Sneak peek at MLB All-Star Village ahead of big Philly weekend
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Red banners line Center City streets, vendors hawk team gear on busy corners and fans are pouring in for Major League Baseball’s All-Star Weekend.
Events kick off on July 10, bringing together baseball's top players for a slate of events leading up to the All-Star Game on July 14. Fans travel from across the country to celebrate their teams' stars and see them compete alongside the game's best.
The All-Star Village will take over the Pennsylvania Convention Center from July 11-14, serving as a showcase for the sport's biggest names and its broader appeal, MLB Senior Manager of Global Events Robert Field said.
"We certainly tried to put a focus on Philly and Philly legends, but it's something for everyone, for every eam."
But the event is unmistakably Philadelphia. Organizers have broken the village into five "towns" inspired by Fishtown, South Philly, Center City, Old City and Fairmount.
"Each city will have a different mind to it," Frost said. "There's something for everyone."
The Phillies hosted a preview of the MLB All-Star Village for select fans and media on July 9, allowing a sneak peek at the weekend's festivities. Here's a look at what to expect.
Meeting legends
One of the biggest draws of All-Star Village is the chance to meet baseball royalty. Former players, coaches and executives will take part in hour-long meet-and-greets and autograph sessions throughout the event.
Phillies legends Larry Bowa, John Kruk, Carlos Ruiz, Manny Trillo and Dickie Noles stand out as some of the popular players making appearances. MLB Hall of Famers Fergie Jenkins, Vlad Guerrero, Andre Dawson and Rolly Fingers will also be in attendance.
Many of the MLB and minor league baseball mascots will also make appearances, including the Blue Rocks' Rocky Bluewinkle.
Baseball history will also be on display, with iconic artifacts including Tug McGraw's jersey from the Phillies' 1980 World Series triumph, historic baseballs and the Commissioner's Trophy awarded each year to the World Series champion.
For more information on the times certain stars, mascots, and items will be present in the village, MLB has posted a daily schedule.
Interactive experiences
The village will also feature dozens of interactive experiences for fans of all ages.
Among the most popular attractions during a July 9 media preview was a virtual reality Home Run Derby experience, where attendees took turns stepping into a simulator and swinging a bat to launch virtual home runs.
Two other featured attractions are Home Run Robber and the MLB Draft Experience. Home Run Robber lets fans recreate a diving outfield catch by launching themselves onto a Velcro wall, while the MLB Draft Experience simulates being selected first overall. Philadelphia will also host the actual MLB Draft on July 11.
Youth teams attending the July 9 preview were especially drawn to the trio of miniature baseball fields at the center of the venue. The largest, PLAY BALL PARK, will host youth baseball and softball clinics throughout the weekend led by USA Baseball and USA Softball coaches.
"They can learn the fundamentals of the game, or even just have a catch with their parents and friends, " Frost said. "It's going to be really fun."
A taste of baseball's towns
All-Star Village will also spotlight baseball's culinary side, with food inspired by teams across the league. Featured options include:
- Baltimore Banana Pudding (Orioles): Cookie crust topped with house-made banana pudding
- Taco Momalona: A taco with green cabbage romaine mix, smoked brisket, crispy pork belly, Hickory+Gold BBQ, hot Cheeto dust, pico de gallo, avocado, crema, all on a Red chilli tortilla shell
- Footlong Hot Dog Wellington (Kansas City Royals): a broken-up footlong hot dog with prosciutto, mushroom duxelle and chipotle ketchup, wrapped in a puff pastry
- Birria Grilled Cheese(San Francisco Giants): A grilled cheese with braised beef birria, pickled onion slaw and cheddar cheese, on Texas toast
- 9th Inning Rally Sombrero (Texas Rangers): Beans, cheese, guacamole, tomatoes and more topped on a sombrero made of tortilla chips
- New York Deli Pastrami Sandwich (New York Mets): A pastrami sandwich with mustard and dill pickle on rye
- Crawford Dog (Houston Astros): Two hot dogs with Crawford Bock Bacon Onion Jam
- Korean Pork Belly Tacos (Arizona Diamondbacks): Pork belly tacos with kimchi, pickled onion and Gochujang cheese sauce
- Veggie Burrito Bowl (Los Angeles Dodgers): Burrito bowl with rice, cheese, beans, pico de Gallo, guacamole and sour cream, in a Dodgers hat bowl
- Cookies and Cream Cold Brew (Los Angeles Dodgers): An iced cold brew topped with cold foam and cookie crisps, served in an All-Star souvenir hat
Three items were also offered for select fans and media to try: a lobster roll courtesy of the Boston Red Sox, mini pulled pork pirogies from the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the Royals' hot dog. The lobster roll and pirogies were fan favorites, quickly disappearing from the table they were being served on.
Three featured menu items were available to sample on the preview day: a lobster roll inspired by the Boston Red Sox, mini pulled pork pierogies from the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Royals' signature hot dog.
Executive Chef James Wolf, who helped organize the dishes to be served, stressed a desire to feature the best items from each ballpark.
"We have some of the best chefs out there [in MLB], and have so many creative items," he said. "We really wanted to showcase that for Philadelphia."
How to get tickets for the MLB All-Star Village?
Tickets to the village are available at MLB.com. General admission is $39 with discounts for children, seniors and military. Family packs are also available.
It will run from 10 a.m to 8 p.m on July 11 and 12, and from 10 a.m to 6 p.m on July 13 and 14.
Adam Denn is an intern reporter for Delaware Online/The News Journal. You can reach him at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Sneak peek at MLB All-Star Village ahead of big Philly weekend