Frequently Asked Questions
FreedomFest Memphis meets Wednesday, July 12 – Saturday, July 15 at The Renasant Convention Center in Memphis, TN.
FreedomFest Memphis will include a selection of optional custom excursions to Graceland, the National Civil Rights Museum, and a history of music tour (including Sun Studio) on Tuesday, July 11 and Sunday, July 16.
The FreedomFest opening festivities will begin Wednesday at noon with a series of stimulating and intellectual sessions designed to “prime the mind” and lead into the Opening Ceremonies general session at 4:30 and Welcome Reception and Grand Opening of the Exhibit Hall at 7:30.
We recommend staying at least through Sunday, July 16 so you can attend the provocative “Super Charged Saturday” sessions, as well as our fabulous Farewell Reception & Banquet on Saturday, which features live entertainment, special guest speakers, the Anthem Film Awards, live music & dancing and a full three-course gourmet dining experience. There will also be Memphis-focused optional excursions available on Sunday, July 16.
During the conference dates of July 12 through July 15, there will also be multiple evening social events at the conference and on Beale Street.
The FreedomFest registration counter will be at the top of the main escalators on Level 2 of the Renasant Convention Center. Signs and volunteers will be on hand to direct you. There will be Self-Registration and Full Registration available for attendees as well as dedicated check in for Exhibitors and Speakers.
Check in starts Wednesday, July 12 at 9 am. We will be sharing additional registration instructions via email as we near the event.
Registration Desk Hours:
Wednesday 9 am – 7 pm
Thursday 8 am – 5 pm
Friday 8 am – 5 pm
Saturday 8 am – 5 pm
The regular full registration pass (attendee, guest, local, student, young professional, professor, exhibitor, speaker, filmmaker, exhibitor and media) includes:
- 3 1/2 days of general sessions & breakout sessions, debates, panels, and speeches on a wide range of liberty topics with more than 250 speakers
- Welcome Cocktail Reception and Grand Opening of the Exhibit Hall
- All conference materials
- Unlimited entrance to our Exhibit Hall, “the tradeshow for liberty”
- Global Financial Summit for investors
- Anthem Film Festival screenings and panels
- The Eureka! Summit for entrepreneurs and small businesses
- The Punching Up Comedy Festival (with optional Friday night comedy show)
- The Subversion Summit on innovation and technology
- Complimentary light breakfast and coffee in the exhibit hall
- Authors’ roundtables and book signings
- Social events, karaoke, morning yoga, live music and more
The One Day Pass includes:
- 1 day of general sessions & breakout sessions, debates, panels and speeches;
- All conference materials;
- Unlimited entrance to our Exhibit Hall;
- Anthem Film Festival screenings;
- Complimentary Continental Breakfast and coffee break that day.
The Film Lovers Pass includes:
- 3 1/2 days of Anthem Film Festival; screenings and panels;
- Unlimited Entrance to the Exhibit Hall;
- Complimentary continental breakfasts and coffee breaks
It does not include any other FreedomFest events.
Film Lovers Day Pass includes:
- 1 day of Anthem Film Festival screenings and panels;
- Unlimited Entrance to the Exhibit Hall for that day
- Complimentary continental breakfast and coffee breaks as offered on that day
Please wear your badge to attend any part of FreedomFest – room monitors will be checking badges throughout the conference. If you lose your badge, there will be a $20 fee to replace it.
There is no difference between a guest pass and a regular attendee pass. Both have full registration benefits. The guest pass is simply connected to the regular attendee pass for a lower price. Our regular attendee price (April 1 – July 15) is $597 and our guest attendee price is $497. (Early bird rate is $497/$397 before April 1.)
Visit https://freedomfest.swoogo.com/memphis2023/sign-in and enter your email address to access your registration. Follow the prompts to make any changes to your registration.
FreedomFest has room blocks with several quality hotels near the conference meeting space, including:
- Sheraton Memphis Downtown
- Crowne Plaza Memphis Downtown
- Peabody Memphis
- Caption by Hyatt
- Centric by Hyatt
Discounted fees are available at each hotel with a FreedomFest room block. All hotels are within one mile of the Renasant Convention Center and are accessible to the convention center by foot, air bridge or the trolley on Main Street.
To see the room rates and make your hotel reservation, visit our Hotels Page.
The newly renovated Memphis International Airport is just 15 minutes away from the Renasant Convention Center and downtown Memphis.
It’s an easy ride by taxi or Uber/Lyft. You can also rent a car.
Parking is available at the Renasant Convention Center for $10/day. Please visit our Hotels page to see parking rates for all the FreedomFest hotels.
Refund Policy A 20% fee of the registration amount paid will apply to all registration cancellations through May 31. Starting June 1, the cancellation fee is 50% of the registration amount paid. Starting July 1, there is no refund.
Transfer Policy You can choose to transfer your registration, rather than cancel, for an equivalent registration at the next FreedomFest at any point before July 12. This is a registration transfer, not a monetary credit.
Special Events Cancellation Special event purchases are 100% refundable through May 31 and 50% refundable between June 1 and June 30. Starting July 1, there are no refunds for special events.
Hotel Cancellation Hotels can be cancelled without penalty 72 hours before check-in date. A first night’s refundable deposit is taken when the reservation is made. Changes to hotel reservations must be made through the hotel directly.
Excursion Cancellation Excursions are 100% refundable through May 31 and 50% refundable between June 1 and June 24. Starting June 25, there are no refunds for excursions.
FreedomFest FAM Policy The FreedomFest FAM Upgraded Experience is valid through July 15, 2023 and is not a recurring membership. The registered FreedomFest FAM attendee may participate in any or all of the listed FreedomFest FAM benefits. There are no benefit substitutions and no partial refunds for unused benefits. FreedomFest FAM benefits are only valid for the registered FreedomFest FAM attendee and individual benefits are not transferable. A 20% fee of the amount paid will apply to all FreedomFest FAM cancellations through May 31. Starting June 1, the cancellation fee is 50% of the amount paid. Starting July 1, there is no refund. FreedomFest FAM registrations can be transferred to another attendee until July 1. There are no transfers after July 1.
Lost Badge Fee Please note that in the case of a lost or misplaced badge or other ticket, requiring reprinting, will incur a $20 replacement fee.Use the Official Agenda Guide you will receive when you check-in to read through the full schedule of events, including all the sessions, exhibitors, receptions, lunches and films.
We encourage you to install and use the free app or your printed Agenda Guide to highlight which sessions you’d most like to attend each day and see the latest updates. All seating is unreserved, first-come/first-served. Download the Sched app and search for FreedomFest 2023 to install the schedule onto your phone.
All FreedomFest sessions and the Exhibit Hall will be located in the convention meeting space at The Renasant Convention Center in Memphis, TN.
We’ve also included book signings with the authors of 2023’s most important books in the exhibit hall during coffee breaks and during the Welcome Reception – come meet our authors!
Add our special event breakfasts, luncheons, and receptions including the Farewell Banquet on Saturday night.
Don’t miss our “Super-Charged Saturday” sessions! We’ve saved some of the best for last. We’ll get you energized with free energy drinks and snacks (while supplies last) when sessions start Saturday afternoon, and we’ll award randomly selected attendees in sessions and films with special prizes, including silver dollars, merchandise and more!
Most importantly, we hope you will enhance your trip to Memphis with our optional custom excursions to the iconic Graceland (home of Elvis Presley), the historic National Civil Rights Museum and inspiring history of music tour on Tuesday, July 11 and Sunday, July 16. And don’t forget to visit Beale Street at night after conference activities conclude for the day!
We work year-round to add speakers and content to FreedomFest. As each speaker and title is confirmed, we update our website. Visit the Speakers section on the website.
We suggest business or business casual attire for all conference sessions. The Farewell Banquet is business-formal or cocktail dress.
Please note that the conditions indoors may feel chilly for some, but warm for others – we always get comments that it’s both, at the same time! Please dress with layers so you will be comfortable.
Temperatures outdoors in Memphis will be humid and hot, most likely around 90 degrees.
Please sign up for your registration pass and any special events (VIP breakfasts, lunches, receptions or the banquet) through FreedomFest.
Please sign up for your accommodations and optional excursions through the links on our Hotels and Excursions pages.
New Attendees: To start your registration process with FreedomFest, click here.
Current Attendees: To access your existing registration with FreedomFest, click here, enter your email address, and follow the prompts to make any changes including adding special events or an additional guest.
While there is no specific age restriction, FreedomFest is geared toward older students and adults. We do not have any programming for young children. Children ages 12 and up will need a badge, but children under the age of 12 can be at FreedomFest as long as they are accompanied by their parent or legal guardian at all times. If a child is being disruptive, we ask that you please leave the session.
Choice reigns supreme at FreedomFest, and attendees often face the dilemma of two sessions at the same time that look appealing! If you are attending the conference with a guest, we suggest splitting up and going to the two sessions separately….it gives you great catch-up conversation when you meet back up for coffee, lunch, or dinner at the end of the day!
We also record all sessions at FreedomFest and make those sessions available for purchase – either individually or the entire conference collection. See the audio sales at the Registration counter in the Exhibit Hall before the conference concludes.
All conference sessions are unreserved, first-come/first-served seating. Special event breakfasts, lunches, and the Farewell Banquet are restricted to ticket holders, but are still unreserved seating, except for the VIP tables at the banquet and head tables at VIP events.
There will be a light attendee breakfast in the Exhibit Hall available on Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings, as well as coffee breaks throughout each conference day.
There are several eateries near the Renasant Convention Center, as well as several sponsor or VIP lunches available in the meeting space. There will also be a lunch kiosk in the convention space.
Near the Renasant Convention Center, we recommend the following restaurants:
- Crossroads Tavern and Grille at the Sheraton
- Magnolia Grill at 250 Main Street
- Alcenia’s Desserts and Preserves at 317 Main Street
- Westy’s at 346 Main Street
- Notes and Provisions at 217 N 2nd Street
- Butterific Bakery and Cafe at 488 S 2nd Street
- Ferraro’s Pizzeria and Pub at 111 Jackson Ave
- Takashi Bistro at 1680 Union Avenue
- The Lookout at the Pyramid
Other restaurants we recommend include:
- Flight Restaurant and Bistro at 39 S Main Street
- McEwen’s Memphis at 120 Monroe Ave
- Majestic Grill at 145 S Main Street
- Charles Vergos Rendezvous at 52 S 2nd Street
Anthem Film Festival screenings take place at the convention meeting space at The Renasant Convention Center along with FreedomFest. Screenings and follow-up panels will be in Ballroom B.
Access to the Anthem Film Festival is included in all FreedomFest registration passes.
“FreedomFest After Dark” is just as much fun as FreedomFest during the day.
Choose from:
FreedomFest Jam Session Thursday night
World-famous music on Beale Street
Anthem 8pm Movies
Punching Up Comedy Show on Friday night
Saturday Night Farewell Reception & Gala Celebration
Sponsored and Paid Receptions (see your agenda for details)
Each full day starts with a complimentary continental breakfast in the Exhibit Hall at the convention meeting space at The Renasant Convention Center.
Then we gather together for main stage sessions in the East Hall (Main Stage 1) and Ballroom A (Main Stage 2).
Breakout sessions are located in the following rooms:
- East Hall (Main Stage 1)
- Ballroom A (Main Stage 2)
- Ballroom B (Anthem)
- Ballroom C (Global Financial Summit)
- Ballroom D
- Ballroom E
- Room 202/203
- Room 204/205
- River Front Room 1
- River Front Room 2/3
- River Front Room 4/5
- River Lobby (Defiance Music Festival pop up performances)
- West Hall (roundtables) – Exhibit Hall
See your agenda guide, online conference guide or the app for more specific details on the venue for a particular session.
Restrooms are located near the Exhibit Hall in the West Hall and down near the River Front rooms.
We love to hear from our attendees! Please let us know what we are doing well at FreedomFest and what we can do to make it even better. Take the survey at the end of the conference – you will receive an email at the end of the conference.
You can always email us at [email protected] anytime!
The FreedomFest Forum is a blog that shares articles and posts with the insights, thoughts and opinions of FreedomFest speakers, exhibitors, sponsors, experts and even our own staff! It’s a way to get ready for the sessions and experiences coming up at FreedomFest in July, as well as to stay on top of important issues throughout the year – through the FreedomFest perspective!
Read our Latest Post at http://forum.freedomfest.com and sign up for our newsletter email list here.
Privacy Policy
FreedomFest, Inc. is deeply committed to protecting the privacy and security of our attendees’ personal and financial information. We do not sell, share or rent the name, billing address, email address, telephone number, credit card or any other information about our attendees to anyone, including other attendees, speakers, sponsors or exhibitors. FreedomFest Inc. maintains this information in-house and uses it solely to contact our attendees directly regarding FreedomFest events, speakers and exhibitors.
Disclaimer
FreedomFest, Inc. is a “big tent event” that brings together a diverse range of speakers, in sessions, panels and debates that cover politics, investments, economics, history, philosophy, science & technology, art & literature, and healthy living. All exhibitors and speakers are independent business people or entities and are not directed or controlled by FreedomFest Inc., nor does FreedomFest Inc. sponsor or promote, directly or indirectly, any agenda, idea, product or service offered by speakers or exhibitors. FreedomFest Inc. is not liable or responsible for the advice, offerings, actions or services of exhibitors or sponsors. We encourage all participants to examine information, ask questions, and carefully evaluate and compare advice from our various exhibitors, speakers, sponsors and other attendees. Participants should carefully consider whether material and information they receive is suitable to their personal circumstances before taking any action.
FreedomFest serves as a platform for engaging, thought-provoking conversations and experiences. We encourage freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, free market interchange and voluntary interactions within a civil and productive environment. We also believe in the right to be left alone, and we do not tolerate or condone actions or language that is abusive or invasive, especially sexual harassment. FreedomFest is not a place for behavior that is inappropriate, off-topic, disruptive, abusive, or criminal.
FreedomFest defines inappropriate behavior as that which undermines the spirit of FreedomFest, including any form of written, verbal or physical abuse or threats; the use of derogatory or discriminatory language, gestures or actions; any form of harassment, including sexual harassment, racism, sexism, or any other targeted comments which may cause harm to another FreedomFest participant before, during or after the FreedomFest events, including via the FreedomFest mobile app, through social media channels, while engaging in any online aspect of the events, or any other method of communication or interaction.
By choosing to attend FreedomFest you acknowledge and accept the risks inherent in being in public places. Participants should carefully consider their personal circumstances before attending. Anyone attending or taking part in the event must use their own good judgment, follow all guidelines/laws, and take reasonable care to avoid injury to their health, person or property.
Contact Valerie Durham, Executive Director, ([email protected]) or Matt Day, Director of Programming, ([email protected]) if you believe you’ve observed or experienced a violation of this Code of Conduct, and FreedomFest will work to assess the situation and to respond as soon as possible. Notifying FreedomFest does not constitute or replace a notification to local law enforcement. All suspected violations of the law should be reported to local law enforcement. For emergencies, immediately dial 9-1-1.
Filming, Photography and Audio Recording in Progress
All sessions at FreedomFest are audio recorded for archival purposes. Sessions that take place in the main ballroom are also video recorded for archiving and livestream purposes. Various photographers are taking photographic images throughout the conference in all meeting spaces. Additionally, various media outlets will be broadcasting FreedomFest activities and events. By attending and participating in FreedomFest, you agree to allow your likeness and voice to be potentially captured and shared by audio and video.
Communication Policy
By registering for FreedomFest, attendees agree to receive emails and occasional text messages with pertinent information about upcoming FreedomFest events. Attendees who wish to opt out of these communications may do so by clicking “Unsubscribe” at the bottom of the email communication or replying “Stop” to the text message. FreedomFest does not sell its attendee contact list to any third party. Do not accept any invitation to purchase the FreedomFest contact list.
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Media coverage
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New topics
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Coffee breaks
Completely synergize resource taxing relationships via premier niche markets. Professionally cultivate customer service.
Experience
Meet the experts from the tech and design world you follow online.
Networking
Connect with and exchange ideas with designers from all over the world.
Afterparty
Celebrate in a unique location & create great memories with our international community.