It’s been a banner year for Philadelphia, with the World Cup and America’s 250th anniversary commemorations bringing record numbers of people to the City of Brotherly Love.
Last week, the city set a new record for attendance at the MLB All-Star Village, held in connection with the MLB All-Star Game.
According to a Forbes report, the Village was open from July 11 through July 14. While MLB predicted approximately 80,000 would attend this year’s event, more than 111,000 showed up. Most attendees paid the $35 admission fee, although some took advantage of early opportunities to purchase tickets for $10. Certain Capital One card members received four complimentary admissions as part of a $125 million partnership with Capital One.
According to Forbes, the All-Star Village was the most attended All-Star fan event since it was held in Los Angeles in 2022.
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“Forty-four domestic sponsors of MLB and 37 international partners activated during the week, which led to a new retail record for sales at the Village, and matched the 2022 record for All-Star week merchandise sales,” Forbes noted. “In fact, sales were up 45% from 2025’s iteration, which took place in Atlanta. And it was not just in-person sales, as MLBShop.com saw an increase of 34% from the 2025 All-Star Week.”
The Village occupied 500,000 square feet at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. That represents roughly 74% of available space and about 95% of the center’s largest contiguous exhibit area.
The Village was themed around Philadelphia neighborhoods, such as Center City, Fairmount, Fishtown, Old City, and South Philly. It featured three baseball fields, batting/pitching experiences, VR attractions, historical exhibits, official merchandise, and ballpark-inspired food.
Next year’s All-Star Game will be held at Wrigley Field in Chicago. However, questions loom over labor issues tied to the MLB CBA and Chicago’s local challenges, casting doubt on the event’s future amid broader baseball labor uncertainties.