What to know before the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival
CANTON – It's that time again when visitors descend on Canton for the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival.
More than a week of events, which began July 24 with a community parade, are planned to celebrate the newest enshrinees into the Hall of Fame. The Hall, the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce and nearly 5,000 volunteers led this year by General Chair Dennis Manzella and General Vice Chair Todd Hawke coordinate the festival.
It typically draws hundreds of thousands of fans. Rich Desrosiers, chief communications and content officer at the Hall, "expects about 45,000 guests at the Hall of Fame Game, Enshrinement and Concert for Legends."
One of the big changes this year is the Enshrinement ceremony taking place at noon Aug. 6 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. It will be the first midday Enshrinement since 2006. Prior to the 2006 Enshrinement moving to an evening event, the ceremony had been a Saturday morning or afternoon staple since its inception.
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Earlier this month, the Hall installed banners at the stadium to honor each of the members of this year's class: tackle Tony Boselli; wide receiver Cliff Branch; safety LeRoy Butler; official Art McNally; linebacker Sam Mills; defensive lineman Richard Seymour; coach Dick Vermeil; and defensive lineman Bryant Young.
Enshrinement events kick off Tuesday with a football skills camp, followed by First Play on Wednesday.
The Hall of Fame Game, featuring the Las Vegas Raiders against the Jacksonville Jaguars, is at 8 p.m. Thursday.
From Thursday to Saturday, fans can enjoy interactive experiences, photo opportunities, music and food at Fun Fest on the Pro Football Hall of Fame campus. An autograph session is set for Thursday.
The annual Fashion Show is 11:30 a.m. Aug. 5 at the Canton Memorial Civic Center, while the Enshrinees' Gold Jacket Dinner is at 5 p.m. at the Civic Center.
The Canton Repository Grand Parade steps off at 8 a.m. Aug. 6, followed by the enshrinement ceremony. Meanwhile, Journey and Donnie Iris will perform at the Concert for Legends at 8 p.m. that day at the stadium.
Desrosiers answered questions via email about what people might want to know before attending the festival:
Are there any noteworthy changes this year?
"Several! The annual 'team photo' of returning Hall of Famers will be taken this year at Centennial Plaza."
Desrosiers said the Hall of Famers will walk or ride golf carts from the DoubleTree by Hilton to the plaza about 10:30 a.m. Aug. 5.
"Fans who want to catch a glimpse of the returning members of the Hall of Fame are encouraged to line Market Avenue and welcome them to Canton. More than 100 Hall of Famers have returned to Canton to participate in events this year. Adding in widows and children (or other relatives) of deceased Hall of Famers, nearly 150 of the 362 enshrinees will be represented in Canton this year.
"Also noteworthy this year: relatives of the deceased members of the new class – Elaine Anderson (sister of Cliff Branch) and Melanie Mills (widow of Sam Mills) – will speak on their behalf at the Enshrinement. In past years for past enshrinees who were deceased, this was not the case.
"And, of course, Keegan-Michael Key as in-stadium entertainer at the Enshrinement. He will bring his unique style to the afternoon’s event in several appearances on stage between the speeches."
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What is the parking situation for events at the Pro Football Hall of Fame campus?
"There is no parking on the campus, except reserved spots for employees and media partners covering the events.
"As in previous years, ticket-holders will be encouraged to use the Stark County Fairgrounds for parking and to ride the shuttles to Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.
"Return bus service will be available after the events on the Hall of Fame campus."
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Are the events accessible to people with disabilities?
"All events are accessible to persons with disabilities. To help improve the experience for guests with mobility challenges, the Hall of Fame added several golf carts and drivers to its count this year to assist with transportation needs across the Hall campus."
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How will the earlier enshrinement affect this year's festival?
"The noon start for the Enshrinement allows the festival to wrap up a full day earlier than previous years.
"Guests who plan to attend the Enshrinement and Concert for Legends, featuring Journey, don’t even need to leave the campus. There will be plenty to do and experience at the Fun Fest — with food, games, interactives and musical acts."
Is there anything else visitors should know?
"The Hall of Fame Game features the 'coming home' of new Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels, a McKinley High School grad who played his games on the same field (then Fawcett Stadium). Attending the game provides an opportunity to welcome back someone who has succeeded at the highest level in the sport.
Likewise, attending the Enshrinement in person — the only way to see Keegan-Michael Key perform — honors a great class of eight men, several who waited many years to hear their name called. Their appreciation will come through in the speeches, which will be limited to six to eight minutes, keeping the afternoon fast-paced and high-energy."
This article originally appeared on The Repository: What to know before Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival
