“I triple-dog dare you!”

“A Christmas Story”

Remember the famous triple-dog dare scene at the flagpole from the holiday classic, A Christmas Story? Well, that moment which has been immortalized on film will now get a real-life counterpart starting today. Tourism officials from the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority in Hammond, Indiana have unveiled a bronze statue of ‘Flick’ from A Christmas Story as he makes good (or bad) on the dare his classmates put before him at the flagpole. The statue will sit outside the Indiana Welcome center just south of Interstate 80-94 in Hammond which has been home to A Christmas Story displays in past years. Actor Scott Schwartz, who played ‘Flick’ in the film, attended the unveiling. Read on for more!

Today’s ceremony marks the 30th anniversary of the release of the classic film which has gone on to become a revered holiday classic despite being overlooked when it first debuted in 1983. A Christmas Story was inspired by the writings of Hammond native, Jean Shepherd, who set his story in the fictional town of Hohman, Indiana and drew from characters and real-life situations written about in his book, “In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash”.

Actor Scott Schwartz triple-dog dares ‘himself’

Schwartz’ character, ‘Flick’, was based off Jean Shepherd’s childhood friend, Jack Flickinger, who grew up to run Flick’s Tap located just north of the Visitor’s center before passing away in 1997.  His daughter also attended the ceremony in his honor. Precautions in the form of signs will be put in place to warn curious dog darers from sticking their tongues to the pole since the winter cold of NW Indiana is unforgiving and may lead to some unfortunate scene recreations for those willing to take the dare.

A Christmas Story has become a holiday staple which was added to the Library of Congress National Film Registry in 2012 and inspired a Broadway musical as well. The filming location of the home (actually in Cleveland, OH not Hammond, IN) was recently restored and has become a popular tourist attraction in addition to a cottage industry of leg lamps and other A Christmas Story collectibles.

South Shore Indiana Welcome Center

Special thanks to our Beyond the Marquee NW Indiana tipster, Chuck Pullen.