All-Star Village in Philadelphia mesmerizes fans ahead of MLB All-Star Game
Major League Baseball's All-Star Weekend is well underway in Philadelphia ahead of Tuesday's MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park.
Eight years of planning and preparation came to life Saturday morning as Major League Baseball's All-Star Village opened at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
"Everything about this place is just awesome," Bill Dixon of Bellmawr, New Jersey, said.
Dixon and many others were mesmerized by the 500,000-square-foot fan experience.
Those reactions are exactly what Robert Field, MLB's senior manager for global events, wanted.
"It's a great joy to see the faces that people react to when they first walk in to see something transformed," he said.
When they get in, people have plenty to see and do.
"You've got batting cages; you got pitching cases – you can get free autographs from our legends," Field said. "I like to see the kids swing for the fences in the Home Run Derby ... the Home Run Robber."
Field says the All-Star Village gives everyone the chance to experience All-Star Week in the city, even those who may not be able to pay for a ticket to the Home Run Derby Monday or Tuesday's All-Star Game at Citizens' Bank Park.
Plenty of people are certainly taking advantage of it. Some remember the fan fest at the Pennsylvania Convention Center 30 years ago – something much smaller and slightly different than what's taking place this year.
"1996 was kind of card shows, things like that, a little memorabilia ... This is way different," Dixon said.
The All-Star Village has three days remaining after Saturday. On Sunday, it's open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., then 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday.
