What's new for the 2023 Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival? Here are 6 things to know.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival turns 60 this year. And every year for the past 60 years, the festival has looked slightly different.
This year is no exception. While the schedule of events will remain the same as last year, new entertainment options have been added.
The Canton Repository talked with representatives from the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Hall of Fame Village to find out what’s new and what’s different this year.
Here are six highlights:
1. Goodbye beer fest, hello First Down Fest
The Hall of Fame Village has taken over the fan and beer festival that the Pro Football Hall of Fame hosted last year and has retooled it with football-themed activities, food and live music.
The First Down Fest will be held from noon to 7 p.m. Aug. 3, noon to 5 p.m. Aug. 4, and 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. Aug. 5 at the ForeverLawn Sports Complex on the Hall of Fame Village campus.
Activities include a 40-yard dash, field goal kicking challenge, obstacle course and misting tent. Visitors also can contribute to the Sports Art Wall, a large, sports-themed communal coloring wall, and the separate coloring stations.
The Field Stage will feature a variety of musical acts. On Aug. 3, Jul Big Green will play from 3 to 4 p.m. and Shoreline Funk All-Stars will perform from 5 to 7 p.m. On Aug. 4, the Jake Friel Band will begin at 1 p.m. and North to Nashville will take the stage from 3:30 to 5 p.m. DJs will play throughout the day on Aug. 5.
Daily admission fee is $15 for adults and $10 for children ages 12 and under. VIP ticket admission, which includes a VIP tent with seating and premier viewing of the concert stage, all-you-can-enjoy buffet and private cash bar, is $120 per day for adults and $80 per day for children ages 12 and under.
Festival-goers who haven’t visited the Hall of Fame Village campus since last year also will find many new attractions this year, including the Red Zone, a 125-foot wheel ride, the Forward Pass zip line and the newest attraction, Spike It, a tower drop ride that emulates the spiking of a football during touchdown celebrations.
“The excitement is exponentially growing this year,” said Anne Graffice, executive vice president of global marketing and public affairs for the Hall of Fame Resort and Entertainment Co. “We’ve gone from construction to operational since last year.”
2. Meet the Budweiser Clydesdales
The world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales will be clip-clopping all over Stark County during multiple free appearances over the next two weeks.
Visitors can watch the iconic horses from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. July 26, July 27, July 30, July 31, Aug. 1, Aug. 2, Aug. 3 and Aug. 4 at their stables located behind the recreation and wellness center on the Kent State University at Stark campus at 6000 Frank Ave. NW in Jackson Township. The horses will also be at their stables from noon to 7 p.m. Aug. 5.
During the Balloon Classic, the Clydesdales will be making an appearance shortly before the balloon launches, which typically begin around 6:30 p.m. July 28 and July 29 on the Kent State University at Stark campus. Roughly two hours before their appearances, visitors can go to the stables and watch the process of hitching the horses together and with the iconic Budweiser wagon.
“It’s like a show in itself,” said Collyn Floyd, vice president of events and marketing strategy for the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce. “When all the horses get hitched together with the wagon, it takes two hours for them to go through that process. It’s very entertaining in its own right.”
For a more up-close encounter, a Clydesdale will be stationed at different locations throughout Stark County (and one in Tuscarawas County) to greet fans.
The one-horse show schedule is as follows:
5-7 p.m. July 26 at Kishman’s IGA Minerva at 202 E. High St. in Minerva.
5-7 p.m. July 27 at the Erie Street Pub at 2700 Erie St. S in Massillon.
1-3 p.m. July 30 at Buehler’s Fresh Foods at 7138 Fulton Drive NW in Jackson Township.
5-7 p.m. July 31 at John’s Bar & Grille at 2658 Easton St. NE in Plain Township.
5-7 p.m. Aug. 1 at Loby’s Bar & Grille at 4736 Hills and Dales Road NW in Jackson Township.
5-7 p.m. Aug. 2 at Meijer at 4934 Fulton Drive NW in Jackson Township.
3-5 p.m. Aug. 3 at Buehler’s Fresh Foods at 3000 Wooster Avenue in Dover.
On Aug. 5, the Clydesdales will lead the Canton Repository Grand Parade, which steps off at 8 a.m. in downtown Canton.
3. Tethered balloon rides at the Balloon Classic
You no longer are limited to watching the Balloon Classic’s colorful hot air balloons from the ground. This year, you can take a tethered balloon ride.
Experienced hot air balloon pilots will be offering rides on two balloons that are anchored to the ground from 7 to 10 p.m. July 28 and July 29 during the Balloon Classic, which is held on the campuses of Kent State Stark and Stark State College. Riders will float roughly 30 to 70 feet up in the air for about five minutes, depending on weather conditions.
There is no height, weight or age limit and the baskets are handicap accessible. Each basket can accommodate between four and seven people, depending on the combined weight of the riders.
Cost is $25 per rider. Presale tickets are available at www.profootballhoffestival.com/balloon-classic. Limited walk-up spots also will be available each night.
Admission to the Balloon Classic is free and parking is $10.
4. Liftoff Kickoff
Families wanting to avoid the crowds at the Balloon Classic — more than 130,000 spectators are expected during the weekend — can go an hour early on July 29 for the inaugural Liftoff Kickoff.
The kickoff, which starts at 3 p.m., will feature music, food vendors, a beer tent and the opportunity to drop off nonperishable food for FreshMark’s food drive.
5. More floats in the Canton Repository Grand Parade
Parade organizers have roughly doubled the number of floats for this year’s Canton Repository Grand Parade, which steps off at 8 a.m. Aug. 5 near Cleveland Avenue and Fifth Street SW in downtown Canton.
More than a dozen floats will be featured during the 2.2-mile stretch of the parade, which also will feature the Budweiser Clydesdales, large helium balloons and high school bands, Class of 2023 enshrinees, returning Hall of Famers, classic vehicles and live mascots.
The tentative lineup for the parade includes floats by the Cleveland Browns, United States Football League, Flags of Freedom, Stark County Humane Society, Hilscher-Clarke, ABCD Inc., Ziegler Bolt & Nut House, Louisville Constitution Queen, Akron Auto Auction, Newcomer's Chapel of Pigeon Run United Methodist Church, Summit Academy, and the Ohio Lottery.
6. Rock the lot with music and cars
The Hall of Fame has added free entertainment to fill the gap of time between the enshrinement and the Concert for Legends on Aug. 5.
“Rock the Lot: Concert & Cars” is a country-themed concert and car show. The event will begin at 3:30 p.m. Aug. 5 in the Hall of Fame's main parking lot at 2121 George Halas Drive NW. Admission is free.
J.T. Hodges, nominated as a semifinalist for New Artist of the Year at the 47th annual Academy of Country Music Awards, will headline the event. The event also will feature performances and entertainment from the Buck Naked Band and 94.9 WQMX.
The car show will display dozens of European sports cars, Trans Ams and other cars.Food trucks will be on site. VIP tickets, which include beverages and an opportunity to mingle with Hall of Famers, also are available for purchase.
More information about the upcoming events of the enshrinement festival can be found at www.profootballhoffestival.com.
Reach Repository writer Kelli Weir at 330-580-8339 or kelli.weir@cantonrep.com.
On Twitter: @kweirREP
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement adds Clydesdales, parade floats
