Windsor has added another event for the expected thousands of football fans visiting the region for next week's NFL Draft in Detroit.
The Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Association (DWBIA) will be hosting an NFL Draft Block Party, taking place on the evening of Saturday, April 27, the third and final day of the Draft.
The free, all-ages event will feature food and entertainment from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. It will follow the City of Windsor's free Draft-watching party set for the afternoon of the 27th outside City Hall.
DWBIA Chair Chris MacLeod, clad in a Detroit Lions jersey bearing Aidan Hutchinson's number 97, said the global event in Detroit is a chance for Windsor to show itself.
"This is such a great opportunity for our downtown," said MacLeod. "We have such great partners across the river in Detroit, and this event that they're putting on, and our ability to share in some of that excitement is just incredible."
Ouellette Avenue will be blocked off between University Avenue and Park Street. The musical acts scheduled to perform include Huttch and the Jody Raffoul Band. Also appearing are hip-hop artists Royce Da 5'9, Nasaan, and Daniel Hex.
Windsor Ward 3 Councillor Renaldo Agostino, who is not a newcomer to big downtown events, recalled the excitement in the region during the winter of 2006.
"I remember doing the NFL party when we did the Super Bowl," said Agostino. "It was absolutely bonkers, it was incredible. So we're getting back to where we used to be, and that's the direction we want to go in."
The block party is free, but participants are asked to register in advance so organizers can prepare for potential crowd size.
The City Hall Draft party, held on the 27th from noon to 6 p.m., will feature interactive NFL-related displays and activities, a watch party for the Draft, a football skills clinic, and scheduled appearances from NFL players with Windsor-Essex connections.