Liberty Summer Is Here: PorcFest, Legislative Wins & What’s Next

Friends —

Thanks for letting me catch my breath.

Today is my 38th birthday (8/8/88), so I hope you will forgive me for not sending a newsletter for a little while.

(If you like, you can click “reply” and wish me a happy birthday.)

The Porcupine Post has been quiet since mid-June, but the Free State community certainly has not. We return this week with a lot to share from this Liberty Summer in New Hampshire:

• PorcFest kicked off Liberty Summer. As America achieved 250 years of independence, Free Staters celebrated across ten decentralized festivals throughout New Hampshire.
  
  
• Climb a mountain with us! We are climbing Mt. Pierce on October 17 for the second annual Granite Freedom Trek. Purchase your ticket today.
  
  
• Free State Stoics blend liberty and philosophy. Our growing philosophical community is exploring how the Stoic virtues can strengthen our lives—and the work of building a libertarian homeland.
  
  
• Liberty wins at the NH State House. Tax cuts. Homeschool freedom. The right to pickle. Oh my! The wins keep coming in the Free State.
  
  
• Reasons to visit this August. Visit NH for the Freedom Summit (8/20-21) and the Family Planning Weekend (8/28-30).
  
  
• Outreach to Maine and across America. We are expanding our outreach — both on the ground and in digital spaces — to liberty lovers in neighboring states and across the country.
  
  
• A Porcupine Patron Update. Thank you to all 335 Porcupine Patrons who fund our year-round mission. Become a patron!

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

Spontaneous Order Emerged at PorcFest XXIII

There is no better place than the #1 state for freedom to celebrate 250 years since our Declaration of Independence.

We kicked off Liberty Summer with the 23rd annual Porcupine Freedom Festival, which took a new form through “Spontaneous Order” this June.

Without a singular venue to host the festival this year, Free Staters opened the doors to their clubhouses, homes, and businesses to welcome hundreds of festival-goers throughout the week.

Here are just a few highlights from the festival.

Porcupine Report #118: “A PorcFest to Remember”

Eric reflects on the 2026 Porcupine Freedom Festival, sharing how this year’s decentralized format brought together liberty-minded people from across New Hampshire and around the country. He discusses the growth of community initiatives, the role of philosophy in the Free State movement, and why events like PorcFest continue to strengthen the culture of liberty. The episode also highlights upcoming opportunities to get involved, from festivals and educational events to outreach efforts aimed at welcoming future Free Staters. Plus, Eric responds to recent media coverage of the movement and offers his perspective on the ideas shaping New Hampshire’s future.

Click here to watch the full episode.

Philosophy & Liberty

One of my favorite PorcFest activities was the Free State Stoics dialogue that I hosted at the Weare Fair.

For those unfamiliar, this is a group that I began with other Free Staters who are interested in discussing philosophy and how we can apply Stoic virtues in life and the effort of building a libertarian homeland.

(If you would like to participate, join our Free State Stoics Signal group and attend our upcoming meetup on Sunday, August 16.)

When a reporter from InDepthNH showed up unexpectedly to cover this PorcFest event, we decided to let her stay — and I was mostly pleased with the article she wrote.

Read some excerpts below.

WEARE, N.H. – Remarkably, not a single person checked their cellphone during a three-hour “Dialogue on Liberty and Virtue” hosted by the Free State Stoics in Weare on Tuesday.

Instead, they passed around books about Stoicism, encouraged journaling for goal-setting and self-reflection, and discussed how to incorporate the virtues promoted by Stoicism – temperance, wisdom, justice and courage – with libertarian political philosophy, which they summarized as “Don’t hurt people and don’t take their stuff.”

“Libertarianism is a very big umbrella, not a complete philosophy for life,” said Eric Brakey, executive director of the Free State Project… Brakey, who led the discussion, said that he studies and practices both Stoicism and Taoism, which build on the libertarian principles of non-aggression, minimal government, personal freedom and property rights to help people “live a good life.”

… Although the Free State Stoics discussion was small, it did attract people who are considering moving to New Hampshire from Florida, the Midwest and Maine.

… Elliot Boutin, an Air Force veteran from Vermont who attended the University of New Hampshire, said he learned about the Free State Project after he joined Young Americans for Liberty, a libertarian-conservative youth organization… Boutin said… he came to Stoicism after growing up in a “very splintered family,” with one “get stuff done” parent and another “very emotional” parent.

“I’m very anti-communist, and communists want you to be as emotional as possible,” he told the group. “I trained my mind to look for logic. Over time, libertarianism and the non-aggression principle make the most sense and bring prosperity, [and] Stoicism is the backbone to enforce that philosophy. … If you can control your emotion, you’re far less likely to do bad things to people.”

… Zoë Bode, who introduced herself next, argued that the modern conception of Stoicism is truncated. The founding philosophers did not advocate suppressing emotion, but instead “alchemizing it into something productive.”

“A lot of the modern Stoicism tends to be about optimization at any cost. It’s about making yourself an unfeeling robot that doesn’t get affected by anything,” she said. “One of the biggest issues in the liberty movement is so many of us are obsessed with our ideals and our virtues and what we consider liberty, and we’re not willing to meet in the messy middle of life” and take positive action together…

Click here to read the full article.

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

More Reasons to Visit New Hampshire

PorcFest has ended, but there are many reasons to visit New Hampshire.

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 summer and autumn.

NH Liberty Calendar

August 2026

August 20-21 — Freedom Summit exists to gather the people building a more ambitious future in New Hampshire.

Freedom belongs to everyone — especially the people using it to build a better future. Freedom Summit is for people who believe the future should not be something we wait for. It should be something we build — together.

Expect talks from people doing the work, workshops where something actually gets solved, and meals, parties, and excursions designed for real connection.

Two tracks. Attend either day, or both. Come for the world-class attendees. Stay for the slow dinners, bold ideas, and New Hampshire adventures that change trajectories.

Click here to register for the Freedom Summit.

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!

Porcupine Report #122: “Real Family Planning ” with Nikki Sunshine

Eric talks with Nikki Sunshine about the upcoming Family Planning Weekend, an event designed to introduce prospective movers to New Hampshire’s family-focused community and opportunities. They also discuss why New Hampshire has become a destination for families seeking greater freedom, stronger communities, and more choices when it comes to raising children. Along the way, they explore the unique culture being built in the Free State, the value of connecting with like-minded families, and the many resources available for parents.

Click here to watch the full episode.

October 2026

October 17, 2026 — The second annual Granite Freedom Trek 

Experience the White Mountains. Connect with Free Staters. Discover New Hampshire.

Spend a day exploring the best of New Hampshire with the people who call it home. The Granite Freedom Trek is a signature Free State Project experience designed for prospective movers, visitors, and liberty-minded adventurers. Join us for a guided hike to the summit of Mount Pierce, one of New Hampshire’s iconic 4,000-foot peaks, followed by a private after-party at Basecamp Brewing in Lincoln.

Whether you’re visiting for the weekend or seriously considering a move, this is your opportunity to experience New Hampshire beyond the brochures. Hike with Free Staters, ask questions, make connections, and discover why thousands have chosen to build their lives in the Granite State.

Click here for more information and tickets.

Liberty Wins Under the Golden Dome

The 2026 legislative session delivered meaningful victories for taxpayers, entrepreneurs, families, patients, and property owners. Here are some highlights:

Tax Relief and Fiscal Restraint

• Giving voters a say on school taxes — HB 1300: This November, voters across New Hampshire will decide whether to cap increases in local school property taxes and limit central-office administrative spending. Adoption requires a three-fifths vote. The proposed tax cap allows adjustments for inflation and new construction, while the administrative cap limits SAU central-office budgets to 6% of participating districts’ combined appropriations.
  
  
• Relief for small businesses — HB 155: The state raised the threshold for filing a Business Enterprise Tax return from $250,000 to $400,000, sparing more small businesses from the tax and its paperwork. Beginning in 2029, the threshold will adjust with inflation. The law also creates a mechanism for future BET rate reductions when business-tax revenue substantially exceeds projections.

Housing and the Right to Build

• Free the Pickle — SB 418: Municipalities may no longer impose their own licenses, restrictions, or exclusions on state-authorized homestead food production and sales. This protects cottage-food entrepreneurs from an additional layer of local red tape.
  
  
• Removing local barriers to housing — SB 564: The state limited several municipal development restrictions, including maximum road-length rules, numerical caps on housing lots served by dead-end streets, and certain frontage requirements. The result is greater freedom to divide land and build needed homes.
  
  
• Opening the door to tiny homes and yurts — HB 1681: New Hampshire established statewide definitions and approval standards for tiny houses, tiny houses on wheels, and yurts. These innovative structures can now be approved as single-family homes or accessory dwelling units, expanding lower-cost and unconventional housing options.

Educational Freedom

• Career training for EFA students — SB 491: Education Freedom Account students in grades 9–12 will gain clearer access to regional career and technical education programs, with the state establishing appropriate tuition and transportation funding procedures. The change takes effect July 1, 2027.
  
  
• Keeping the World Economic Forum out of public-school curricula — HB 1448: New Hampshire public schools may not use curriculum materials created or supplied by the World Economic Forum. The measure became law without the governor’s signature.

Self-Defense and Medical Freedom

• Protecting those who protect others — HB 1279: New Hampshire clarified that a person has no duty to retreat before using legally justified force to defend someone else from imminent danger. The law extends the state’s stand-your-ground protection to the defense of third parties and takes effect January 1, 2027.
  
  
• Expanding Right to Try — HB 1734: The Michael Yakubovich–John Lewicke Right to Try Act expands access to experimental treatments for patients facing severe illnesses and creates a study committee to examine experimental treatment centers and their oversight.
  
  
• Making health-care prices visible — HB 705: Health plans must publicly disclose negotiated rates, out-of-network charges, and prescription-drug pricing in standardized, machine-readable files. The Insurance Department must use the information to support an online price-comparison tool for patients.
  
  
• Informing families of vaccine exemptions — HB 1584: State materials concerning childhood immunization requirements must clearly inform families that medical and religious exemptions are available under New Hampshire law. The law also requires pharmacies to notify consumers that they may request the lowest available prescription-drug price.

Election Integrity and Local Responsibility

• Requiring government-issued voter identification — HB 323: Student IDs will no longer qualify as voter identification. Voters must instead present government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license or passport. Free voter-identification cards remain available through the state.
  
  
• Restoring local responsibility for welfare — HB 348: Towns and cities may establish residency requirements of up to 90 days for local assistance. The law preserves short-term emergency aid while residency is verified, includes special consideration for people fleeing domestic or sexual violence, and establishes a process for determining which municipality is financially responsible.

With so much winning in Concord, our friends at the NH Liberty Alliance had much to celebrate at their annual Liberty Dinner this July.

They unveiled their 2026 report card, awarding A ratings to a record number of legislators.

Not everyone was happy—especially lawmakers who received the organization’s lowest designation, “Constitutional Threat.” Read more below:

The New Hampshire Liberty Alliance (NHLA) has announced that 104 New Hampshire legislators earned an A or A+ Liberty Rating in 2026, all of them Republicans, which the organization said is more than double the total for 2025.

The NHLA was founded in 2003 and says it is a non-partisan coalition working to increase individual freedom in New Hampshire. It monitors certain bills in each legislative session, which are evaluated based on aspects like effects on civil liberties, personal responsibility, property rights, and accountability, according to its website.

Some Democratic lawmakers see NHLA as a Republican / Libertarian / Free State project that pursues ideology over what’s good for New Hampshire. Rep. Wendy Thomas, D-Merrimack, said if the NHLA puts you at the bottom of its list “maybe that’s exactly where a legislator should be.”

…

Thomas was among those who received the lowest score CT or Constitutional Threat which was defined as “Considered unfaithful to their oath to uphold the New Hampshire Constitution and the principles of liberty.”

…

Rep. Dan McGuire, R-Epsom, noted his surprise when he learned he was the recipient of the NHLA’s 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award, which aimed to honor “his years of sustained service and contribution to the liberty movement,” per the press release.

McGuire moved from Washington state to New Hampshire for the Free State Project back in 2005, was first elected as a state Representative in 2010 and is currently in his non-consecutive 5th term. While he said he does not currently plan to run for reelection, he hasn’t ruled out a potential return several years from now.

“I was very pleased, because the NHLA is an organization that I respect a lot. I was on its Board for a short period of time. They do really good work… It was very thoughtful of them, and I was somewhat surprised,” McGuire said.

He added, “The Free State Project — and I was formerly on the Board — is an organization to promote New Hampshire, and to promote liberty-minded people to move to New Hampshire, but it has no political presence in New Hampshire. They don’t do anything about legislation, or bills, or getting people elected. The NHLA, on the other hand, is strictly an internal organization. It’s only in New Hampshire; it doesn’t go out and go to other states… they’re two separate functions.”

Free State Project Executive Director Eric Brakey, who attended the July 18 Liberty Alliance annual dinner at Murphy’s Taproom & Carriage House in Bedford, said, “It was encouraging. I think it was the most well-attended event they’ve ever done. There was a very positive energy in the room; people were very excited about progress that’s been made on liberty issues, and celebrating some of the champions in the legislature who have been making these things happen. People were in very high spirits, and it was a wonderful evening.”

…

“I have a lot of respect for the NHLA as an organization. Anyone who is voting consistently for liberty as we understand it are welcome to call themselves a Free Stater if they’d like to. Whether they were born here or if they moved here, if they agree with the vision of a New Hampshire that respects our basic human liberties then I’d love to count them as Free Staters, but that’s an individual choice for themselves, whether they want to identify as one or not,” he said.

Brakey said the NHLA and the Free State Project are organizations that support each other and reinforce their missions. He said while they both began in the early 2000s, they began independently.

“I think that the NHLA was founded by people who were native Granite Staters, but certainly a lot of the grassroots support for the NHLA – in terms of activists who want to help read bills, evaluate them, and hand out the Gold Standard reports in the State House – a lot of this has been fed by the Free State Project bringing in people who want to get involved and make a difference… I think a lot of the different institutions for the liberty movement in New Hampshire play different roles, but we are all driving generally toward the same mission,” he said.

Click here to read the full article.

Outreach: Eyes on Maine

As liberty recedes in the Pine Tree State next door, we are focused on inviting Maine’s liberty lovers to discover the opportunities available in New Hampshire.

Thank you to our volunteers this summer who attended the Topsham Gun Show across the border.

Physical outreach, however, is only the beginning.

Thanks to everyone who funded our “Digital Outreach Money Bomb” earlier this year, we are launching the first phase of “Operation Liberty Vortex” — drawing liberty lovers from surrounding states into the growing Free State community. 

We are beginning with a pilot project of targeted social-media advertising in Maine.

Our goal is to reach liberty lovers in Maine and invite them to sign up for this newsletter in exchange for a free digital guide comparing the nation’s first- and 43rd-ranked states for freedom.

From there, we will continue communicating and inviting them to visit the many events happening year-round in the Free State. Based on the lessons and effectiveness of this pilot project, we have future plans to expand to other surrounding states, including Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York.

Check out one of the first ads that will be running in Maine on Facebook, X, and Instagram:

Outreach: Across America

While we focus on nearby states, we continue taking opportunities to reach the liberty diaspora across America.

In late July, I flew down to Cincinnati, Ohio, for the Young Americans for Liberty National Convention (YALCON).

I took to the main stage briefly to introduce my friend and future Free Stater, Tom Woods.

I was also glad to see active Free Staters, Elliot Boutin and Rep. Sam Farrington (pictured below), open the first day of the convention with the stories of building their YAL chapter at the University of New Hampshire and their fight for “Campus Carry” legislation at the NH State House.

On the second day, I joined my friends Jack Hunter and Jp Cortez on a panel to discuss the history of the Ron Paul Revolution — and why the legacy of the good doctor remains important to this day.

Many of these students were still in the womb during Dr. Paul’s last run for President, so it is important that the lessons and work of these efforts are not forgotten.

If video of these remarks becomes available, I will share it in a future newsletter.

While I was at YALCON, I caught up with representatives of many media outlets and liberty organizations. On one occasion, I did an interview with the New American about how the FSP uses mass migration as a strategy to build a Free State.

One note: the New American frames this as “Rightwingers” — but I would offer a correction that the FSP as an organization is neither explicitly right-wing nor left-wing. All who love liberty are welcome.

“For years, libertarians and liberty lovers have packed their bags and moved to New Hampshire to concentrate power locally, take over the state legislature, and defend Americanism, according to former Maine senator and executive director of the Free State Project Eric Brakey in an interview with The New American’s Andrew Muller.”

As I write this, I am in Michigan at Lake Satoshi for the 14th annual Midwest Peace & Liberty Festival.

(For a fun fact, this festival was inspired by our own Porcupine Freedom Festival.)

The organizers invited me out to speak about the progress of the Free State Project with all the attendees. I have already met half a dozen people interested in making the move to New Hampshire.

If I cannot be in the Free State on my birthday, then I am still glad to be in a beautiful place, surrounded by liberty lovers.

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 335 active patrons. Can you help us reach 350?

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?

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.

For Liberty!
Hon. Eric Brakey
Executive Director
Free State Project

Mark Your Calendar!

Recurring Free State Events

New Mover Potluck Parties! 

• Manchester – First Friday
• North Country – Third Saturday
• Upper Valley – First Saturday

Local Meetups!

• Bedford – weekly, Tuesdays
• Plymouth – semi-monthly, Wednesdays
• Seacoast – weekly, Thursdays (changes town) 
• Upper Valley – monthly, fourth Tuesday
• Nashua – weekly, Sundays
• Lakes – monthly, third Saturday 
• Ossipee – monthly, second Sunday
• Madison – Monthly, second Saturday and third Tuesday
• Grafton – Monthly, second Saturday
• Keene – weekly, Sundays
• Lower Valley – monthly, third Friday

This 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 Hour

Our 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, Manchester

• 11:30 – 12:00, Networking & Lunch
• 12:00, Meeting begins

Click here to RSVP (for free lunch).

NH Liberty Calendar

Free State Voices

Fauci Takes the Fifth — After His Own Diary Exposed Him | The Independents

Anthony Fauci spent years embodying: “I am the Science.” Today, Fauci became: “I plead the Fifth.” Carla Gericke of The Independents breaks down today’s explosive Senate hearing, where Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination more than 100 times after Sen. Rand Paul released his pandemic-era “diary.” Let’s be clear: Fauci has constitutional rights. Everyone does. That is the point. But constitutional rights do not erase public accountability—and this hearing exposed the operating system in all its grotesque glory. The man who helped shape policies affecting hundreds of millions of people can refuse every substantive question under oath, while ordinary Americans were fined, fired, censored, deplatformed, separated from dying relatives, and treated like criminals for questioning those same policies. Democrats called the hearing an attempt to “entrap” Fauci. But what about the Americans entrapped by mandates, emergency powers, shifting rules, and a public-health bureaucracy that demanded obedience while shielding its own decision-making? From the diary’s public-private contradictions to the spectacular collision between the “I am the Science” persona and the Fifth Amendment, Carla examines what the record actually shows, why the accountability gap exists, and why the court of public opinion may be the only courtroom left. Watch. Decide for yourself.

Click here to watch the episode.

Porcupine Report #119: “The Peoples’ Legislature” w/ Rep. Dan McGuire

Eric sits down with longtime Free State activist and State Representative Dan McGuire to reflect on two decades of the Free State Project, New Hampshire politics, and the movement’s growth. They discuss what makes New Hampshire’s citizen legislature unique, the impact dedicated individuals can have, and the many ways people contribute to advancing liberty beyond elected office. The conversation also explores lessons from Dan’s years of public service, the importance of community, and why New Hampshire continues to attract people who want to build a freer society. Eric also shares updates on Free State Project initiatives, upcoming events, and the organization’s current fundraising efforts.

Click here to watch the episode.

Rethinking Education w/ Ian Underwood at Freedom Palooza

Ian Underwood explains why we need to rethink education and key areas to change in this 40 minute talk presented at Freedom Palooza in North Country, NH in July 2026. Ian summarizes three of his books on education covering three areas to rethink. He recommends changing “fairness” to be about what is learned rather than being about money as it is now, replacing what he refers to as the current “pay and pray” model of education with the standard model of commerce, and limiting schools to things that are mandatory instead of incorporating such a wide variety of things under “education” that schools can’t possibly do anything well.

Click here to watch his remarks.

Porcupine Report #120: “Defeat the Central Bankers” with Eduardo Alexander

Eric sits down with entrepreneur and freedom advocate Eduardo Alexander to discuss the growing push for decentralization and the future of liberty-oriented communities. Their conversation explores concerns about centralized political and financial power, the migration of freedom-minded individuals to places like New Hampshire and Puerto Rico, and the role emerging technologies may play in creating alternative systems. They also examine the promise and challenges of Bitcoin and decentralized platforms as tools for greater individual sovereignty and economic independence. More broadly, the discussion reflects on how communities can preserve freedom and self-governance in an increasingly centralized world.

Click here to watch the episode.

Porcupine Report #121: “An Aussie Visits the Free State” w/ Jordan Dittloff

Eric talks with Australian libertarian activist Jordan Dittloff to discuss the state of liberty movements in Australia and the United States. The conversation explores Australia’s increasingly centralized political climate, the lasting impact of COVID-era policies, and why New Hampshire’s Free State Project stands out as a unique model for building real-world communities around shared values. Jordan reflects on his visit to New Hampshire, sharing his impressions of its culture, activism, and sense of possibility. Together, they examine whether concentrating like-minded people in one place may be the most effective path toward advancing freedom in an increasingly authoritarian world.

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