From food trucks to a jumbotron screen and kids’ zone, the Lexington Visitors Center’s lawn will be transformed into an outdoor FIFA World Cup watch party from June 16-26.
The free event will feature 10 community tents per day, kids’ activities, food, a beer garden, and outdoor screenings of games from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m during the 10 days. Some days will feature one game while others will feature two. The full match schedule is available here.
This is the first year that Lexington is hosting a World Cup watch party. Sandhya Iyer, the Economic Development and Tourism Director, came up with the idea, Olivia Kelley, the executive director of the Chamber of Commerce, said.
Partners include Craft Food Hall and Lexington United Soccer Club, who will be hosting activities during the event.
“We are very much continuing to raise the funds since we only got the green light about two days ago, and because we wanted to make this a free event, we’re definitely relying on the community to kind of help us, but we’re trying to do it in a way that is not cost prohibitive,” Kelley said.
Community businesses and organizations can rent tents for $100 a day and $75 for nonprofits. Anticipated businesses include Rancatore’s, Upper Crust, Omar’s, Royal India Bistro, and the Russian School of Math.
There will be activities for both soccer lovers and non-soccer people alike, including a scavenger hunt and a passport program to try different restaurants in town. There will also be prizes, giveaways and merchandise. To ensure that little kids are kept entertained, there will be a kids’ zone behind Buckman Tavern. On days where only one game is scheduled, Kelley said she is trying to put together entertainment, potentially having bands play.
“Our goal is to really make Lexington a destination for more than just the historic piece, but for the creative things that we’re trying to do,” Kelley said.
The World Cup is especially meaningful in a place like Lexington, with residents from all over the world.
“Football is generally a global sport, everyone in the world watches it,” Arnav Swamy, a Lexington resident who’s excited for the World Cup, said. “It’s something that’s a unifying thing for the community.”
Games scheduled to take place during Lexington’s watch party include the US vs. Australia and France vs. Iraq.
“Given our enormous Asian population in this town, I was extremely disappointed” that no Asian teams are scheduled during the watch party hours, Kelley said. “But we have a license with the town, 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. hard start, hard stop, and so we were only allowed to broadcast games that were scheduled within that time frame.”
Kelley said that the games tend to be Eurocentric. But, she said she is happy to see representation from African countries such as Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Cape Verde.
Kelley is also open to other ideas for more inclusivity.
“It would be great if a venue was willing to do a late game…If they’re having screenings and they’re opening it up to the public for any of those Asian games, we’re always happy to support any ideas,” Kelley said.
Many of Lexington’s soccer players are also excited for the World Cup.
“It’s really good, being all together and cheering on a team,” August Sengupta, a member of Lexington United Soccer Club’s Vortex team, said.
“It makes people come together for the sense of game, and it makes people happy, and it’s really fun when everybody comes together to watch a singular game, put their hearts to it,” said Viraaj Bangale, another member of the Vortex team.
“In terms of the actual soccer that’s being played, it’s this new generation of younger players,” Mihir Banka, a Lexington resident who has been playing soccer for 12 years, said. “Earlier, it was the usual, like Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar, kind of the older generation, but now there’s a new generation, so I think I’m excited to see that.”
For many, the draw isn’t just the soccer — it’s the crowd.
“Whether you’re a soccer fan or not, this is definitely a great community event, and it would be wonderful to see the town come out and enjoy it, support it, and just come together,” said Kelley.
“It brings people with different backgrounds in different countries together in one place to just celebrate the game of soccer, football, whichever one you call it,” Banka said. “Even if there’s wars going on, or differences, culturally or politically, it’s one way that we can bring our community together, and having these watch parties, and even if people are rooting for different countries, it’s all in good faith, it’s all just for fun.”