Turning Point USA announced Saturday that it will hold a large public memorial service for founder Charlie Kirk on Sunday, Sept. 21, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
The organization said the celebration of life, titled “Building a Legacy, Remembering Charlie Kirk,” will open doors at 8 a.m. local time with the program beginning at 11 a.m. Interested attendees can register online and entry will be on a first-come, first-served basis. State Farm Stadium, home of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals, lists a normal capacity of about 63,400, expandable to roughly 73,000 for so-called “mega-events.” President Donald Trump said he plans to attend the services in Arizona.
A tribute posted on the memorial website described Kirk’s dedication to faith, family and what it called his fight for America, calling him “an American legend.” The tribute said Kirk, who founded Turning Point USA at 18 in a garage in Lemont, Illinois, grew the group into “one of the most powerful grassroots movements in America.” The site said in part: “Charlie died doing what he loved: fighting for truth, for faith, for family, and for America. His sacrifice will endure as a guiding light for generations.” It also referenced Matthew 25:23, writing, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Kirk, 31, was fatally shot while speaking at an event on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem and was later pronounced dead at Timpanogos Regional Hospital. The shooting occurred earlier in the week. Memorials and vigils honoring Kirk have been held across the United States and overseas, including in Berlin, Turning Point USA said.
Turning Point USA and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The organization’s announcement said the memorial is intended to celebrate Kirk’s life and legacy and to bring supporters together to remember his work. The group’s website provides registration and logistical details for those who wish to attend.
The event’s scale and the stated attendance plans reflect the national profile Kirk had cultivated through Turning Point USA and public appearances in recent years. Organizers and public officials have said logistical arrangements are being made to accommodate a large crowd, but the memorial announcement emphasized that admittance will follow the online registration and stadium capacity rules.