Fighting hunger part of festivities
Major focus of All-Star Week in Orlando will be public service
With the MLS All-Star Game only weeks away, the league announced events it has scheduled during the week leading up to the marquee match. The schedule features fan events and community outreach, and for Orlando City broadcaster and former goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo, it underscores the significance of hosting the event in Orlando.
“I think it’s just a testament of how passionate the Orlando City community is, and how well it’s embraced the team,” Gallardo said. “The All-Star Game is a big deal. I think that the league thinks of Orlando as one of the elite clubs of major league soccer when you think of a passionate fan base, a good atmosphere and what soccer is really about, which is a family.”
A major focus of the AllStar Week schedule will be charitable opportunities, beginning with the All-Star Day of Service on July 27. The event is a partnership between MLS Works, Wells Fargo, Feeding Children Everywhere and Orlando City SC and will take place from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Throughout the day, fan volunteers and former MLS stars will pack meals as part of a community initiative to fight hunger in the local community.
“The goal is to make 100,000 packaged meals for kids in the community from difficult circumstances, inner city kids and families,” Gallardo said. “It’s going to get everyone involved … it’s going to be everyone from the supporters, MLS staff, the Orlando City foundation staff, to former big time MLS players.”
Fans interested in participating can register for a volunteer shift on the MLS All-Star website.
As part of its community initiative, the MLS is also partnering with ESPN and the Special Olympics to host the Unified Sports AllStar Match on Wednesday, July 31, at the ESPN Wide World of Sports.
The event will feature a match between two teams composed of Special Olympics athletes and AllStar partners. The game will kick off at 10 a.m. and will be open admission to all fans, but free tickets will be available for online registration.
All-Star Week will also include an appearance by Roger Bennett and Michael Davies of Men in Blazers, a popular podcast and TV show centered around soccer. The pair will host a live show focused on Orlando’s sporting history and relationship with soccer at 8 p.m. on Monday, July 29. Tickets for the event will be $25 and available on the MLS All-Star website.
Exploria Stadium will also host open training sessions for both teams on Tuesday, July 30, in preparation for the All-Star Game the following night. Atlético Madrid will train at 8 a.m., and the MLS All-Stars will follow at 10 a.m. Although the practice is listed as “open” it will be a ticketed event, with tickets available for $10 on the MLS All-Star website.
And of course, the festivities wrap up Wednesday night with the MLS AllStar Game.
The event will officially begin at 3:30 p.m. with the Soccer Celebration outside of Exploria Stadium, a free admission event featuring fan zones, games, autographs, giveaways and other family friendly attractions.
The celebration will run until 7:30 p.m., giving fans time to head into the stadium for kickoff at 8 p.m.