World Cup brings the community together
•Parties provide places to celebrate cultures
MOUN LAKAY, a local Haitian community group, joined Scottish fans at The Cat & Fiddle on Highland Avenue.
The eyes of the world are on North America as the FIFA World Cup continues to bring drama and excitement. As a host city, Los Angeles has seen a massive influx of visitors, some of whom have flown halfway across the world, many here to see matches in Los Angeles Stadium, the temporary name of SoFi Stadium. However, you don’t need to shell out thousands of dollars for a ticket to have the World Cup experience. Watch parties can be found all over Los Angeles, from massive FIFA-sponsored events to small, homegrown celebrations.
Dozens of Haitian soccer fans mingled with Scotland supporters as the two teams faced off in the early days of the Cup. The event was put on by Haitian community group Moun Lakay. Béchir Sylvain, a local actor seen in Marvel’s “Wonder Man,” contacted The Cat & Fiddle Pub about having a watch party, and management was immediately excited about it.
Having a Haitian watch party at a British pub may seem out-of-place, but for Sylvain, it was perfect. “I wanted to create something to bring two communities together instead of us excluding ourselves,” he said. “I felt like the U.K. has great soccer vibes.”
THE ORIGINAL FARMERS MARKET hosted the first of several official FIFA Fan Zones in Los Angeles
It worked, too; the place was absolutely packed. Haitian and Scottish flags flew proudly. At halftime, a birthday celebration was held for Karina Bonnefil, another actor in “Wonder Man” and an ardent Haiti soccer supporter. Everyone in the pub joined in song, and as cake was distributed all feelings of rivalry went out the window. The match was a good one, with Haiti’s offense quite potent, but ultimately the Scots prevailed, 1-0.
More formal watch parties have also sprung up across Los Angeles and beyond. FIFA itself is hosting several Fan Zones throughout the tournament, official watch parties hosted by the World Cup organization itself.
The first of these Fan Zones kicked off June 18 at the Original Farmers Market. Over the course of the preceding week, the Market’s massive parking lot was fenced off and converted into a massive gathering space. The event came to a close on June 21.
The Fan Zone included a 30-foot screen attached to the famous clock tower at the Market’s entrance, as well as a 20-foot screen on the opposite side of the parking lot. Speakers on every light pole allowed all watching to hear every moment of every match.
Fans could enjoy several pop-up tents within the fan zone, including carnival-style games presented by Kaiser Permanente and Coca-Cola, as well as relax in 21+ beer gardens hosted by Michelob Ultra and Gott’s Roadside. Los Angeles Metro brought in a bus tricked out by famous car customization company West Coast Customs. The bus had a carpeted floor, surround sound, and televisions across the ceiling so fans could get out of the heat without missing the game.
EVERYONE HAS FIFA SPIRIT! Bob’s Coffee and Donuts of The Original Farmers Market decorated jelly filled donuts with edible soccer ball decals to show their spirit.
Attendees were encouraged to step into the Farmers Market itself for food, and many of the Market’s famous vendors had pop-up tents outside the Fan Zone fences.
There’s plenty of Fan Zone fun to come. Future Fan Zones include Union Station from Thu., June 25 to Sun., June 28 and Venice Beach Fri., July 10 and Sat., July 11. You can find a complete list of Fan Zones at losangelesfwc26.com.
Category: Entertainment
