World Cup, Summer Streets overlap in Prospect Heights

ESPN announced recently they'll be shutting their signature sports restaurants across the country, but they are game for Prospect Heights!
Today Saturday the 12 they'll be World Cup Soccer viewing and ESPN zone activities along a to-be closed stretch of Vanderbilt Ave between Bergen and Dean Streets.

It's really a kick-off to the city's Summer Streets program when neighborhood roads are made car scarce in order that pedestrians and especially kids can take to the streets and enjoy communal activities. It doesn't get much more communal than the World Cup and I'm sure world soccer themed bar Woodwork on the corner of Dean and Vanderbilt doesnt mind.

Details from their release (thanks for the post ilovefranklin blog)

ESPN to screen World Cup games outdoors
at Summer Streets on Vanderbilt

The kick-off for Summer Streets on Vanderbilt begins this Saturday, June 12 with a World Cup celebration including a screening of the World Cup matches outdoors on Vanderbilt Avenue. ESPN will be sponsoring an open-air viewing of the games on a large high-definition projection cube that will be set-up in the middle of Vanderbilt Avenue between Dean and Bergen Streets. ESPN will also be sponsoring the ESPN Interactive Zone, which will include lots of games and give-aways. Outdoor screening of matches begins at 10 am with the Argentina-Nigeria match and continues at 2:30 pm when the USA faces England.

This Saturday, June 12th, and on Sundays June 20th and 27th from 12 pm to 5:00 pm, Vanderbilt Avenue between Dean Street and Park Place will trade cars for pedestrians, and honking horns for dancing beats. Four blocks of the avenue will be closed to traffic and transformed into a pedestrian plaza for the second annual Summer Streets on Vanderbilt. In addition to the World Cup events, there will be inflatable bouncy castles, face painting and hula hoop contests, capoiera and fashion shows. Local bands will take center stage and restaurants will flood into the street with outdoor dining.

Presented by the Vanderbilt Avenue Merchants District (VAMD) and the Prospect Heights Neighborhood Development Council (PHNDC), 2010 will mark the second annual Summer Streets on Vanderbilt.

* More information about the event can be found at www.vanderbiltave.com.
* Press inquiries please contact Bianca Sultana PR at biancasultanaPR.com.
* To volunteer, contact danaeo@optonline.net or 718-772-3074.