By: Carter Schroppe and Hunter Klosty
Labor Day was the appropriately chosen date for the much-anticipated celebration of the UNC-Chapel Hill fraternity brothers who protected the American flag last spring during a pro-Palestine protest.
Titled “Flagstock 2024,” the event featured country artists such as Lee Greenwood, Big and Rich, and Cowboy Troy. The live music was accompanied with food trucks and was held in a large field at the American Legion chapter of Chapel Hill.
The party’s occurrence marks the end of a story that has captured the interest of Americans for months.
The inciting incident came on April 30th when pro-Palestine protesters tore down the American flag that sits at the center of the campus quad. Members of various fraternities held up the flag and made sure it didn’t touch the ground- an image of the scene went viral on social media and it quickly became a symbol of nationwide discussion about protests on college campuses.
A GoFundMe was started the next day to “throw these frats the party they deserve” in the name of honoring the young men who protected the flag. Despite featuring a comedic and lighthearted description, the GoFundMe quickly received significant support and raised over $500,00.
Debates ensued regarding how to best utilize the money- GoFundMe stipulates that the proposed purpose of the funds must be upheld- and it was eventually decided that a music festival would be held in the fall. The leftover money will be donated to various charities, as chosen by the involved fraternities. That list includes the Wounded Warrior Project, Children of Fallen Patriots, and Back the Blue NC.
The story gained further traction when members of a fraternity attended the Republican National Convention in July and spoke on the third day of the event. Alex Johnson, 20, gave a brief speech in which he highlighted the significance of the moment.
“It was all about respect- not just for the cloth, but everything that the flag stands for,” Johnson remarked. “Too many people have sacrificed everything for it. The least we can do is keep it flying, and tonight, we are proud to honor our flag again.”
The ever-evolving narrative has captured the attention of news outlets both local and national- The New York Times published an article about the party the morning of the event.
Here are four key takeaways from Flagstock 2024, according to two reporters from the Review who were in attendance.
1) Surprise Guests
Besides frat brothers and conservative university groups, Flagstock was attended by a few surprise guests.
Presumably, because the American Legion in Orange County was used as a location for the event, college students were joined by Legionnaires, veterans and children of veterans who joined the national organization.
Republican Congressman Dan Crenshaw, who represents the suburbs of Houston, Texas, was also seen at the event. He was photographed inside the VIP tent. It is worth noting that both houses of Congress were in summer recess during the time of the event. The Carolina Review reached out to Congressman Crenshaw’s office for comment on why he was there. We did not get a response.
Additionally, the event was laden with Hooters girls who were tasked with promoting their employer, a sponsor of Flagstock. Hooters provided catering and free merchandise for the event.
Concert goers were also surprised by the presence of Rome Ramirez, the singer and guitarist who performs with Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh, two of the living members of Sublime. Ramirez performed a cover of Sublime’s 1996 hit “Santeria.”
Overall, the addition of these guests set the event apart from the average frat party that may take place on a holiday weekend.
2) Lower Attendance Than Expected
Organizers claimed on the day of the event that they had distributed about 3,000 tickets to various Greek organizations and expected 1,000 attendees. Though no official tally was recorded, it’s been estimated that a few hundred people were in attendance.
That number is markedly lower than what was expected. Despite the story gaining national prominence, students on campus didn’t flock to the event at the expected rate. This might have been partially due to the event being held on Labor Day.
Just over four-fifths of UNC students are from the state of North Carolina, so many either go home for the holiday or take a trip to the beach or the mountains. Though Labor Day was an appropriate date given the theme of the party, attendance may have been higher had the event been held at another time.
The climate on campus also may have dissuaded students from attending. Though the event was theoretically non-partisan and promoted patriotism in its marketing material, Flagstock 2024 had become controversial among the student body.
The pro-Palestine protests that occurred last April might have been tangentially political, but the presence of the aforementioned fraternity members at the Republican National Convention seemingly placed Flagstock 2024 within the context of partisanship for many students. Certain Greek organizations told their members not to attend given the presumed presence of the media, fearing that posted photos and likewise attention might result in unfavorable publicity. The ominous nature of the leadup to the event- the location was disclosed to prevent the presence of protesters- may have also hampered the organizer’s ability to drum up excitement.
3) Patriotism, But Also Politics
The event was marketed, not as political, but purely patriotic. While this was not always the case, there was an overarching theme of patriotism. As such, the event commenced with all the attendees singing the national anthem with an accompanying flyover.
There were, however, political moments, which was expected by many attendees. The event was planned by Susan Ralston, a former official of the George W. Bush administration and the event’s main sponsor of Old Glory Bank. The bank promises “anti-woke” services and was founded by former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Dr. Ben Carson, former Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin, former Republican candidate for Governor of California Larry Elder, and country singer John Rich, who performed at the event.
At one time, a performer sang lyrics such as “Let’s Go Brandon” and “F*ck Joe Biden”. But there was an overarching tone of patriotism. The location of the American Legion allowed local veterans to engage in the festivities, and many of the performers spoke openly about the importance of patriotism. The Labor Day event ended with Lee Greenwald singing his signature song “God Bless the U.S.A.” and a fireworks show, giving concert goers a uniquely American experience.
4) A Worthy Cause And An Enjoyable Night
Flagstock 2024 might not have been the “rager” that many had expected, but it occurred with neither incident nor controversy. An impressive amount of thought and planning went into the event- the professionalism displayed by organizers and security ensured a successful evening that was broadly enjoyed by those in attendance.
The American Legion chapter of Chapel Hill was a well-chosen location given its proximity to campus and plethora of open space. Coach buses were used to drive students to the event and the large stage was of an imposing scale. The food trucks that surrounded the well-constructed VIP tent served great barbeque and burgers and much of the beer was from local breweries.
The national anthem that kicked off the night was accompanied by a flyover that set the tone for the rest of the evening. The artists gave it their all and delivered energetic sets that yielded dancing from students and veterans alike. Many of the performances featured brief speeches about patriotism that led to raucous applause from the crowd.
Though turnout was low and media outlets have tried to paint the party as a failure, those in attendance experienced an event that promoted national pride at a time when such an ethos has become increasingly lost in our cultural conscience.
Flagstock 2024 will be remembered as a unique moment in modern American history that celebrated the reverence for our country’s greatest civic symbol – the American flag.