Party in the Streets

Richmond Celebrates Soccer | Richmond, B.C.

Not to be left out of the World Cup celebrations in neighbouring Vancouver, Richmond is injecting a healthy dose of soccer hype into its lineup of regularly scheduled community events and block parties, creating a more accessible (if less flashy) way to experience the festivities. The fun will start on June 12, with a kid-centric kickoff event at the Richmond Olympic Oval—left over from the region’s last global sporting event—featuring games and soccer lessons, live music, a foosball tournament and an afternoon barbecue.

A series of neighbourhood block parties will continue for each weekend of festival season; activities may include bubble soccer, obstacle courses and freestyle soccer performances (think juggling and acrobatics, all with a regulation-size ball). A large outdoor watch party for the final is planned for July 19 at Aberdeen Park to cap it all off.

Fort York Fan Festival | Toronto

Toronto will host its FIFA Fan Festival under a highway and in a military fort, both of which are much more fitting locations than they sound. These are the Bentway and Fort York, respectively, the first being a cavernous pedestrian area beneath the towering struts of the Gardiner Expressway, which creates a surprisingly cathedral-like space out of drab urban infrastructure. Next door is Fort York, preserved as an urban museum and archaeological site after its role in the War of 1812. Both are a short walk from Toronto Stadium (a.k.a. BMO Field), where the city’s six World Cup matches will be played.

The sites will interpret Toronto’s tournament theme of “The World in a City” through cultural performances, food and drink from local chefs and live music. As the city’s official FIFA Fan Zone, both venues will also show the games live on big screens. With the actual match in earshot just around the corner, those viewings may be accompanied by the real-life cheers and groans of the stadium crowd.

Granville Pedestrian Zone | Vancouver

This five-block street party could be a vision for the future. Vancouver is thinking about turning its bustling Granville Street into a pedestrian-only main drag, and the 39 days it will spend as a soccer-themed block party will pilot those plans. Organizers are billing the zone as a low-key hangout spot—think street festival, but with a moderating dose of B.C. chill. Bar and restaurant patios will stretch out into the street, which will itself feature interactive games, selfie stations and large-scale art installations, including an enchanted forest of light-up mushrooms, trees and mountains.

And because this is the World Cup, 15.5-foot-high soccer player statues will tower over passersby. The catch: visitors who want to actually watch the games will have to head inside, as FIFA’s rather restrictive rules limit screenings on the street itself. That will be a boon for the restaurants and bars lining the strip, which will happily show the matches—to paying customers, that is.