Before soccer enthusiasts gather along Courthouse Square in Scranton to watch the World Cup on Saturday, crews from Comcast installed improved infrastructure to make watch parties possible.

“Our goal goes beyond connecting people to services they rely on every day,” said Jennifer Bilotta, regional vice president of communications for Comcast. “We strive to be a trusted community partner.”

Scranton was selected to host one of three official Pennsylvania World Cup Fan Zones, which will be set up at North Washington Avenue and Linden Street. In addition to match watch parties and musical performances Saturday and Sunday, the site will also welcome guests for similar festivities July 18-19.

“We power connectivity for most of Northeast Pennsylvania, so we’re really happy to be able to enable something that’s going to create such a lasting impact,” Bilotta said. “We’re very excited to be part of such a great and memorable event that’s going to be something people will talk about for years to come. We’re all about delivering the connectivity and technology that brings people together.”

Comcast Business donated connectivity and live, multiscreen broadcasts as an in-kind contribution, valued in the thousands of dollars, to the city of Scranton and Lackawanna County to support vendors, event operations and live match coverage — including Spanish-language broadcasts, Bilotta said.

“From planning to deployment to execution of the event, all the way through, it certainly takes a really significant investment of time and money,” Bilotta said.

Specifically, Comcast installed a dedicated network solution powered by Comcast Business Internet and WiFi Pro — ensuring reliable connectivity for event operations and cashless vendor transactions when Courthouse Square is at full capacity, company officials added.

While Comcast’s infrastructure is already built up in Scranton — which provided workers with a head start — Bilotta noted it still took a lot of effort to prepare the technology for the festivities.

“Putting on live events that attract lots of people, all at the same time, is nothing new to us but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t still take a good amount of planning, preparation and work to get everything in place to make sure an event like this runs smoothly,” she said. “We started doing walkouts, planning and initial phases of deployment weeks in advance.”

As of Thursday, crews were doing final preparations and testing, Bilotta added.

“An event like this is purely reliant on technology so people can get in and out, and they can make purchases,” she said.

Comcast will also power the entertainment experience, distributing the matches on four screens around Courthouse Square, including Spanish-language coverage from Telemundo, officials said.

Comcast employees worked closely with Scranton officials to make the spectacle in the city a reality, Bilotta said.

“Events like our Fan Zone are only possible when great community partners come together,” Scranton Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti said in a news release. “We appreciate Comcast Business’s support of our celebration on Courthouse Square to deliver a great fan experience during the event.”

If you go

Scranton Fan Zone schedule and hours of operation

(Note: Start times reflect when gates open and live entertainment begins. All events are free and do not require tickets.)

July 4, Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

11 a.m.: Cruel Summer, a live Taylor Swift tribute band

1 p.m.: Round of 16 knockout match, Canada vs. Morocco, NRG Stadium, Houston

3: DJ HERSH

5: Round of 16 knockout match, Paraguay vs. France, Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia

7: DJ HERSH

July 5, Sunday, 2 to 11 p.m.

2 p.m.: Eco Del Sur, performing music from across Latin America

4: Round of 16 knockout match, Brazil vs. Norway, East Rutherford, New Jersey

6: The Wankers, a “Britpop” tribute act

8: Round of 16 knockout match, Mexico vs. England, Mexico City

July 18, Saturday, 3 to 8 p.m.

3 p.m.: Hanson

5: World Cup Bronze Final (third-place match)

July 19, Sunday, 1 to 6 p.m.

1 p.m.: Tonic

3: FIFA World Cup Final

Traffic/parking

The 200 block of North Washington Avenue, the site of a large main stage viewing screen, will remain closed through Sunday. It will close again July 17, remaining closed through July 19. The 200 block of Adams Avenue and the 500 blocks of Biden and Linden streets will be closed from Friday afternoon through Sunday. Those blocks also will close at different times July 18 and reopen late July 19, after the final Fan Zone festivities conclude.

Parts of adjacent blocks also will be closed, but motorists will be able to access nearby parking garages. Parking restrictions will be in place on blocks in the immediate vicinity of the square.

Parking will be available in all downtown garages, including the garage at the Marketplace at Steamtown during mall hours. The University of Scranton and Lackawanna College are also making parking available to Fan Zone attendees, though there will not be a shuttle service.

Activities

• An Onvo Kids Zone on Adams Avenue, featuring an inflatable soccer game and target, obstacle course and slide.

• Skills & Drills clinics hosted by local soccer clubs in designated areas throughout the event.

•  An interactive LED soccer simulator.

Do’s and don’ts

Prohibited items include backpacks, weapons, coolers, facial coverings, laser pointers, illegal substances, pets (only service animals are allowed), umbrellas, outside food and beverages, and fireworks/flares. Smoking and/or vaping is also not allowed.

Guests may bring a foldable chair and a small personal bag or purse (subject to check at entry).