There is something that happens when you step onto the land at the Special Liberty Project farm and retreat center that is hard to put into words. The rolling pastures, the quiet of the mountains, the sense that something meaningful has happened here, and will happen here again.
For the families who come to heal, it is a place that holds them. And for five years now, the community has gathered here each May to make sure it always will.
Boots and Barrels: A Spirited Social returns for its fifth consecutive year on May 21, 2026. And, what began as a simple evening among friends has grown into one of the most anticipated community events in Western North Carolina. More than a fundraiser, it is a full circle moment where guests stand in the very place their generosity makes healing possible.
This year, the evening carries a purpose that is impossible not to feel deeply.
The funds raised at Boots and Barrels go directly toward supporting a summer retreat for military widows and their teenage children, families who have lost a husband and father in service to this country.
These are not abstract statistics. These are mothers who answered the door and received news that changed everything. These are teenagers who are learning to navigate loss and identity and growing up all at once, without the parent they counted on most.
The retreats offered by the Special Liberty Project create space for these families to breathe, to connect with others who truly understand, and to begin the slow, sacred work of healing. They are offered completely free of charge to every family who attends, because the belief at the heart of this organization has always been that the cost of service should never be compounded by the cost of healing.
Events like Boots & Barrels make healing possible
The evening will feature live music from the beloved Frog and Owl Revival, returning again this year to set the tone for a night that balances celebration with meaning. Guests can look forward to incredible raffle prizes, a silent auction filled with unique items, great food from Culture, and the kind of community warmth that only comes from gathering in a place with real purpose behind it.
Tickets are still available and can be purchased at speciallibertyproject.org.
Whether you have been coming since the very first year or this is your first time hearing about it, you are welcome here. Come for the music, the auction, the good food and good people. Stay because you felt something you did not expect to feel, and because you want to be part of what happens next for these families.
This is the fifth year, and it just keeps getting better.
Veteran families welcome
If you’re a veteran family, we would be honored to welcome you to the farm, please reach out to [email protected] for event details and registration.
The Special Liberty Project is a nonprofit retreat center and equine assisted learning organization located in Franklin, NC, serving military widows, Gold Star families and veteran families.
For more information or to purchase tickets for Boots and Barrels on May 21, 2026, visit speciallibertyproject.org.
