Charlie Kirk speaks with attendees at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, during the "American Comeback Tour" at the HSS Lawn Amphitheater in March 2025. He was later assassinated at a similar event on September 10, 2025. | Wikimedia Commons / Gage Skidmore
Charlie Kirk speaks with attendees at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, during the "American Comeback Tour" at the HSS Lawn Amphitheater in March 2025. He was later assassinated at a similar event on September 10, 2025. | Wikimedia Commons / Gage Skidmore
A planned flag-waving rally in Park Ridge has been transformed into a somber remembrance of conservative activist Charlie Kirk following his recent assassination.
The event, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 13 from noon to 2 p.m. at 112 W. Higgins Road, will serve as a tribute to Kirk, who was gunned down during a university speaking engagement in Utah on Sept. 10.
Organizer David Dewar, a Republican candidate for Illinois House District 35 and a longtime conservative activist, said the event will continue to promote patriotism and political engagement, but with a focus on honoring Kirk’s legacy.
David Dewar, Republican candidate for Illinois House District 35.
| Facebook / David Dewar
“Originally the rally was for a flag rally for Trump, but it's now to honor the legacy of Charlie Kirk,” Dewar told North Cook News. “He was a patriot, a pioneer, and a visionary. We're going to carry on this movement.”
Kirk, 31, who was born in nearby Arlington Heights and was a graduate of Wheeling High School was the founder of Turning Point USA, a national conservative youth organization he launched out of a garage in Lemont.
By 2025, Turning Point USA had more than 3,500 high school and college chapters, including at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Illinois State University. The group reported a $92 million annual budget and support from national donors.
Kirk's assassination by a sniper during a campus Q&A event at Utah Valley University has sent shockwaves through conservative circles, prompting vigils, tributes and calls to action, including Friday’s rally.
“He was truly a constitutional conservative that led with a biblical worldview,” Dewar said.
Dewar said Kirk’s death has stirred deeper motivation among grassroots supporters.
“What they've done is they've awakened the giant,” Dewar said. “And there's going to be a lot of Charlie Kirks created. I mean, nobody could be Charlie Kirk, but I think the same passion, they've poured fire on the movement, shall I say. And people are very passionate now, even more so. So we're just going to carry on that legacy. I'll carry it on through my campaign.”
Building on that legacy, Dewar highlighted Kirk’s impact on young voters and the broader movement he helped ignite.
“Charlie Kirk was huge, getting that voting block of young people, 18 to 25, or even 18 to 29,” he said. “And I think what they've done is they haven't just silenced one voice, but they've now activated maybe millions of voices. Who knows? It's going to be huge. So yeah, we're really going to honor him.”
The rally is being sponsored by Casey Chlebek, a Polish-American Republican U.S. Senate candidate and business executive, who is competing in the March 17, 2026 GOP primary. Chlebek is the founder of C&J Realty Management Inc. and a former president of both PNA Lodge #3279 and the Polish American Congress – Illinois Division.
In addition to pizza and drinks, the Park Ridge event will feature Dewar, dressed in his signature Uncle Sam costume, singing the national anthem in tribute to Kirk.
Dewar is active in the grassroots group Trump Illinois MAGA Official, which boasts over 3,500 members statewide and focuses on organizing pro-Trump events like rallies and parades.
Saturday’s rally is also expected to include members of Chicago Flips Red, a Black conservative group.
“We're looking at a big amount of people for tomorrow,” Dewar said.
Dewar emphasized the significance of the gathering, noting how Kirk’s death has heightened the importance of such events.
“There's a lot going on right now with the assassination of Kirk it’s unbelievable,” he said.
As part of his House campaign, Dewar is also circulating petitions to place a parental consent referendum on the 2026 Illinois ballot, following the state legislature’s rejection of a similar 2024 proposal. His broader campaign platform includes parental rights, opposition to illegal immigration, and a return to Judeo-Christian values in public life.
The event is open to the public and intended to be peaceful, family-friendly and patriotic, organizers said.
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