MLB’s All-Star Village will pay homage Philly neighborhoods. Here’s what to know before you go.
Here’s everything you need to know before your visit to the All-Star Village, which opens to the public on Saturday.
Philadelphia is gearing up for a star-studded week with the arrival of MLB’s midsummer classic.
As Citizens Bank Park becomes a temporary home for some of the league’s top players, the Pennsylvania Convention Center will welcome fans to MLB’s All-Star Village, a four-day baseball experience featuring classic ballpark snacks, baseball challenges, photo opportunities, special appearances and more.
Here’s everything you need to know before you visit …
Philly neighborhoods on display
Taking over 500,000 square feet of real estate, the MLB All-Star Village is paying homage to five Philadelphia neighborhoods: Center City, Fishtown, South Philly, Fairmount, and Old City.
“Every neighborhood will have a different vibe,” said Rob Field, MLB’s senior manager of global events. “We have a different look for each of the neighborhoods. You’ll get to see the hometown flavor of each neighborhood.
“Old City is our historical component. Center City is kind of like our town hall, town square where we’ll have an entertainment stage and a diamond. South Philly, where Citizens Bank Park is, is where a lot of our play area is. ... There really is something for everyone.”
Unique baseball-themed attractions
The convention center brings fans into each neighborhood, each with its own decorations and attractions.
Center City features the entertainment stage, the World’s Largest Baseball, and one of three mini diamonds, the Playball Diamond, designed for youth activities such as baseball clinics, wiffleball games, and free play. Programming is scheduled to take place every 45 minutes.
Fishtown was decorated with several murals and artsy neon signs. Within this neighborhood, fans will find the MLB Arcade which features a virtual reality Home Run Derby and a number of gaming consoles where fans can play MLB The Show.
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Old City takes fans into the history of the sport with an area dedicated to the Pillars of the Game.
South Philly’s attractions include the Deer Park Diamond, batting cages, and pitching challenges. Meanwhile, Fairmount was dedicated to the children — featuring mini batting cages, balloon animals, face painting, and Home Run robber, a game that puts fans in Velcro suits to imitate outfield home run robberies.
The All-Star Village will provide photo opportunities with the World’s Largest Baseball, a replica Liberty Bell, a collection of MLB trophies, and the Home Run Derby chain.
Ballpark food from around the globe
There will also be Ballpark Bites available to fans, featuring unique menu items from MLB ballparks across the country.
“Whether you’re someone who is a collector and wants to see some players, you can come and do that,” Field said. “Or if you’re interested in food, you can certainly come and taste some of the MLB bites. There’s signature dishes from different teams across the league. And it’s indoors. You can certainly come here and enjoy the fresh air, AC that is.”
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Some of the food items include: the Texas Rangers’ 9th Inning Rally Sombrero, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Cookies & Cream Cold Brew, Arizona Diamondback’s Korean Pork Belly Nachos, the New York Mets’ Deli Pastrami Sandwich, Houston Astros’ Crawford Dog, Phillies’ Uncle Charlie’s Cheesesteak, Boston Red Sox’s Fenway Lobster Roll, Pittsburgh Pirates’ Manny’s Pierogies, Kansas City Royals’ Footlong Hot Dog Wellington, and Baltimore Orioles’ Banana Pudding.
Programming and ticketing
The All-Star Village will open on Saturday and feature a special appearance from Ryan Howard, who will be take photos with fans at the Capital One booth.
Throughout the All-Star Week, there will be appearances from former Phillies like Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Luis Clemente, Shane Victorino, Sam Allen, Bobby Abreu, Dave Cash, and more.
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“Saturday is our opening ceremony,” Field said. “We’ll start at 8:45 a.m. right here at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. We’re going to kick things off, we’ll have entertainment. We’ll have mascots from various teams. … In addition to that we have our legends program. So, we invited all our former All-Stars, legends from the Philadelphia Phillies will be here to sign autographs, Q&A’s and be part of the clinics that we have.”
Other events taking place include an influencer Philly cheesesteak contest and a mini Home Run Derby presented by T-Mobile. The full schedule of appearances can be found online.
The village is open from Saturday through Tuesday. On Saturday and Sunday, it’ll be open between 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., while the venue will close at 6 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday.
Tickets can be purchased online or at the convention center.
Baseball's biggest stars are descending on Philadelphia for the 96th All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park on July 14. Follow all of The Inquirer's coverage here.
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