PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Baseball fans will find autograph opportunities and photo ops with home-grown legends at the All-Star Village at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, which runs from July 11 through 14.
The 500,000-square-foot fan fest has a Philly theme, of course, with areas representing Center City, Fishtown, South Philly, Old City and Fairmount. There are artificial turf fields for kids, and mascot games, autograph stations and entertainment everywhere you look.
Fans can also jump into a virtual batter’s box.
“We definitely infused a lot of technology,” said Rob Field, MLB senior manager of global events. “Our batting cages are virtual. We have VR Home Run Derby up there as well. The graphics are unbelievable.”
Fans can catch a glimpse of Phillies stars Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard on Tuesday when they do their podcast from the All-Star Village.
There are also custom murals, displays for Latino legends, the Negro Leagues and women in baseball. And, get a look at what’s billed as the world’s largest baseball, signed by Hall of Famers.
“If you are someone who’s a collector and wants to see some players, you can certainly come in and do that,” added Field. “If you are interested in the food, you can come in and taste some of the MLB bites with signature dishes from various teams.”
All-Star Village tickets are $35. More information at mlb.com.
