Seattle's Pioneer Square plans big-screen watch parties, beer garden for World Cup
SEATTLE - Pioneer Square is preparing to transform into a pedestrian-focused hub for World Cup festivities, with organizers planning to bring the celebration beyond the stadium and into the neighborhood’s historic streets.
What they're saying:
Organizers say in roughly fifty days’ time, the neighborhood will shift into a pedestrian zone designed to keep fans lingering before and after matches.
Marcus Lalario, with HomeTeam, is helping lead the effort to activate Pioneer Square for the World Cup.
"In order for people to stick around you’ve got to give them something to do," said Lalario.
People gathered at Occidental Park in the heart of the historic Pioneer Square district. (Photo: SDOT) (SDOT)
He tells FOX 13, plans for the activation began taking shape after the Club World Cup.
Lalario said the space will include a beer garden, tables and chairs, and a large viewing setup where fans can gather together.
What's coming to Pioneer Square for World Cup
What To Expect:
For the duration of the tournament, organizers plan to install a stage and a 20-foot by 15-foot LED screen along South Jackson Street.
"For six weeks we’ll have a stage set up," said Lalario. "We’ll be viewing every World Cup game for the entirety of the World Cup."
Pioneer Square sits wet and empty ahead of the Seahawks NFC Championship game. (FOX 13 Seattle)
The viewing area will be free and open to the public, with no ticket required. The beer garden will also be all-ages friendly, allowing families to attend together.
Organizers are also building a website with a QR code system that will allow visitors to order food from restaurants in Pioneer Square and the Chinatown-International District.
Local perspective:
Lalario said the effort is partly driven by lessons learned during previous major events in Seattle.
"The reason we’re doing this is because of a lack of energy in Pioneer Square during the All-Star Game," said Lalario. "We want to make sure people don’t just walk through here, go to the game and go home."
Instead, he said the goal is to give fans a reason to stay.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 01: A view of the 2023 MLB Seattle All-Star Game signage at T-Moble Park located on Edgar Martinez Dr before the game between the Seattle Mariners and the Tampa Bay Rays at T-Mobile Park on July 01, 2023 in Seattle, Washing
Lalario tells FOX 13 the project is largely funded by private donors and community partners, and that it comes with significant costs.
"This is the stadium district and so we should be able to reap some of the rewards of the events happening down here," said Lalario.
He added that the vision is inspired by public gathering spaces overseas.
"All my family lives in Italy, so when I go back, plazas and squares like this are community meeting areas," said Lalario. "When there’s World Cup games or Euro games, there are huge crowds that turn up because they want to be together. So we’re just trying to bring a little bit of that energy here to Seattle."
Street closures and pedestrian plan
The Seattle Department of Transportation said Pioneer Square will be converted into a pedestrian zone for six match days during the World Cup, with street closures designed to manage crowds and improve access around the stadium.
In a SDOT blog post, the agency wrote the plan will help accommodate a single stadium entry point at the north gates, which will open three hours before kickoff, alongside "heavy activation in Pioneer Square with watch parties, bands, and entertainment."
Officials said streets will begin closing about four hours before each match, shutting down several blocks between 2nd Avenue Extension South and Alaskan Way South, with closures stretching as far south as beyond T-Mobile Park.
Map of SDOT's street closure plan on World Cup match days.
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The Source: Information in this story came from HomeTeam, the Seattle Department of Transportation, and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.