What to know: 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival guide

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What to know: 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival guide

Kelli Weir, Canton Repository · The Repository

Thu, Jul 18, 2024 ·

9 min read

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New elements have been added to some of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival 's traditional events this year.

There's also a small shift in this year's schedule of events .

To find out what's new and different for this year's festival, the Canton Repository talked with representatives from the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, Pro Football Hall of Fame and the volunteer festival committees. Representatives from the Hall of Fame Village did not return messages seeking information.

Here are five things to know about the enshrinement festival that kicks off Sunday:

1. Enshrinees Roundtable given new name, tailgate party.

Class of 2023 Hall of Famers DeMarcus Ware (center), Zach Thomas (to left), Joe Thomas, Darrelle Revis, Joe Klecko, Rondé Barber join NFL Network's Steve Wyche at the Enshrinees' Roundtable last year. The event has been rebranded as Unscripted & Tailgate and features food and entertainment before the roundtable. — Class of 2023 Hall of Famers DeMarcus Ware (center), Zach Thomas (to left), Joe Thomas, Darrelle Revis, Joe Klecko, Rondé Barber join NFL Network's Steve Wyche at the Enshrinees’ Roundtable last year. The event has been rebranded as Unscripted & Tailgate and features food and entertainment before the roundtable.

The fan-favorite event known as the Enshrinees Roundtable is now called Unscripted & Tailgate presented by Certified Angus Beef.

Kelly Piero, the vice president of marketing and membership strategy for the chamber, said the new name reflects the casualness of the event — 2023 Hall of Fame enshrinee Joe Thomas showed up in shorts and sandals last year — that's held the day after the enshrinement. She said the new name also highlights the food and entertainment that is being added this year.

The event, which begins at 11 a.m. Aug. 4 at the Canton Memorial Civic Center, will kick off with a tailgate that features food stations with chefs from Certified Angus Beef, live food demonstrations and entertainment by the Pro Football's Ultimate Fan Association and Carolina Panthers cheerleaders, mascot and drum line.

Class of 2023 Hall of Famers Joe Thomas (standing) and Darrelle Revis during the Enshrinees' Roundtable last year. The event has been rebranded as Unscripted & Tailgate and now includes food and entertainment before the roundtable. — Class of 2023 Hall of Famers Joe Thomas (standing) and Darrelle Revis during the Enshrinees’ Roundtable last year. The event has been rebranded as Unscripted & Tailgate and now includes food and entertainment before the roundtable.

The roundtable, moderated by NFL Network's Steve Wyche, will remain largely the same with the new class of Hall of Famers sharing stories and behind-the-scenes anecdotes from their lives and careers in football.

Tickets are $91 each and are available at www.profootballhoffestival.com/tickets-2024/ .

2. Balloon Classic adds two drone light shows.

The Balloon Classic will feature two drone shows this year.

This year's Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival Balloon Classic, presented by Aultman, will offer two drone light shows in addition to its traditional five scheduled hot air balloon flights, night glow and fireworks.

The light shows will feature 300 unmanned aircrafts that have been illuminated and synchronized to music to create a roughly 12-minute choreographed aerial performance over the balloon field at the Kent State University Stark campus in Jackson Township.

The theme of the 10 p.m. light show on July 26 will be a celebration of football. The theme of the 9:40 p.m. show on July 27 (right before the fireworks) will be sea in the sky. The shows, sponsored by The Timken Co., with support from Visit Canton, are believed to be the first of their kind in the region.

Piero said drone light shows are an added element to the Balloon Classic, which attracts more than 130,000 people, and complement the balloon events because the drones can fly in windier conditions than the hot air balloons.

Tethered hot air balloon rides will return to the Balloon Classic for the second year with morning rides added.

Pilots will be offering rides on two balloons that are anchored to the ground from 7 to 9 p.m. July 26 and July 27, and from 6 to 8 a.m. July 27 and July 28.

Riders will float roughly 60 to 80 feet up in the air for about five minutes, depending on weather conditions. Tickets are $25 per person and can be purchased only at the event this year. There is no age limit and the baskets are handicap accessible. Each basket can accommodate between four and seven people, depending on the combined weight of the riders.

Admission to the Balloon Classic is free. Parking is $10.

3. Go see the Gold Jacket ceremony, skip the meal.

The Enshrinees' Gold Jacket Dinner, presented by Haggar, will offer ceremony-only tickets for the first time. For $100, fans can attend the Aug. 2 ceremony at the Canton Memorial Civic Center where the enshrinees walk the gauntlet of more than 100 returning Hall of Famers to the stage and receive their iconic gold jackets, considered the first symbol of induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The ceremony ticket does not include food or beverages. Doors for ceremony-only attendees will open at 6:30 p.m. and they must enter before 7 p.m.

The cocktail reception and dinner begin at 5 p.m. NFL Network's Rich Eisen will once again be the event host. Full-event tickets range from $175 to $199 each.

Tickets are available at  https://www.profootballhoffestival.com/enshrinees-dinner .

4. Concert for Legends has been moved to Sunday.

The Concert for Legends at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium has been a floater on the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival schedule. This photo was taken at the 2021 concert, which was held on a Monday. This year's concert, featuring singer Carrie Underwood, will be held on Sunday.

The Concert for Legends always has been a floater on the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Week schedule. Since its launch in 2015 , the concert has been held on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and even Monday.

For the past two years, it has been held on Saturday. But this year, the event returns to Sunday, Aug. 4, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

It will open at 8 p.m. with country singer and songwriter Jackson Dean , followed by singer Carrie Underwood, an eight-time Grammy winner who will be the Concert for Legends' first female headliner.

Louis Giavasis, who chairs the Concert for Legends committee, said he prefers the concert on a Saturday as a fan, but hosting a Saturday concert just hours after the Hall of Fame Enshrinement presented many logistical challenges for volunteers who had to reconfigure the stage and rearrange seating.

Standard tickets, starting at $139, and resale tickets at a variety of prices are available at www.ticketmaster.com/tom-benson-hall-of-fame-stadium-tickets-canton/venue/42103 .

5. Jackie Kennedy fashion coming to the Fashion Show Luncheon.

Models strike a pose at the 2022 Fashion Show Luncheon at the Canton Memorial Civic Center. This year's event is set for Aug. 2.

The Fashion Show Luncheon, presented by Crystal Clinic Plastic Surgeons, will celebrate its 61st year with five outfits inspired by former first lady and style icon Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

The clothing is being made possible through a partnership with the National First Ladies Library & Museum, which recently concluded its exhibit, "Beyond Camelot: The Life and Legacy of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis."

The show, which will begin at 11 a.m. Aug. 2 at the Canton Memorial Civic Center, also will feature clothing for men, women and children from roughly 20 national and local stores, including French Rooster in Hartville, Laura of Pembroke in Jackson Township, Mainstream Boutique in North Canton, The District Boutique in Green, Uptown Cheapskate in Jackson Township, Vita Boutique in Lake Township, Wild Orchids in Plain Township and Windsor Fashions in Jackson Township.

This year, each participating store will have its own designated scene to showcase its latest clothing collections. In previous years, multiple stores would contribute to each scene.

The event also features mimosas and market shopping starting at 9 a.m.

Tickets range from $75 to $85 and can purchased at https://www.profootballhoffestival.com/fashion-show-luncheon/.

Reach Canton Repository staff writer Kelli Weir at 330-580-8339 or kelli.weir@cantonrep.com .

Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival Schedule

Here's the schedule of events for the 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival:

Sunday, July 21

2:30 p.m. Community Parade. The parade kicks off the 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame Festival. The parade will stage across from the Canton Memorial Civic Center on Market Avenue N and travel south through downtown. It features marching bands, antique cars, costumed characters, specialty entities and nearly 100 units.

Friday, July 26

∎ 6:30 to 7 a.m. Balloon launch (weather permitting) at the Kent State University at Stark campus, 6000 Frank Ave. NW, Jackson Township.

∎ 4 to 10 p.m. Balloon Classic & Night Glow presented by Aultman at Kent State Stark. The event will include a balloon launch around 6 p.m., tethered balloon rides from 7 to 9 p.m., live music by Country Redford at 8:30 p.m., a 9 p.m. Night Glow and a 10 p.m. drone light show.

Saturday, July 27

∎ 6 to 8 a.m. Tethered balloon rides at Kent State University at Stark campus.

∎ 6:30 to 7:30 a.m. Balloon launch (weather permitting) at Kent State Stark.

∎ 8 a.m. Up, Up and Away 5K presented by OrthoUnited at Kent State Stark.

∎ 4 to 10 p.m. Balloon Classic presented by Aultman at the Kent State Stark with a balloon launch around 6 p.m.; tethered balloon rides from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.; music by New Wave Nation beginning at 8:30 p.m., a 9:40 p.m. drone light show and 10 p.m. fireworks.

Sunday, July 28

∎ 6 to 8 a.m. Tethered balloon rides at Kent State University at Stark campus.

∎ 6:30 to 7:30 a.m. Balloon launch and target drop (weather permitting) at Kent State Stark.

Tuesday, July 30

∎ 6 to 8 p.m. Play Football Skills Camp at the ForeverLawn Sports Complex at Hall of Fame Village. The free event is for children ages 10 to 14.

Wednesday, July 31

∎ 10 a.m. Play Football First Play presented by Panini. The free event involves thousands of children passing a football from downtown Canton to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. There also is the new First Play Festival featuring inflatables, football stations and gaming trucks.

Thursday, Aug. 1

∎ 1 to 3 p.m. Class of 2024 Autograph Session presented by Panini. Members of the Class of 2024 will be at the Hall of Fame's Nash Family Event & Conference Center for an exclusive autograph session.

∎ 8 p.m. Hall of Fame Game: Houston Texans vs. Chicago Bears at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

Friday, Aug. 2

∎ 10:30 a.m. The Pro Football Hall of Famer Walk & Photo Op. The walk begins at the intersection of Market Avenue and Third Street S and will proceed to Centennial Plaza in downtown Canton.

∎ 11 a.m. Fashion Show Luncheon, presented by Crystal Clinic Plastic Surgeons, at the Canton Memorial Civic Center and Cultural Center, 1101 Market Ave. N. The event attracts nearly 3,000 guests.

∎ 5 p.m. Enshrinees' Gold Jacket Dinner, presented by Haggar, at the Canton Memorial Civic Center and Cultural Center.

Saturday, Aug. 3

∎ 8 a.m. The Canton Repository Grand Parade, along Cleveland Avenue in downtown Canton. The parade features the 2024 enshrinees, returning Hall of Famers, 10 giant helium balloons, marching bands, more than a dozen colorful floats and dance troupes along the 2.2-mile route.

∎ Noon. Class of 2024 Enshrinement presented by Visual Edge IT at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. The newest members of the Hall of Fame will be enshrined.

∎ 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Returning Hall of Famers Autograph Session presented by Panini at the Hall of Fame campus.

Sunday, Aug. 4

∎ 11 a.m. Unscripted & Tailgate presented by Certified Angus Beef at the Canton Memorial Civic Center.

∎ 8 p.m. Concert for Legends featuring Carrie Underwood at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

Monday, Aug. 5

∎ 7 p.m. Bluecoats - Innovations in Brass at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

For more details, go to: https://www.profootballhoffestival.com/schedule/ .

This article originally appeared on The Repository: What to know about the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival

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