Onondaga County to host free World Cup watch parties in Syracuse
County leaders are backing four free World Cup watch parties downtown, starting June 19 at Everson Plaza with USA vs. Australia on a 9-by-16-foot screen.
Onondaga County is using the FIFA World Cup to draw people into downtown Syracuse, backing four free watch parties that begin June 19 at Everson Plaza with the United States facing Australia. The series, run with Visit Syracuse, is being promoted as a way to bring more foot traffic, visibility and activity to the city center during the tournament.
The first gathering runs from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Everson Plaza and will be free and rain or shine. Fans will watch the match on a massive 9-foot by 16-foot outdoor LED screen beside the Everson Museum of Art at 401 Harrison St., a downtown landmark designed by architect I.M. Pei and home to about 11,000 works. The museum says it will be closed Friday, June 19, in observance of Juneteenth, even as the outdoor plaza event goes forward.
Three more watch parties are scheduled as the tournament continues. On June 24, Scotland will face Brazil from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at WCNY Courtyard. On June 26, Norway will play France from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at WCNY Courtyard. The series will close July 19 with the championship match at Everson Plaza from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Visit Syracuse said the watch-party series received support through New York State’s Community World Cup Grant Program. The tourism and marketing organization is also positioning the events as part of its broader downtown sports-and-events programming, using the global tournament to showcase Syracuse’s public spaces and give downtown another reason to fill up on summer afternoons and evenings.
For county officials, the appeal is straightforward: a free, high-profile event series anchored in recognizable local institutions, with the Everson Museum and WCNY helping turn a soccer tournament into a civic and economic downtown draw.
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