CLEVELAND, Ohio – Each year the Pro Football Hall of Fame inducts a handful of players and individuals as part of its annual enshrinement. But the week is much more, offering a wide range of activities. A special fan fest has been added, plus there is an autograph session, concerts and much more. A week from today, on Thursday, July 31, the festivities kick off with the annual Hall of Fame Game. Here are seven takeaways from Marc Bona’s story about Enshrinement Week.
Key takeaways
• A new, free Fan Fest will be held daily on the Hall of Fame campus, featuring different themes, live music, food trucks and interactive zones.
• The traditional Hall of Fame Walk, where returning Hall of Famers gather, is moving to the museum campus on Friday, Aug. 1, for a more intimate fan experience.
• The Class of 2025 includes four players: Eric Allen, Jared Allen, Antonio Gates and Sterling Sharpe, who will be inducted Saturday, Aug. 2.
• The NFL’s 106th season officially kicks off with the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday, July 31, featuring the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Chargers.
• Canadian rock band Nickelback will headline the Concert for Legends on Sunday, Aug. 3, serving as the traditional finale to Enshrinement Week.
• The Gold Jacket Dinner on Friday, Aug. 1, will feature the “Gauntlet” ceremony, where inductees receive their iconic Gold Jackets from returning Hall of Famers.
• The Class of 2025 Unscripted & Tailgate event on Sunday, Aug. 3, will offer an intimate roundtable discussion with the latest Hall of Famers.
7 takeaways from Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Week
The Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton has expanded its annual Enshrinement Week beyond just football ceremonies to become a multi-day celebration with activities for the whole family. These are the seven takeaways from the original article detailing what visitors can expect:
1. New free Fan Fest added to Enshrinement Week
The biggest addition is a free daily Fan Fest on the Hall of Fame campus. This year’s event is designed to give visitors a reason to celebrate even if they don’t have tickets to the main ceremonies. The fest will feature different themes each day, including Game Day (Thursday), Community Day (Friday), Jerzee’s Saturday and Battle of the Bands (Sunday), with live music, food trucks, interactive sponsor zones and appearances by Hall of Famers.
2. Hall of Fame Walk moves to museum campus
The traditional Hall of Fame Walk, where returning Hall of Famers gather for their annual “team photo,” is moving from downtown Canton to the Hall of Fame campus. At 10:45 a.m. Friday, Aug. 1, Hall of Famers will be dropped off at one end of George Halas Drive and walk flanked by fans to the original front steps of the museum for the photo. This relocation aims to create a more intimate experience for fans and is part of Community Day at Fan Fest.
3. Four players will be inducted in Class of 2025
This year’s enshrinement class features four players who will receive their Gold Jackets and give speeches at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 2. The inductees are Eric Allen (cornerback, 1988-2001), Jared Allen (defensive end, 2004-2015), Antonio Gates (tight end and former Kent State basketball star, 2003-2018) and Sterling Sharpe (receiver for Green Bay, 1988-1994). Sharpe is notable as the only first-round draft choice in this year’s class.
4. Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Chargers open NFL season
The NFL’s 106th season will officially kick off with the Hall of Fame Game at 8 p.m. Thursday, July 31, featuring the Lions hosting the Chargers at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. This matchup is particularly notable as it features two playoff teams from the previous season. NBC Sports will broadcast the game, and the 2025 inductees will be introduced to the crowd prior to kickoff.
5. Nickelback headlining Concert for Legends
Canadian rock band Nickelback will headline the Concert for Legends at 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 3, with Mitchell Tenpenny as the opener. The concert serves as the traditional finale to Enshrinement Week and is typically the third-highest attended event of the celebration, following the game and enshrinement ceremony. Gates open at 6 p.m. at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, providing a musical conclusion to the football festivities.
6. Gold Jacket Dinner features ‘Gauntlet’ welcome ceremony
More than 100 returning Hall of Famers will welcome the new class during the Gold Jacket Dinner on Friday, Aug. 1, at Canton Civic Center. The event includes a cocktail reception, dinner and the highlight of the evening, where new inductees receive their iconic jackets. This formal celebration is one of the most prestigious moments of the week, allowing the football legends to officially welcome the newest members to their exclusive fraternity.
7. Unscripted roundtable offers intimate insights from new inductees
The Class of 2025 Unscripted & Tailgate event on Sunday, Aug. 3, will bring together the newly enshrined Hall of Famers for an unscripted discussion moderated by Steve Wyche. Beginning with a tailgate meal at 11 a.m., this event gives fans a chance to hear personal stories, on-field memories and behind-the-scenes anecdotes from the inductees in a casual setting. (Two years ago, it featured a barefoot Joe Thomas of the Browns leading an entertaining and educational discussion that broke down game nuances and yielded great stories). This even can be one of the weekend’s more revealing and personal events.
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