A Special Invitation
2026 Summer Institute
Three days in Sun Valley, Idaho for senior leaders across business, policy, media, philanthropy, and innovation, in collaboration with the Manhattan Institute.
Venue
The Argyros Performing Arts Center
120 S Main Street, Ketchum, Idaho 83340
400
Attendees
3
Days
30+
Speakers
2026
America 250
About the Summer Institute
A curated gathering in Sun Valley.
The Sun Valley Policy Forum Summer Institute brings together 400 leaders from business, policy, media, philanthropy, and innovation for three days of substantive conversation in Ketchum, Idaho.
Held in collaboration with the Manhattan Institute, the 2026 Institute marks America 250 with an agenda built around the ideas, institutions, and leadership shaping the country's next chapter.
The Experience
Keynotes, private dinners, real conversation.
Keynotes & Panels
Headline conversations and executive panels with national leaders from policy, business, media, and innovation.
Private Dinners
Curated receptions, private luncheons, and small-group dinners built for candid exchange beyond the stage.
Curated Conversations
Intimate, off-the-record sessions designed to build real relationships across sectors in Sun Valley.
Who Attends
A cross-sector room.
The Institute convenes a select audience for candid discussion and relationship-building across the sectors driving American life.
Why Attend
Conversation with consequence.
Engage directly with national thought leaders shaping policy, markets, and culture.
Build relationships across business, finance, technology, energy, media, and government.
Join serious, candid conversations in a setting designed for depth, not spectacle.
Gain perspective during the America 250 year, in collaboration with the Manhattan Institute.
Inside the Summer Institute
See the Forum for yourself.
SVPF Summer Institute Schedule
June 29 to July 1, 2026
The Argyros Performing Arts Center, Ketchum, Idaho, in collaboration with the Manhattan Institute.
Monday
June 29, 2026
The Founding of American Greatness
- Ilya Shapiro: The Supreme Court and the American Experiment
- Shawn Regan & Mike Boren: Manhattan Institute / USDA – Burn Out: America's Wildfire Crisis – Are We Managing Our Forests or Letting Them Burn?
- American Greatness in Innovation Luncheon (Silver Pass and above)
- Reihan Salam: Is America Next? The Rise of Urban Socialism and What it Means for the Nation
- Sanjana Friedman: California's Comeback: Accountability, Integrity, and the Path Back to Prosperity
- America 250 Reception
- Scott Jennings: The Common Sense Comeback: Restoring Liberty and the Fight for Western Civilization
- Lord Andrew Roberts: Revolution and Resolve: Perspectives on America's Fight for Independence
- Concord Dinner (Private Event)
Tuesday
June 30, 2026
American Dominance in a New Era
- Brandon Beach: U.S. Treasurer – From the Last Penny to the Digital Dollar: Securing America's Financial Freedom
- Max Nikias: American Trojan: The Renewal of the American University - Rescuing Free Inquiry from Ideological Capture
- Mark Mills: Executive Director, National Center for Energy Analysis – American Leadership through Energy, Enterprise, and Innovation
- American Energy Sovereignty Luncheon (Silver Supporters and higher)
- Madeline Hart & Maj. Gen. Joseph “Solo” Kunkel: Palantir / Defense Innovation Unit – Reindustrializing America: Restoring Strength Through Advanced Manufacturing
- Elliott Abrams: Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations – Geopolitical Disruptions and American Diplomacy
- Gen. David Petraeus: Chairman, KKR Global Institute (moderated by Kim Kagan) – Four-Star Tour of the World and the Return of Geopolitics
- Private Reception with General Petraeus (Silver Supporters and higher)
- Cinema Night for SVPF Supporters and Families
Wednesday
July 1, 2026
Liberty and the Future: Education, Culture, and the Next Generation
- Michael Knowles: Liberty and the American Dream: What Did the Revolutionary Soldiers Fight For?
- Judge Glock & Aaron Withe: Senior Fellow, Manhattan Institute, and CEO, Freedom Foundation – Freedom to Teach: Building a Flexible, Innovative Education Workforce
- Maya Sulkin & Spencer Klavan: Senior Fellow, SVPF and Writer, The Free Press, and Associate Editor, Claremont Review of Books – The Crisis of Meaning in an Age of Machines and the Promise of Human Flourishing
- Heather Mac Donald: The Future of Freedom: Citizenship, Sovereignty, and the American Experiment
- Afternoon – Free Time
- Freedom 250 Dinner (Private for Gold+ Supporters and Speakers)
Plan Your Trip
Travel to Sun Valley.
Everything you need to plan your visit to Ketchum and the Wood River Valley, from flights and lodging to dining and the activities that make Sun Valley worth the trip.
Travel & Lodging
Guidance on flights into Sun Valley and Boise, ground transportation, and recommended lodging in Ketchum and Sun Valley.
Food & Beverage
A guide to the best dining, coffee, and gathering spots in and around the Wood River Valley.
Local Activities
Hiking, fly-fishing, golf, and the arts and culture that make Sun Valley a destination worth extending the trip for.
In Collaboration With
The Manhattan Institute
The 2026 Summer Institute is presented in collaboration with the Manhattan Institute, bringing its scholars and ideas to the heart of the Forum's agenda.
Learn MoreRegister
Join us in Sun Valley.
Seats are limited for the 2026 Summer Institute. Registration is open now for the executive attendee experience.
Register Now