership certificate from Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Sponsor Festival of Ideas
By sponsoring the Festival of Ideas, businesses and organizations have the opportunity to:
- Take part in The Great Conversation
- Support the renewal of the classical liberal arts tradition through conversations and workshops dedicated to thoughtful inquiry
- Reach classical educators, leaders, families, and like-minded community members through a unique and targeted advertising opportunity
Sponsors Receive
- Valuable brand exposure to an engaged and mission-aligned audience
- Recognition as a supporter of classical education and intellectual renewal
- The experience of participating in a one-of-a-kind, in-person event
Get Inspired
Relive the unforgettable keynote presentations from Festival of Ideas.
Contact Organizers
For inquires about Festival of Ideas, email event organizers at festivalofideas@libertycommon.org.