FreedomFest 2021 will be held in Rapid City, SD, 21-24 July. And what better place to hold a libertarian-oriented conference than in South Dakota, one of the freest of free states in America? Except for a few local mask mandates, Gov. Kristi Noem has kept the state open for business throughout the past year. And she was right:

“South Dakota never had a mask mandate and is widely considered the most maskless state in the union. Yet, their recent curve is remarkably flat (this is similar to surrounding Montana and North Dakota as well). It’s almost like viruses are gonna virus, regardless of what we do.”

South Dakota never had a mask mandate and is widely considered the most maskless state in the union. Yet, their recent curve is remarkably flat (this is similar to surrounding Montana and North Dakota as well). It's almost like viruses are gonna virus, regardless of what we do. pic.twitter.com/501Tedwqv3

— Scott Morefield (@SKMorefield) March 29, 2021

South Dakotans are all about personal and economic liberties. As a South Dakotan, I know this from personal experience. This state went for President Trump overwhelmingly in 2020. Private gun ownership is high. Gov. Noem recently signed three pro-gun and self-defense bills into law:

Senate Bill 100 provides protections for gun stores, ranges, or any other entity that engages in the lawful selling or servicing of firearms, components, or accessories. SB 100 also prevents the prohibition, regulation, or seizure of citizens’ Second Amendment rights during a declared State of Emergency.

Senate Bill 111 reduces the cost for some types of concealed carry permits.

House Bill 1212 clarifies the use of force under South Dakota’s Stand Your Ground laws.  The bill enhances your right to self-defense by strengthening and explaining when justifiable force can be used in defense of person and property, so long as the individual is not engaging in an unlawful activity and is in a place they’re allowed to be.

Schools stayed open (none of that virtual nonsense). And the only people who wear masks these days are self-identified sheep (or are forced to do so by their employers – primarily the feds or national chain stores). Life here is just about as normal as it could be, pre-virus.

FreedomFest 21 will be held roughly 70 miles south-southeast of the geographic center of the US, which is 20 miles north of Belle Fourche, SD. Geographic center and political center – in one of the reddest of red states in the Union. Should it ever get to this point in America, South Dakota will be a last bastion against the Marxist Left personified by the Democrat Party. From the official FreedomFest press release:

Top leaders from business, government, and free-market think tanks are coming together for FreedomFest July 21-24, including Steve Moore (founder, Club for Growth), Senator Cynthia Lummis (Wyoming), John Mackey (CEO, Whole Foods Market), John Fund (National Review), Tom Woods (Mises Institute), and Larry Elder (“The Larry Elder Show”). Billed as the “greatest libertarian show on earth” by the Washington Post, FreedomFest expects a record turnout at its new destination, Rapid City, South Dakota.

Started in 2002 as FEE Fest, FreedomFest has evolved into the signature networking event for American innovators, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and investors. FreedomFest is produced by economist and author Mark Skousen, who is currently a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University and longtime editor of Forecasts & Strategies. Libertarian-themed Anthem Film Festival runs tandem with FreedomFest and has many films that focus on business. Director Jo Ann Skousen says, “Many of our films this year focus on corporate welfare and disruption to business from the pandemic lockdown.”

The interactive agenda is posted here, and there is still plenty of time to register.

Welcome to South Dakota, libertarians and others! The four great faces on Mt. Rushmore will be smiling down on your conference.

The end.