Free State Festival 2025 includes music documentaries, comedy, culinary delights and more – The Lawrence Times

Free State Festival will bring back favorite Lawrence artists and introduce new faces with a varied lineup of film screenings, live music and food.

Hosted by the Lawrence Arts Center, “This signature community event celebrates the free spirit of Kansas through independent films, live music, comedy and art experiences,” Marlo Angell, festival director, said in a news release.

The festival will run Tuesday, June 24 through Sunday, June 29, with events hosted throughout the arts center at 940 New Hampshire Street and their studio spaces at 1000 Massachusetts St.

Lawrence film darling Kevin Willmott, KU professor and Academy Award winner, will return to the festival this year with a double feature of Kansas-centric films. Jason Champagne, Citizen Red Lake Band of Chippewa and owner of Native Chef LLC, will provide bites for passholders in between showings.

The 2025 lineup also touts three music documentary showings paired with live musical performances, including a show by Frightened Stag leading to a Split Lip Rayfield film. The documentary follows the last months of life for frontman Kirk Rundstrom. Originally formed in Wichita, Split Lip Rayfield is now based in Lawrence.

Some screenings will tackle pertinent political issues, such as The Librarians with its focus on book bans in red states. Free Leonard Peltier explores “American Indian Movement Peltier’s nearly 50 years of imprisonment and recent release (but not pardon) by President Biden,” according to the release.

Other events on the bill include a comedy show with Todd Barry, a series of short film screenings catered by Cellar Door, and a free hot dog breakfast with screenprinter and signmaker Jeff Eaton, also known as Pride of Gumbo.

All Access Festival Passes are available for $150. Alternatively, attendees can purchase individual tickets for specific events, with prices ranging from free to $25. Purchase passes and tickets, and view the full event lineup, at Free State Festival’s website here.

This post is by the Lawrence Times news team.

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