LAFC gears up for the start of the club’s fifth season with the Toyota Drive To First Kick, a week-long celebration leading up to the Feb. 26 season opener.
LAFC IS BACK for its fifth season in Major League Soccer and will kick of the festivities with the Toyota Drive to First Kick, a week full of community events, player appearances and interactions throughout Los Angeles leading up to the Club’s season opener on Saturday, Feb. 26 at 12:30 pm PT against the Colorado Rapids at Banc of California Stadium.
LAFC started the festivities on Friday, Feb. 18, when the Club unveiled the new ‘5 Years Strong’ black Club Kit for the 2022 season in a jersey launch event on Pepsi Plaza at Banc of California Stadium.
The LAFC Merch Truck and the Black & Gold Street Team will return to the street of Los Angeles on Monday, Feb. 21 and will make appearances throughout the week at some of LA’s most iconic locations like Randy’s Donuts in Inglewood, Hilltop Coffee + Kitchen in View Park and Pink’s Hot Dogs where LAFC Broadcaster Max Bretos will be serving up the Pink’s LAFC Dog to fans.
LAFC continues to be a force for good in Los Angeles, with community events planned throughout the week that include a school beautification project at Payne P-8 STEAM Academy in Inglewood on Monday, Feb 21, a community 5k run hosted by the Black & Gold Run Club on Tuesday, Feb. 22 and a virtual classroom visit by LAFC legend Jordan Harvey on Friday, Feb. 25.
Other highlights include the lighting of City Hall and the U.S. Bank Tower in Black & Gold to celebrate the start of LAFC’s historic fifth season in the Heart of L.A. on Friday, Feb. 25 and special social media content and contests to round out the week’s festivities.
The full slate of events and Merch Truck stops taking place throughout the week leading up to the Club’s first match of 2022 are listed below:
EVENT |
WHERE |
WHEN |
WHAT |
|---|---|---|---|
School Beautification Project |
Payne P-8 STEAM Academy - 215 W 94th St, Inglewood, CA 90301 |
Monday, 2/21, 9am |
Beautification project at an elementary school in Inglewood. The project will help provide a colorful, welcoming and safe environment for the students and families that attend and visit the school. The knowledge that unrelated people volunteered their time to help make them feel seen and cared for, showing them they matter, has a huge and lasting impact. |
Merch Truck Stop |
Lowe's - 2800 120th St, Hawthorne, CA 902502800 120TH Street Hawthorne, CA 90250 |
Monday, 2/21, 11am-2pm |
Come out and buy LAFC merchandise, including the new '5 Years Strong' jersey. |
LAFC Ticket Member Zoom |
Online / Zoom |
Monday, 2/21 |
LAFC Season Ticket Members will have the unique opportunity to speak with LAFC Head Coach Steve Cherundolo as the team readies for the start of the season. |
Pink's Hot Dogs |
Pink's - 709 N La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038 |
Tuesday, 2/22, 3-6pm |
LAFC Broadcaster Max Bretos to serve fans the Pink’s “LAFC Dog". Wear your LAFC gear to Pink’s and mention the LAFC IS BACK WEEK Special and get 50% off of the purchase of an LAFC Dog and a free side of fries. |
Black & Gold Run Club Community 5K |
Banc of California Stadium - 3939 S. Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90037 |
Tuesday, 2/22, 7pm |
The Black & Gold Run Club will be hosting a community 5k run in the Heart of LA. Those interested in joining the run can meet on Pepsi Plaza at Banc of California Stadium at 7 PM. Free parking for participants in the Gold Lot. |
Merch Truck Stop |
Hilltop Coffee + Kitchen - 4247 Eaglerock Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90065 |
Wednesday, 2/23, 9am-12pm |
Come out and buy LAFC merchandise, including the new '5 Years Strong' jersey. |
Wolfie's Happy Hour At Block Party |
Wolfie's - 5052 York Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90042 |
Wednesday, 2/23, 2-5pm |
Fans are invited to enjoy Happy Hour and get a taste of Banc of California Stadium’s new plant-based food partner, Wolfie’s Hot Chicken. The first 50 fans that show up in LAFC gear will receive a free Elote and Party Beer Co. IPA (must be 21+). |
Randy's Donuts |
Randy's - 805 W Manchester Blvd, Inglewood, CA 90301 |
Thursday, 2/24, 7-10am |
LAFC Defender Ryan Hollingshead will make his first-ever visit to the iconic Randy’s Donuts location to show off his skills by attempting to kick an official game ball through the hole of the donut that sits above the landmark location in Inglewood. Randy’s will celebrate LAFC is Back Week by selling LAFC Black & Gold donuts Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings exclusively at the Inglewood location starting at 8 a.m. PT – limited quantities, while supplies last. |
LAFC Culinary Media Day |
Banc of California Stadium - 3939 S. Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90037 |
Thursday, 2/24, 10am |
Media are invited to take a ‘culinary tour’ of Banc of California Stadium. The Stadium and Stadium Hospitality Partner, Legends will preview/sample new menu items, host discussion with Executive Sous Chef Oscar Gomes and unveil new stadium features and technology to enhance guest experience. |
Virtual Classroom Visit |
Online |
Friday, 2/25, 11am |
Former LAFC Star Jordan Harvey will participate in a virtual classroom visit and book reading in partnership with the Los Angeles Unified School District. |
USC: Family Reunion Panel Discussion: Celebrating Black Joy, Embracing |
USC Campus - McCarthy Quad |
Friday, 2/25, 10am-4:30pm |
To celebrate Black History Month 2022, USC is hosting an event to bring the USC and surrounding LA community together called, “Family Reunion.” With so many outside factors creating separation, the importance of community is critical. In connection with our theme “Celebrating Black Joy: Embracing Health and Vitality,” there will be panel discussions, performances, music, giveaways and food options by Black owned businesses. As part of the day, LAFC and USC Center for Black Cultural and Student Affairs have partnered together to host the Black Excellence Panel Discussion. Assistant General Manager Will Kuntz will join Dr. Ramona Snipes, Chief Compliance Officer and the Assistant Executive Medical Director of Kaiser Permanente Human Resources and People and Culture and David Rone, Co-President of Guggenheim Investments and Managing Partner of Guggenheim Partners for a discussion moderated by USC Faculty Member, Dr. Mark Pearson from 1-1:45 PM. |
LAFC Happy Hour at Shannon's On Pine |
Shannon's - 209 Pine Ave, Long Beach, CA 90802 |
Friday, 2/25, 5-8pm |
Meet fellow LAFC fans at Shannon's On Pine for Happy Hour. |
City Hall & US Bank Tower To Light Up |
Los Angeles City Hall - 200 N. Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90012; US Bank Tower - 633 W 5th St, Los Angeles, CA 90071 |
Friday, 2/25, 5:30pm |
City Hall & US Bank Tower to light up black & gold in honor of LAFC's fifth season. |
LAFC 2022 Season Opener |
Banc of California Stadium - 3939 S. Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90037 |
Saturday, 2/26, 12:30pm |
The Los Angeles Football Club will open its historic fifth season in Major League Soccer against the Colorado Rapids. |
