Thursday’s kick off watch party was part of an initiative led by the city Department of Transportation, where open plaza streets become front row seats to ten World Cup matches.
On the outskirts of the World Cup fan fest was a section designated for kids where they could practice their footwork with an instructor.
Event-goers could take a break from the sun at a cooling station on 78th Street, where sprinklers, misters, and shade were provided by the 34th Avenue Open Streets Coalition, a Jackson Heights organization that facilitates free cultural and recreational programming year-round.
Jim Burke, the co-founder of the 34 Avenue Coalition, said seeing kids come out of school and enjoy the soccer fun was great to experience.
“All the kids started running through the misters and they were having so much fun,” he said. “I don’t think they knew the game was on. Imagine going to school and you are just walking home and all of a sudden it’s like all these wonderful things are happening that they could do.” Beatriz Gil, a Jackson Heights mother who was born in Mexico City, joined the World Cup watch party with her two children. She said she wanted to share their heritage and a passion for soccer with them. “I want them to participate and get to know their roots and passion for football,” said Gil. “and to share this experience with neighbors in the neighborhood.”
Although, amidst the fun, Thursday’s plaza watch party event and World Cup festivities in Queens’ immigrant heavy communities come with the backdrop of a recent uptick in immigration enforcement.
According to an investigation by The City Reporter, 93 percent of ICE street arrests in the New York area targeted Latinos, with Corona having the highest number of arrests in New York City.
For Gil, the event at Paseo Park allowed the community to have a cultural celebration in spite of any federal presence in Queens neighborhoods.
“It’s very important to remember our roots and create spaces where all of us can co-exist without worrying about where we come from, without worrying if we have legal status or not,” she said. “In reality, the whole world creates and builds this city everyday.”
Though Burke appreciated that the city planned and funded the watch party, he worried that the heavy police presence may have made some residents “uncomfortable” to join the festivities, especially given immigration enforcement in Queens.
“I kind of think there would have been more in any other year, but the current climate probably kept some people at home, and that made me a little sad,” said Burke, who requested for less police presence at Thursday’s event. “But I was glad for the people that came out.”
Thursday’s kick off event was one of many events going on in the World’s Borough for the World Cup.
Watch parties and fan fest events are taking place throughout Queens during the duration of the tournament. On top of smaller events being held on city streets and venues across the borough, larger watch parties are being held at The New York Hall of Science, MoMa PS1, the Queens Botanical Garden, Queens Borough Hall and the Pilot House Bar & Grill in the Rockaways. The city’s flagship watch party and fan event is being held at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center.
“No matter which country’s jersey you wear or what side of the Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo debate you take, you deserve a place to cheer on your favorite team right in your community without having to open your wallet,” Queens Borough President Donovan Richards said last week. “Making The World’s Game accessible for all in The World’s Borough, regardless of ZIP code or socioeconomic status, is our top priority this tournament, and I’m excited to be working with some tremendous community partners to do just that.”
Mexico won the match over South Africa, 2-0.