Fighting Bob Fest brings together Wisconsin progressives

Progressive gathering Fighting Bob Fest 2016 takes place this Saturday, Sept. 17 from 9 a.m.– 6 p.m. in Madison at Breese Stevens Field. Admission is free.

Festival speakers include Senator Tammy Baldwin, Ruth Conniff, Congressman Keith Ellison, Russ Feingold, John Fugelsang, Alder Sue Garza, Kevin Alexander Gray, Jim Hightower, Troy LaRaviere, Sarah Lloyd, Kamala Lopez, John Nichols, Congressman Mark Pocan, Scot Ross, Jeremy Scahill, Rep. JoCasta Zamarripa and Dave Zirin. Fighting Bob Fest will also feature live music, food and drinks.

Fighting Bob Fest aims to honor and revive the spirit of its namesake, Robert “Fighting Bob” La Follette, the populist governor, U.S. Senator and presidential candidate from Wisconsin who founded the Progressive Party and spent his career battling the corrupting, impoverishing and anti-democratic influence of big moneyed interests over government and public policy.

According to the festival’s website, Fighting Bob Fest’s mission “is informed by the belief that public participation in government has tragically eroded, that corporations dominate the policymaking process, and that elected officials systematically neglect the public interest as they purport to represent it.”

A pre-kickoff event for Fighting Bob Fest presented by The Capital Times and The Progressive will feature the exclusive Midwest premiere of Greg Palast and David Ambrose’s The Best Democracy Money Can Buy. The film looks at the potential theft of the 2016 presidential election and includes an exposé of the billionaire behind Donald Trump and a look at the newest vote-snatching trickery. Investigative reporter Palast also gives a special live introduction. The kick-off event happens on Thursday, Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. at the Barrymore Theatre. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 the day of the show.

For more information, visit fightingbobfest.org.