A week ahead of the nation’s 250th birthday celebration on the Fourth of July, a distinctly Colorado-style party will rock the Douglas County Fairgrounds in Castle Rock.

“Freedom Fest,” presented by Rocky Mountain Voice, is a two-day event that will bring some 20 top conservative speakers to town, including U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, former CBS foreign correspondent and now commentator Lara Logan, citizen journalist Nick Shirley, former Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters and others.

The mother of Vice President JD Vance, Beverly Vance Aikins, will talk about overcoming addiction from her personal experience.

Heidi Ganahl, former University of Colorado regent and the 2022 Republican nominee for Colorado governor, will banter with Fox News host and comedian Greg Gutfeld on stage at 4 p.m. Saturday.

Ganahl said she doesn’t know the political satirist who leads a late-night talk show that bears his name. “We begged and pleaded and said we’d love to have him in Colorado.”

Most speakers will focus on not only America’s significant anniversary but also Colorado’s 150th anniversary of statehood, according to Ganahl, who is also founder and president of Rocky Mountain Voice, the event organizer.

Colorado joined the United States on Aug. 1, 1876, and earned the nickname of the Centennial State because it achieved statehood 100 years after adoption of the Declaration of Independence. The milestone is being marked throughout this year in conjunction with the nation’s 250th celebration.

“We’re the Colorado connection to get a party going,” Ganahl said Wednesday.

Her nonprofit organization, which in January 2024 launched a conservative digital news platform, is part of the White House’s Pathways internship program and also is working with the public/private partnership Freedom 250.

The initiative was created out of the Salute to America 250 Task Force, which is planning a year of festivities that began on Memorial Day 2025 and will run through the end of this year. The White House-aligned entity has drawn criticism from some lawmakers over funding, in light of a bipartisan congressional allocation of $150 million toward a 250th celebration.

“Task Force 250 aims to inspire a renewed love for American history, encourage citizens to experience the beauty of our country, ignite a spirit of adventure and innovation to help our nation succeed for the next 250 years, and invite Americans to pray for our country and our people and rededicate ourselves as One Nation Under God,” the website states.

Billed as “Colorado’s biggest patriotic summer celebration,” Freedom Fest will feature a slew of activities, including a rodeo, a country concert, a barbecue on Friday night featuring Dog the Bounty Hunter and a “Back the Blue” bash, a Saturday night gala, a meet-and-greet with candidates running for public office and seated elected officials, educational workshops, recognition of Gold Star families and a grand finale lighted drone show at 9:45 p.m. Saturday.

There also will be kid-friendly attractions such as bouncy houses, a petting zoo and a mechanical bull.

Children ages 17 and under are admitted for free on Saturday, and tickets for adults are $45 for the rodeo, family festival and concert. Passes for speaker sessions range from $95, which excludes the Saturday night gala, and $195 for all events. A VIP pass at $495 includes a reception with some speakers, close-in parking and special seating.

Go to www.rockymountainvoice.com for tickets.

Strict security protocols will be in place for the safety of everyone, Ganahl said.

Ganahl lived in Monument during her childhood and attended Lewis-Palmer High School.

“It’s one of my favorite places,” she said of the city in northern El Paso County. “I’m still close with friends from Lewis-Palmer. It breaks my heart to see the growth. I know it’s such an amazing place — I don’t blame people for wanting to live there.”

Ganahl said Democrats running for state offices and seats were invited to participate in the meet-and-greet and on a panel but didn’t respond. Most Republican office holders and seekers will be on hand.

Pushing aside what she called lingering PTSD from her bid for the gubernatorial seat in November 2022, Ganahl said she doesn’t think the odds are in the Republicans’ favor for winning seats in Colorado’s Democratically controlled statehouse this year.

“But anything can happen,” she said. “I think the people of Colorado are starting to wake up a little bit and see how dramatically things have changed.”

Ganahl was the last Republican to win a statewide office in Colorado when she was elected to the CU Board of Regents in 2016. She served in that role until January 2023.

This year, Ganahl said she’s been focusing on campaigning for seated Republicans from Colorado to retain their congressional posts. She encourages residents to back local candidates as well.

Her organization, Rocky Mountain Voice, is defined on its website as “a right-of-center, pro-citizen news and media organization in Colorado,” that operates as an independent digital platform with political commentary, podcasts and public policy reporting.