A guide to the highlights of this year’s Free State Festival, kicking off Tuesday

Political satirist and activist Barry Crimmins

Tuesday marks the return of the Free State Festival, the Lawrence Arts Center’s annual celebration of film, music, art and ideas. With limited funding, this year’s festival is a smaller one compared to years past, when organizers brought in high-profile acts such as Marc Maron, Kris Kristofferson, Tig Notaro, Johnny Winter and Public Enemy, to name a few.

But there’s still plenty of fun to be had — with a few familiar faces along for the ride — at this week’s abridged Free State Festival.

We’ve rounded up a few of this year’s highlights here. For a complete schedule, including ticket information, visit www.freestatefestival.org.

“An Evening With Nikki Glaser”

Nikki Glaser speaks during the Not

7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, Lawrence Arts Center main stage, 940 New Hampshire St.

Comedian and University of Kansas alumna Nikki Glaser will pay a visit to her old stomping grounds this week for “An Evening With Nikki Glaser.” For those unfamiliar with the raunchy comic, Glaser’s unabashedly frank, feminist style has landed her roles in 2015’s “Trainwreck” and Amy Schumer’s hit Comedy Central sketch show “Inside Amy Schumer.” The Midwest native also scored her starring vehicle, Comedy Central’s “Not Safe With Nikki Glaser,” and the Netflix stand-up special “Perfect,” last year.

Before the show (tickets cost $30), check out “Happy Hour Salon: Women in Comedy,” from 5 to 7 p.m. at Five Bar and Tables, 947 Massachusetts. There, a panel of funny ladies — comedian Maeret Lemons, improv actor Kate Haugen and screenwriter Laura Kirk — will discuss issues facing women in comedy today. The chat and light snacks are free, but the drinks won’t be.

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• Q&A with comedian and KU alumna Nikki Glaser

Concert: Chicano Batman

8:30 to 10 p.m., Lawrence Arts Center main stage, 940 New Hampshire St.

The California-based group will bring its alternative Latin sounds — a combination of Tropicália, West Coast psychedelia, and Flower Power-era soul, according to Free State Fest literature — to the Lawrence Arts Center stage Thursday. After playing Coachella and touring with such high-profile acts as Jack White and Alabama Shakes, the band released its third album, “Freedom is Free,” earlier this year.

Tickets cost $25, and include Thursday’s 6 p.m. screening, also at the Lawrence Arts Center, of Peter Bratt’s 2017 documentary “Dolores.” The film tells the story of the oft-overlooked activist Dolores Huerta, who co-founded the National Farmworkers Association with Cesar Chavez.

“Barry Crimmins: Atlas’s Knees”

Political satirist and activist Barry Crimmins

9:30 to 11 p.m. Friday, Lawrence Arts Center main stage, 940 New Hampshire St.

Barry Crimmins, the veteran comedian and activist who has become an unofficial adopted son of the city with back-to-back Free State Fest appearances in 2015 and 2016, will return to his beloved Lawrence once again Friday with his new one-man show, “Barry Crimmins: Atlas’s Knees.”

The performance is a follow-up to “Whatever Threatens You,” Crimmins’ 2016 special directed by Louis C.K. and filmed at the Lawrence Arts Center. In his Friday appearance, Crimmins will answer questions, set the record straight and delve further into the story from Bobcat Goldthwait’s documentary 2015 “Call Me Lucky,” which chronicles Crimmins’ path from sexual abuse victim to successful comedian and advocate for fellow survivors.

Tickets for “Barry Crimmins: Atlas’s Knees” cost $15.

“My Life as a Zucchini”


11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Lawrence Arts Center main stage, 940 New Hampshire St.

This quirky stop-motion film has earned several accolades since its release last year, even nabbing a nomination for Best Animated Feature Film at this year’s Academy Awards. “My Life as a Zucchini” tells the tale of Zucchini, a little boy who moves into a group foster home — and finds kindred spirits there — after the death of his mother.

The subject matter is on the darker side, but this one’s family-friendly, and reportedly handles its challenging material with grace, nuance and even joy at times. Tickets are $8.

Short Film Program

6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Lawrence Arts Center main stage, 940 New Hampshire St.

Lawrence screenwriter, director and editor Kalee Forsythe will be screening her film E

Free State Fest organizers seem to subscribe to the idea that good things come in small packages, and this year’s short film program is no exception.

Sunday’s showcase of pint-sized flicks, made in Kansas and beyond, includes: Patrick Clement’s “Rabbits,” Kalee Forsythe’s “E 1200,” Shane Howard’s “Lost Bucolic,” Savannah Rodgers’ “For Sale,” Eric Hyde’s “From Ashes to Immortality,” Jordan Horsch’s “Passive AggressiviTV,” Marius Conrotto’s “Croissant” and Adam Knapp’s “Out Here in Kansas.”

Tickets for the entire program cost $8.