EASTHAMPTON, MA (WGGB/WSHM) -- Easthampton will host five free World Cup watch parties at Millside Park this summer after receiving a $100,000 state grant.

The city is one of 17 recipients receiving state funding to host local watch parties in 25 communities. Events are scheduled for June 19, 20, 26, 28 and 29, all timed to World Cup matches. “It’s going to include live music. It’s going to include soccer viewing games. It’s going to include arts, music, food,” said Easthampton Mayor Salem Derby.

The city received a viewing license from FIFA, giving it the green light to turn Millside Park into a festival ground. “And really, being able to get that grant has opened up a lot of opportunities for us. So, we’re going to utilize that grant funding to do something really special for Easthampton,” Derby added.

Derby said the events are modeled after Mill Pond Live, a past community celebration. “We’ve had in the past, we had the Mill Pond Live, which was amazing and people loved it. So, what we wanted to take was we wanted to take that model, incorporate it with this grant, and do something even bigger,” he explained.

The events will include local professional productions with LED screens, sound, and lighting. Derby said the celebrations could unite the city amid a budget deficit. “It shows that, you know, when tough things happen here, we don’t ball up and just cry in a corner. We’re going to put our best foot forward. We’re going to bring people to Easthampton, show them what we have, bring them here so they can enjoy the amazing things that we have going on, which is then going to help our economy,” he noted.

All five events are free but require a ticket. Tickets can be reserved at millsidesummerevents.com. Off-site parking and a trolley service will be available most days to bring attendees to and from the park.

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