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Redmond outlines World Cup watch parties, community events and June sign reveal
Summary
City of Redmond World Cup planning manager Chris Raftis said the city is "ready for the world," previewing watch parties, a speaker series, a June 6 Bridal Promenade, a library soccer story time with Sounders guest John Kennedy Hurtado, and a June 12 legacy sign reveal and watch party.
Chris Raftis, World Cup planning program manager for the City of Redmond, said the city is preparing a slate of community events as World Cup matches approach and urged residents to check the city website for details.
"We're less than a month away from all the excitement of the World Cup matches coming to our region," Raftis said, adding, "You've seen the banners around town announcing Redmond is ready for the world and we are." The announcement framed several community programs and promotional items intended to welcome visitors and support local hosts.
Raftis listed planned watch parties and the city’s speaker series, including a "Girls with Goals" presentation at Bridal and Mortar Books with Lou Barnes this Thursday. He announced the second Bridal Promenade on June 6 at Farrell McWhirter Park, saying participants will "gather at the barnyard, and then we'll take a short walk visiting the farm animals along the way and craft activities afterward." The city asks attendees to register in advance and noted that pets are not allowed.
Redmond Library will hold a soccer-themed, all-ages story time led by a Spanish-speaking storyteller with special guest and former Sounders player John Kennedy Hurtado. Raftis said light snacks and prize drawings will be provided.
On transit and regional coordination, Raftis said "Mayor Bernie" joined Sound Transit CEO Dow Constantine for a ride on the new Cross Lake connection; the two discussed anticipated ridership increases for events, the engineering behind the crossing and welcoming World Cup visitors.
Raftis also highlighted cultural context for the host nations, noting that the Mexico men's national team is commonly called "El Tri," and directed listeners to a "Soccer 101" web page for background and team information. He encouraged groups hosting viewing events to request Redmond window clings and posters from the city.
The city will hold a legacy sign reveal and watch party on June 12 at Downtown Park with related activities at Redmond Town Center. Raftis also teased "something big" scheduled for July 19 but did not provide details during the segment.
Raftis closed by directing listeners to the city website for updates: "Visit our website to keep up with all of our activities. Have a great week, Redmond."
