The Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, about 75 miles, or an hour and a half away, could be a nice destination for a one-day trip.
There’s lots of football history and a lineup of event for summer visitors.
Founded in 1963, the Pro Football Hall of Fame has grown in both size and stature. One of America’s premier sports halls of fame, the Pro Football Hall of Fame pays tribute to the talents and triumphs of pro football’s greatest legends.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame has welcomed more than 10 million fans. Each year, visitors travel from each of the 50 states and from upward of 70 foreign countries to tour the facility. The Pro Football Hall of Fame works collaboratively with the pro football family: the National Football League, the 32 NFL clubs and other entities. The hall strives to serve as the best historical showplace and repository for professional football.
History
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is located in Canton, Ohio, for three primary reasons: (1.) The American Professional Football Association, later renamed the National Football League, was founded in Canton on Sept. 17, 1920; (2.) The Canton Bulldogs were an early pro football power, even before the days of the NFL. They were also the first two-time champion of the NFL, in 1922 and 1923. Jim Thorpe, the first big-name athlete to play pro football, played his first pro football with the Bulldogs, starting in 1915; (3.) Canton citizens early in the 1960s launched a campaign to earn the site designation for their city.
Summer lineup
The facility is presenting several events this summer, including the Fatherhood Festival; United States Football League semifinals and championship; Women’s Football Alliance national championship; Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement week; the Fantasy Football Expo; and the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic.
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June 17-19 – Father’s Day weekend
The Fatherhood Festival, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, is produced by the Fatherhood Institute. The family-friendly event includes a weekend full of on-field sports activities, guest speaking appearances by Pro Football Hall of Famers Anthony Munoz and Mike Singletary, a stadium screening of "American Underdog: The Kurt Warner Story" on Friday, June 17, a Father’s Day Hall of Fame brunch on Sunday, June 19, and more.
June 25 and July 3 – USFL (United State Football League) semifinal and championship games
The USFL is a new professional football league that kicked off in April 2022. The league consists of eight teams split into two divisions, each playing 10 regular-season games. The top two teams in each division meet in the semifinals on Saturday, June 25, at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., complete with a concert from Trace Adkins after the first game. The championship game between the division winners will be held on Sunday, July 3, at 7:30 p.m.
July 9-10 – Women’s Football Alliance championship games
Women’s Football Alliance – a professional women’s tackle football league – features divisions 2 and 3 national championships Saturday. Sunday's schedule features the WFA Xenith All-American Game, and the WFA Pro AdeNation National Championship game follows at 2 p.m.
Aug. 4-7 – Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement week
The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2022 includes Tony Boselli, Cliff Branch, LeRoy Butler, Art McNally, Sam Mills, Richard Seymour, Dick Vermeil and Bryant Young. The Jacksonville Jaguars and Las Vegas Raiders kick off the annual celebration in the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday, Aug. 4, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. The Concert for Legends, featuring Journey, ends the official events of enshrinement week on Saturday, Aug. 6. Other highlights of the weekend include the Gold Jacket photo op in Centennial Plaza on Friday, Aug. 5, the Canton Repository Grand Parade in downtown Canton on Saturday, Aug. 6, and the Gold Jacket Roundtable at the Canton Memorial Civic Center on Sunday, Aug. 7.
August 12-14 – The Fantasy Football Expo at the DoubleTree by Hilton
The expo features more than 50 top fantasy football experts in the country, live drafts, panel discussions, fantasy advice and site discussions.
September 1-4 – The Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic weekend
The classic HBCU football experience features tailgates, concerts, marching bands and community events. The 2022 Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic game features Central State University vs. Winston-Salem State University at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 4. Other highlights of the weekend include a fun fest followed by the Faith, Family, and Football Gospel Concert, featuring Fred Hammond, both in Centennial Plaza on Saturday, Sept. 3. Festivities before the game on Sunday, Sept. 4, include the Interfaith Service at Centennial Plaza and a pregame party on the campus of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Find out more information about sports events, tournaments and venues in Canton and Stark County at visitcanton.com/sports-events.
