America Fest 2025 was the turning point for Turning Point USA, just three months after the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point. The organization took what was once a major conservative conference and turned it into a tribute to Charlie Kirk.
While none of the students who a part of the Club America Chapter from Lewis Cass went, we were able to get some inside knowledge. America Fest, also known as Amfest, was held on December 18 and went on until the 21 in Phoenix, Arizona. This conference is a conservative movement that anyone can attend. When asked what her favorite part of America Fest was, Sophia Hunt, Westfield Club America Chapter President, responded, “My favorite part of America Fest this year was having the amazing opportunity to meet Tucker Carlson, as well as getting to hear Nicki Minaj speak about her journey in turning to Christ. Best special guest!” Yup, Nicki Minaj was the special guest at America Fest. It truly was inspiring to watch Nicki Minaj speak her truth and finally speak out. As the president and founder of Club America here at Lewis Cass, I wanted to know how attending America Fest has helped Hunt as a leader. Hunt responded, “My experience at AmericaFest allowed me to network with top conservative leaders across the country, pushing me to elevate my leadership beyond chapter involvement and step into public speaking.” Public speaking is a very important part of leadership.
Some people mainly know TPUSA for going onto college campuses to debate and spread the truth, but that is not all they do. Turning Point USA is also known to put on the biggest conservative events. When asked what makes America Fest different from other TPUSA events or conferences, Kyle Mattern, the TPUSA field representative for Indiana High Schools, stated, “There are a lot of things that help set America Fest apart from other TPUSA events. That said, the two main things that pop into my head are size and focus. Almost all of our other events have an audience we are focusing on.” According to Turning Point USA’ website, the organization holds three major events each year. The Young Women Leadership Summit, Student Action Summit, and America Fest. These events all have a target audience; the Young Women Leadership Summit is obviously for young women, while the Student Action Summit is for young students. America Fest is for all ages. “For example, WLS is our Women Leadership Summit, and SAS is our Student Action Summit. While we have adults attend SAS, the event is geared towards the students and is built for them. America Fest on the other hand, is built for everyone to enjoy. The second thing that sets America Fest apart is the size of attendance. It is by far our largest event and the biggest in the conservative movement.” Mattern stated. America Fest is a true example of patriots coming together and celebrating the great country of America, and last year, also honoring Charlie Kirk.
Last year was the first-ever America Fest without Charlie Kirk. Some began to wonder what the event would be like without Kirk. There was definitely a shift in the atmosphere at the event. Mattern was asked to describe the atmosphere and how it was different this year with the passing of Charlie Kirk. Mattern responded with “While there has been a dark cloud over everyone and everything we do, and you could feel that at the beginning of Amfest. As the days went on, I would say that spirits got better.” Mattern then went on to say, that the shift was from everyone recognizing the firm foundation that Kirk had left behind. “I think that as the event went on, people started to realize that while Charlie is gone, he left us with the foundation and the infrastructure to succeed. While it was still really hard. I knew that we could make it work because Charlie set us up to do well. But I also knew that we owed Charlie to make it work.” This just shows that Charlie Kirk really did build a strong foundation for Turning Point USA. This Amfest was full of worship sessions and religious speakers. When asked what was different about this America Fest compared to the ones in the past, Hunt stated, “America Fest saw significant growth this year, driven in part by a renewed strength in the Christian church and a growing willingness to speak boldly for truth following Charlie’s death.” This statement shows that even in the darkest times, the light will shine through.
America Fest 2025 was definitely one for the books. Throwing an event this big just three months after Charlie Kirk’s assassination just shows that Charlie Kirk really set his team up for success. According to Turning Point USA’s website, this event had guest speakers Vice President JD Vance, Riley Gaines, Bryce Crawford, and many more influential people. Kirk’s wife, Erika, is one of the strongest women out there. To be able to get out on stage and speak to thousands of people about her husband is something that most people can not do. Charlie Kirk really touched the hearts and lives of many, and Turning Point USA does a phenomenal job at keeping his name alive.
