CANTON − Attending Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival events is both a rite of passage and longtime tradition for many.
Football greatness, community pride and hallowed history harmonize during festival week each summer. And highlights abound, including the Grand Parade, which has created golden memories for generations.
Thinking back to my first Hall of Fame parade in the summer of 1999, as I walked closer to the route on Cleveland Avenue NW, I sensed something special and heard a buzz building. Then boom! It happened. The spectacle was aglow under the blaze of early-morning sunlight. People were everywhere. Kids, adults. Seated. Standing. On lawns. On sidewalks. I was overwhelmed and blown away.
Suddenly, I understood all the hype. This is the parade Stark Countians had bragged about. At that moment, the parade became my favorite festival event. I felt the magic, I felt the sense of community, I appreciated the timeless tradition.
But the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival is about a lot more than a parade. The focal point of the whole extravaganza is the enshrinement of the new class of Hall of Fame inductees. And the entire week is like a thousand parties tucked inside one epic bash.
So where do you start? Here’s a cheat sheet suggesting the top five things not to miss during enshrinement week.
1. Grand Parade
Where else can you be less than 20 feet from a steady flow of football icons like former Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Dorsett or San Diego Chargers great Dan Fouts.
Cleveland Avenue NW on the route of the Grand Parade, of course. Whether it’s in the heart of downtown or farther north, you can get a ringside view of the game’s best players. This year, it’s sponsored by Certified Angus Beef.
Downtown, the route is more congested. Bleachers are packed. Attendees stake out their spots with chairs and blankets in the early-morning darkness. Maneuvering for a good vantage point may be challenging if you arrive too late.
For those who don’t arrive hours in advance or don’t purchase a bleacher seat, here’s some advice. Finding a spot is a bit easier just south or north of 12th Street and beyond. Near the Ben Heggy Candy Co. or Patrick’s Ice Cream are prime viewing areas with more elbow room. Photos also should become social media gold.
And the parade is prime period. There’s more than football. Marching bands, cheerleaders, classic cars, firetrucks, football-themed floats, military vehicles and more.
Parade pandemonium is on Aug. 2. Floats start rolling at 8 a.m. from Cleveland Avenue SW downtown before ending south of 30th Street NW.
2. Concert for Legends
Canton has put itself on the map for big concerts.
Ever since the Concert for Legends began in 2015 with the legendary Aerosmith, music lovers and casual fans alike are eager to find out who will headline the show during the Enshrinement Festival.
This year, it’s Nickelback, the Canadian rockers who have both admirers and critics. Either way, it’s undeniable that Nickelback is a platinum-selling band that people love to talk about.
In 2023, Netflix explored why Nickelback is so polarizing in the documentary, “Hate to Love: Nickelback.”
Known for the hits “How You Remind Me,” “Photograph” and “Rockstar,” the band will mark the 10th anniversary of the Concert for Legends. Opening act will be Mitchell Tenpenny. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 3.
There are hit songs … and then colossal smashes. “How You Remind Me” is the latter. The 2001 release was named Billboard’s Top Rock Song of the Decade and has the distinction of being the most-played song on U.S. radio for all formats in the 2000s.
Tenpenny blends rhythm and blues, bluegrass and rock with country pop. The Nashville native’s biggest song was the crossover hit, “Drunk Me.” It reached the top 10 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart.
The Concert for Legends is reliably fantastic. And the atmosphere is always electric. Whether you are a loyal or casual fan of Nickelback, it’s simply cool to have a big show at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.
Starting at $75.90 ($55 plus fees), tickets for the Concert for Legends can be purchased at https://www.profootballhoffestival.com.
3. Fan Fest
Some folks consider them crazy … or delightfully deranged.
Hardcore, diehard football fans down to the marrow. We’re not talking about those who cozy up on their couch in a team jersey with a beer in one hand and bowl of chips in the other.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival attracts the pigskin proud. Fans who intricately paint their faces in team colors and meticulously adorn themselves in team-themed garb and costumes.
The Fan Fest from July 31 to Aug. 3 at the Pro Football Hall of Fame campus is where many of them will converge. And it’s also an event where you can eat, drink and be merry in the shadow of the football museum.
The free event features food trucks, live music, photo opportunities, games, live national podcasts, and meet and greets with enshrinees.
Fan Fest hours are: 2 to 8 p.m. July 31; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 1; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Aug. 2; and noon to 8 p.m. Aug. 3.
4. Enshrinement ceremony
This year’s Hall of Fame enshrinement class welcomes Sterling Sharpe, Eric Allen, Jared Allen and Antonio Gates to Canton.
It all becomes official on Aug. 2 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. The ceremony begins at 1 p.m.
Some classes have more sizzle than others. Imagine what it will be like in a few years when Tom Brady is inducted. But Gates gives this year’s group regional flavor considering he played basketball, rather than football, at Kent State University.
Gates tried out for the NFL because the NBA was not an option. Talk about beating the odds.
And that’s the best part of the enshrinement ceremony. Along with the pageantry of the event, Gates will tell his story. What inspired and motivated the undrafted free agent. What mentors and coaches pushed and molded him. And what’s been untold about his journey.
Speeches may not be your thing. I get it. But the Hall of Fame has reined in the length of the talks. And nothing compares to being at the ticketed and televised event.
Sharpe, formerly of the Green Bay Packers, also should be worth a listen given he’s the brother of former Denver Broncos star tight end Shannon Sharpe, who was enshrined in 2011. Shannon is also a well-known media personality.
For more details and to purchase tickets, starting at $49.30 with fees, go to https://www.profootballhof.com/tickets. VIP packages are also available.
5. Balloon Classic
Certain events are synonymous with the Enshrinement Festival.
The Hall of Fame Game, of course. And people can’t get enough of the parade. But don’t ever sleep on the Balloon Classic, an event presented by Aultman.
Hot air balloons dotting the sky is a signature scene of the festival, which this year is July 25-27. Different colors and shapes and altitudes. The awesome sight never becomes tiring.
The family-friendly Balloon Classic is based on the campus of Kent State University at Stark, 6000 Frank Ave. NW in Jackson Township. Admission is free. Parking costs $15.
Balloonists from across the country participate.
Weather permitting, balloon launches will occur 6:30 to 7 a.m. July 25. Food, vendors and other activities will be 4 to 10 p.m. The evening balloon launch is scheduled for 6 to 6:30 p.m., and tethered balloon rides are 7 to 9 p.m. July 25.
Also July 25, Stark County native and Nashville-based country music artist Karissa Ella will perform at 7:30 p.m. on the Sugardale Stage.
July 25 also will feature the Night Glow at 9 p.m., while July 26 features fireworks.
Attractions also include the Drone Light Show at 9:45 p.m. on the nights of July 25 and July 26. This is the event’s second year. A fleet of drones will perform aerial choreography.
For more details and the full event schedule, go to https://profootballhoffestival.com/balloon-classic/.
Reach Ed at @ebalint@gannett.com. Follow on Instagram at ed_balint and TikTok @edwardbalint
