The Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy is pleased to announce its 2026 Libertas Award Dinner, featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post columnist George F. Will.
Our 2026 Libertas Award winner is New Hampshire House Speaker Sherm Packard.
The dinner will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at the Grappone Center in Concord.
Celebrating America’s founding ideals
Join us for a special evening with George F. Will as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of America’s founding.
The Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy is the only N.H. non-profit named after a signer of the Declaration of Independence and dedicated to preserving its principles. Come enjoy an elegant dinner and a lively conversation with George F. Will about the enduring principles of the American founding and the legacy of the Declaration of Independence 250 years after its signing.
Individual tickets are available at a special early-bird price of $150 through Sept. 30!
Use the form at the bottom of the page to get your early bird ticket today!
For information on table purchases and sponsorship details, please email us at [email protected].
The dinner is open press. Media wishing to attend should rsvp to [email protected].
About George F. Will:
George F. Will is one of the world’s most influential writers on politics, policy and culture. A Washington Post columnist since 1974, his twice weekly column has appeared in more than 450 publications. He won the 1977 Pulitzer Prize for commentary and has been a regular fixture on national television for more than than four decades. A former professor of political philosophy with a Ph.D from Princeton University, he has been among a handful of the most consequential American conservative thinkers of the last half century.
About Speaker Sherm Packard:
Speaker Sherm Packard of Londonderry has served Rockingham District 16 in the House for18 terms. Political leadership runs in his family. His father, Norman Packard, served as president of the state Senate, and Sherm was named after former Gov. Sherman Adams. After the 2020 election, Rep. Dick Hinch was elected Speaker, but died in December from COVID-19. In January of 2021, Rep. Packard was elected Speaker, a position he had not previously sought. In his three terms as Speaker, Sherm Packard protected and expanded the NH Advantage while still upholding his role as speaker of the whole House, not just his party.
“During 18 terms in the House and three terms as Speaker, Representative Sherm Packard earned the respect of both parties by treating everyone with fairness and understanding while boldly advancing the cause of individual liberty,” Josiah Bartlett Center President Andrew Cline said. “His selfless public service is an example to all, and we are proud to honor him with our 2026 Libertas Award.”
About the Libertas Award Dinner:
Where: Grappone Conference Center, Concord, N.H.
When: 6-8 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026
About the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy:
The Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy is New Hampshire’s free-market think tank. The center is a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization. Proceeds from the dinner go to support the center’s mission of advancing creating opportunity and prosperity for all Granite Staters.
