You won't need a match ticket to feel the World Cup in Old Fourth Ward. SaportaReport's Gabriella Hart writes that the Old Fourth Ward Neighborhood Association is hosting the O4W Soccer Kickoff Festival June 11-13, turning Historic Fourth Ward Park at 680 Dallas Street NE and a string of surrounding bars and restaurants into free gathering spaces for the opening days of the tournament. The festival has backing from Showcase Atlanta, Wellstar Health System, and Inter Atlanta FC.
It opens Thursday, June 11 at 5 p.m. with an O4W bar crawl along the Eastside BeltLine and Edgewood Avenue, where local spots will pour World Cup country-themed food and drinks. Friday, June 12 is the centerpiece: gates open at 4 p.m. for a USA vs. Paraguay viewing party on large outdoor screens, with the Francisco Vidal Band at 4:30 p.m., DJ EU at 6 p.m., and the match livestream starting at 8:30 p.m. Food vendors will be on site all evening.
Saturday, June 13 is built for the next generation. The festival closes with the official launch of the O4W Youth Soccer Program, with pickup games and skills activities for kids ages 5 to 13 and free tickets to claim in advance. "The World Cup shouldn't be something Atlantans only watch on TV, it should be accessible locally," Lamar Stewart of Showcase Atlanta told SaportaReport. The pitch is simple: Atlanta is a host city, and Old Fourth Ward wants its own block-party version of the moment. For more on the neighborhood, see our Old Fourth Ward guide.