It was the kind of event that felt more like a political tectonic shift than a quiet goodbye. If you've been following the news lately, you know the atmosphere surrounding the passing of Charlie Kirk was nothing short of electric. It’s been months since that tragic September afternoon in Utah, yet people are still searching for the specifics of the day the conservative world stood still. Most specifically, the question that keeps popping up is: what time does Charlie Kirk's memorial start?
Honestly, there’s a bit of confusion because the event already happened, but the "start time" remains a major search point for those looking for archived streams or trying to piece together the timeline of that Sunday in Glendale.
The public memorial service for the Turning Point USA founder officially began at 11:00 a.m. local Arizona time (MST) on Sunday, September 21, 2025. Because Arizona doesn't do daylight savings, that translated to 2:00 p.m. for the folks watching on the East Coast.
The Scene at State Farm Stadium
State Farm Stadium is massive. We’re talking about the home of the Arizona Cardinals—a place built for the Super Bowl. Seeing it filled not with football fans, but with nearly 100,000 people in "Sunday best" and patriotic gear, was surreal.
The doors opened early, around 8:00 a.m., and people were already lining up in the heat long before that. Security was airtight. The Department of Homeland Security actually gave the event a SEAR 1 rating. That's the highest level of federal security oversight, usually reserved for things like the Boston Marathon or the Big Game itself.
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It wasn't just a funeral. It was a 2026 political rally, a Christian revival, and a massive networking event all rolled into one.
Why the Timeline Mattered
Timing was everything that day. If you were watching the live feeds from Fox News or following along on X (formerly Twitter), the schedule was packed tight.
- 8:00 a.m. MST: Doors opened to the public.
- 10:00 a.m. MST: Pre-service worship music began featuring Brandon Lake and Chris Tomlin.
- 11:00 a.m. MST: The official program kicked off.
- 2:30 p.m. MST: The final keynote addresses concluded.
The sheer volume of speakers was staggering. You had everyone from JD Vance to Elon Musk sitting in the front rows. When President Donald Trump took the stage as the final speaker, the energy in the room shifted from mourning to something much more aggressive and forward-looking.
What Really Happened During the Service
A lot of people expected a somber, black-tie affair. They were wrong. Turning Point USA specifically asked attendees not to wear funeral black. Instead, the crowd was a sea of red, white, and blue.
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Erika Kirk, Charlie’s widow, gave a speech that many are still talking about today. She spoke about forgiveness for the man accused of the shooting, Tyler Robinson, which was a "game-time decision" that left the stadium pin-drop silent for a moment before erupting in applause. It was a rare moment of grace in a period defined by intense political vitriol.
Then you had the heavy hitters. Tucker Carlson spoke. So did Marco Rubio and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The service felt like a "passing of the torch." While Charlie was only 31 when he was killed, the memorial made it clear that his infrastructure—Turning Point USA, Turning Point Action, and the rest—wasn't going anywhere.
Clearing Up the Lingering Confusion
Why are people still asking about the start time in 2026?
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Mainly because the legal fallout is still happening right now. With the trial of Tyler Robinson making headlines this week in Provo, Utah, people are revisiting the entire timeline of Charlie's death and the subsequent memorial. There’s a lot of "digital archeology" happening.
Also, several conservative media outlets have been re-airing the service on the monthly anniversary of the event. If you see a "Live" tag on a YouTube stream or a Rumble link today, it’s almost certainly a re-broadcast of that September 21st service.
Actionable Next Steps
If you are looking to catch up on the legacy of the event or understand the current legal situation, here is what you should do:
- Watch the Full Archive: Turning Point USA still hosts the full, four-hour broadcast on their official website. It’s better than the chopped-up clips you’ll find on social media.
- Follow the Trial: Keep an eye on the Fourth District Court in Provo. The current motions to disqualify the prosecution are the biggest story in the country right now regarding the aftermath of Kirk's death.
- Check Local Arizona News: Outlets like WTHR and the Arizona State Press have some of the best "boots on the ground" photo galleries if you want to see the scale of the 100,000-person turnout.
The memorial wasn't just about saying goodbye to a guy who started a campus club. It was a massive cultural marker that is still defining the 2026 political landscape.