Denver is ready to host its first All-Star Game since the NBA held its event in the Mile High City in 2005.
DENVER — Baseball’s All-Star Game is back in Colorado for the first time in 23 years.
Major League Baseball (MLB), the Colorado Rockies and the city of Denver have a week of fan events and festivals planned to celebrate.
The 91st Midsummer Classic will be played at Coors Field in Denver on Tuesday, July 13.
The July 13 game was set to be played in Atlanta, but MLB pulled out after a new voting law was enacted in the state. The last time the game was played in Colorado was in 1998, but Denver had been in talks with MLB to host a future game and submitted a bid for 2024.
Even if you aren’t attending the game, there are plenty of family-friendly festivals and fan events to attend this July.
Play Ball Park
The fan-friendly and interactive festival “Play Ball Park” will be held at the Colorado Convention Center from Friday, July 9 through Tuesday, July 13 during All-Star Week.
The fan event blends baseball, softball, music, food, technology, shopping, fashion, mascots, legends of the game, former Olympians and fun activities.
Tickets for the five-day All-Star fan event are free and available at AllStarGame.com. Admission will be based on timed entry into downtown Denver’s Colorado Convention Center that fans can register for when claiming their complimentary tickets. All tickets are digital and can be accessed through the free MLB Ballpark app.
Play Ball Park
MLB said more than 30 legendary baseball and softball players are scheduled to appear over the course of all five days of the event.
Fans will also be able to grab a bat and play baseball and softball, play ball in batting cages, pitching tunnels and on three indoor diamonds for all ages and participate in demos, drills and play with rising stars, former All-Stars, coaches and Olympians.
There will also be exhibits curated by the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum Exhibit directly from Cooperstown and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. The World Series Trophy and other MLB trophies will be on hand for photos.
Images from inside the MLB Play Ball Park at the Colorado Convention Center
RELATED: Colorado Convention Center to host free fan event during All-Star week
MLB Draft
This is the first time the first round of the MLB Draft will be held at MLB All-Star Week.
The draft begins Sunday, July 11 at 5 p.m. at the Bellco Theatre at the Colorado Convention Center. Draft tickets can be reserved at Ticketmaster.com.
Stars & Stripes Streetfest
Several blocks near Coors Field have been transformed into festival-style community space in Denver’s Ballpark District.
The Stars & Stripes Streetfest features local food, drinks, games, live bands, DJs and silent discos. The event features Ballpark District and Colorado small businesses. Admission is free, no ticket is required and families are welcome.
The event runs through Tuesday, July 13 on 21st Street between Market and Lawrence and Larimer between 20th and 22nd. The closure on Larimer Street allows for participating businesses to expand their front patio and create a fun and safe festival-style experience.
Topps Pop-up Truck Tour
AURORA — Major League Baseball’s official trading card partner, Topps Company, kicks off a month-long pop-up truck tour in celebration of Topps National Baseball Card Day. The tour begins on Friday, July 9 with a stop at Mike’s Stadium Sportscards at Parker Road and Quincy in Aurora from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Onsite teams will host trivia contests and cornhole games, along with free baseball cards and Topps giveaways. Fans are also invited to take a photo in a life-size Topps card frame to become their own card, as well as trade at the mobile Topps Card Wall. Wrapped in over 11,000 baseball cards, the Topps Truck will travel more than 7,000 miles, bringing baseball fans the ultimate fandom experience.
All-Star 5K
A family-friendly 5K walk and run will take place Saturday, July 10 through the streets of downtown Denver.
Open to all ages, the All-Star 5K’s course begins and ends at Denver’s Civic Center Park, taking participants through a scenic route featuring Capitol Hill, Speer Boulevard and the Golden Triangle.
Mascots from around MLB will be waiting for the participants at the finish line to help recognize their accomplishment.
MLB said all 5K participants are then invited to a post-5K All-Star celebration featuring music and complimentary refreshments. Participants are encouraged to arrive early and warm-up prior to the event’s start time.
All-Star 5K early registration is available now online.
RELATED: Here’s the All-Star 5K course that will run through Denver
All-Star Sunday
The All-Star Sunday doubleheader features two games — the Futures and Celebrity Softball — plus a bonus performance by OneRepublic. All-Star Sunday jump-starts three days of ballpark events at Coors Field.
All-Star Futures Game
The All-Star Futures Game opens All-Star Sunday on July 11 at Coors Field. The annual contest features the top Minor League prospects competing in a seven-inning contest.
The first 15,000 fans inside Coors Field will receive a 2021 All-Star Game souvenir bucket hat.
RELATED: OneRepublic to perform before MLB All-Star celebrity softball game
Colorado natives and Grammy-nominated pop group OneRepublic will take the stage at Coors Field on Sunday, July 11 right after the Futures Game and right before the All-Star Celebrity Softball Game.
All-Star Celebrity Softball Game
After the concert, entertainment and sports personalities will take to the softball diamond for the 2021 All-Star Celebrity Softball Game.
Participants in this year’s game include JoJo Siwa, The Miz, Quavo, Residente, Noah Beck, DK Metcalf, CC Sabathia, Karamo, Steve Aoki, Russ Butler, Derrick White, Hunter Pence, Jennie Finch, Larry Walker, Vinny Castilla, Kane Brown, Blake Gray and more.
All-Star Sunday doubleheader tickets can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com.
RELATED: Roster for the 2021 Celebrity Softball Game at Coors Field
Home Run Derby
MLB’s annual tribute to the long ball is back with an altitude.
The 2021 Home Run Derby will be held at Coors Field on Monday, July 12, the day before the All-Star Game.
Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story will be among the eight players hoping to take home the Derby trophy. Others participating include Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels, Pete Alonso of the New York Mets, Trey Mancini of the Baltimore Orioles and Salvador Pérez of the Kansas City Royals.
Tickets to Tuesday’s Home Run Derby are being sold at Ticketmaster.com and ESPN will handle the television broadcast.
RELATED: 23 years ago: Griffey Jr. turned Colorado boos to HR Derby cheers
RELATED: Trevor Story to participate in Home Run Derby at Coors Field
All-Star Game
The 91st annual Midsummer Classic will be held Tuesday, July 13 at Coors Field in Denver. The 2021 All-Star Game will air live on FOX.
In the American League, the Toronto Blue Jays lead with three starters —Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Marcus Semien and Teoscar Hernández. In the National League, the Atlanta Braves (Freddie Freeman and Ronald Acuña Jr.) and the Cincinnati Reds (Nick Castellanos and Jesse Winker) have two starters each.
The All-Star Game starting rosters are:
- C: Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals
- 1B: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays
- 2B: Marcus Semien, Toronto Blue Jays
- 3B: Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox
- SS: Xander Bogaerts, Boston Red Sox
- OF: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
- OF: Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
- OF: Teoscar Hernández, Toronto Blue Jays
- DH: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels
- C: Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants
- 1B: Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves
- 2B: Adam Frazier, Pittsburgh Pirates
- 3B: Nolan Arenado, St. Louis Cardinals
- SS: Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres
- OF: Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta Braves
- OF: Nick Castellanos, Cincinnati Reds
- OF: Jesse Winker, Cincinnati Reds
Tickets to the 91st Midsummer Classic are sold at Ticketmaster.com.
The last time the All-Star Game was held at Coors Field in 1998, the American League defeated the National League 13-8. Rockies players in the game included Larry Walker, Dante Bichette and Vinny Castilla.
RELATED: Denver hosted its first MLB All-Star game in 1998
The uniforms of the 2021 All-Star Game have drawn mixed reaction from fans, while the caps have been well received.
The All-Star uniforms are white for the National League and navy blue for the American League. The caps are dark navy, with MLB’s “ASG 2021” on the right side and team logos in red on the front.
If you’re looking to buy the caps and jerseys, Fantatics.com and the Rockies Dugout Stores are stocked.
RELATED: The 2021 All-Star Game caps, uniforms are here
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Play Ball Park
