Mayor Karen Bass today highlighted key findings about the success of her free "Kick it in the Park" community watch parties during this summer's FIFA World Cup tournament, which drew more than 45,000 Angelenos to nearly 100 events across Los Angeles from June 11 through July 19.
"My goal was to ensure every Angeleno had access to the World Cup and the excitement it brought to our city – that's what 'Kick it in the Park'" did," said Mayor Bass. "This success was a terrific preview of what we will deliver during the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games: safe, free, community-oriented events for all Angelenos."
According to survey data taken at "Kick it in the Park" sites across the city, 96% of Angelenos expressed overall satisfaction with the events and a deep sense of connection to their community. In addition, 92% said the events made them feel proud to be an Angeleno, 93% said they made them feel like the City cares about their neighborhood, and 77% said they would return to their local park more often afterward.
As part of Mayor Bass' "Games for All" vision for major events, "Kick it in the Park" also led to improvements in public spaces citywide, including the removal of 6.5 tons (13,000 lbs) of material from streets and sidewalks, 320 miles of roadway cleared, 414 cubic yards of debris collected, 40 miles of street cleaning by hand, 158 trees trimmed, 66 sidewalk tree cutouts repaired, and 259 solar streetlights installed.
The events also celebrated the city's cultural diversity, with more than 100 local vendors and food trucks, over 30 live multicultural performances engaging around 800 youth, more than 200 volunteers speaking 12 languages, and 330.5 hours of sign language interpretation, including trilingual interpretation at 18 sites.
Paul Krekorian, Executive Director of the Mayor's Office of Major Events, will discuss these findings with the City Council's Ad Hoc Committee on the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games at 3:00 PM on Wednesday, September 30.