AOF Activities & Events
It's California Freethought Day, the Twentieth Annual Freethought Day Festival, a day when the community of freethinkers join hands to bring you a menagerie of wonders and a fabulous flight of free minds, along with music, speakers, awards and more. That sounds gushy because we're gushing. We're very fond of "CFD"!
AOF founded it in 2002, a rather rag-tag gathering on the Sacramento courthouse steps. Somewhat to our surprise it grew, year by year, until it left the nest and took silver wings. No longer an AOF event, we still promote it, because we couldn't be more proud.
Today it is a public jubilee and gala hosted by the independent Freethought Day Committee, a wide-ranging celebration of free speech and free thought, civic engagement, enthusiasm for science, social justice, and the separation of church and state. It is open to all and free. It combines "the fun and festivity of a fair with the education and activism of a conference," as the event chair fondly explains. It features exhibits, speakers, music, prizes, panels, performance art, and tons of fun.
Planners are packing the day with events to entertain you and uplift you. Projected speakers and entertainers include Yvette d'Entremont (the "SciBabe"), Sarah Levin (founder of Secular Strategies), Debra Deanne Olson, standup comedian Leighann Lord, musician Scarlett Rabe, musician Joey Fabian, podcasters/comedians Ian Harris and Ty Barnett, and more. The lineup is still growing. This year's theme is "A Brighter Future with Reason".
So sign up now. But, sign up why? It's free, isn't it? Yes, the main event (Sunday) is free to attend, but this year, due to the COVID resurgence, it is a streaming, real-time teleconference. In other words you can enjoy CFD at home with a cat or puppy in your lap and the comfortable proximity of your pantry. You simply must register to get the video link. Also advance registration will make you eligible for delightful & toothsome benefits. Sign up, and learn more.
CFD is a multifarious event. Please visit the event website, or see the Facebook Page, or read the Freethought Day Blog.
The seed of this festival, of course, is the celebration of Freethought Day, a secular holiday that technically falls on October 12 (click that little link to learn a bit about it), and one of many celebrations held world-over at about the time.
Finally ... if you'd like to volunteer, sponsor, help promote, help plan, participate - or if you just have ideas - then please do visit the event website now, and contact the chairman (see below). Sooner = better. The team will love to have you, because hands that help ... are beautiful hands.