12 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., October 11, 2026
Humanists at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto invite you to a Watch Party for California Freethought Day, Sunday, October 11, from 12 to 5:30 pm, at UUCPA.
California Freethought Day combines the fun and atmosphere of a fair with the education and activism of a conference. It’s a festival of freethought. We’ll have speakers and entertainment, an authors’ and podcasters’ panel, and more! Our event has occurred in October of every year since 2001. Our mission is to host an annual festival that encourages freedom of speech and thought, civic engagement, enthusiasm for science, social justice, and the separation of church and state. See the full list and details on the official website.
Our theme this year is “In Facts We Trust: Misinformation and Media Literacy” as we highlight the vital role that reliable information, critical thinking, and media literacy play in a healthy, democratic society.
Join us at our free event to celebrate freedom of speech and thought, civic engagement, enthusiasm for science, social justice, and the separation of church and state.
The event will be outdoors at the California State Capitol Building and livestreamed via Facebook and YouTube. Closer than the capitol, though, is the Humanist Watch Party at UUCPA.
📅 Program
12:00 PM – Program Starts (see the full schedule)
5:30 PM – Event Ends
🎤 Speakers, Live Entertainment, and More
Our 25th year features the following speakers, entertainers, podcasters, authors, and more:
– Jared Huffman, US Representative for California
– Tim Russ, Actor, Star Trek: Voyager
– Alex Lee, California State Assemblymember
– Jonathan Lopez as “Hellen Heels”
– Candi Carpenter, Musical Artist
– Austin Archer, Comedian and Actor
– Bertha Vazquez, Education Director for CFI
– Chris Nichols, CapRadio Journalist
– Brian Dunning, Host of the Skeptoid Podcast
– Forrest Valkai, Science Communicator
– NorCal Resist, Community Organization
– Jovan Bradley, Podcast Host, Commentator
– Rina Wakefield, Poet
– Thomas Smith, Host of Serious Inquiries Only
– Lydia Smith, Podcaster
– Sean O’Brien, as Robert Ingersoll
– Andy Swan, as Uncle Sam
– and more to come!
We’re also awarding several scholarship winners and community leaders.
📍 Attend the Watch Party in Person:
Join fellow Humanists in Room 1 at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto, 505 East Charleston Road, Palo Alto, CA 94306.
Like us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/humanistcommsv/
Visit the Humanist Community web site:
https://www.humanists.org/blog/2026-10-11/
RSVP on Meetup:
https://www.meetup.com/humanistcommunity/events/
Watch videos of our past Forums: https://vimeo.com/user2798508
Add this event to your Google calendar: 