World Soccer Festival reorganizes for Aug. 17 in Montpelier

July 26, 2024  |  By Waterbury Roundabout 

A spirited community soccer event that took a pandemic hiatus has reorganized and is returning to Central Vermont next month. 

World Soccer Festival is making a comeback, organizers announced, and this year will mark the 11th time the event will be held. 

The festival will run Saturday, Aug. 17, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Montpelier High School. The event was initially planned for Waterbury at Dac Rowe Park but recent flooding has left the park with a new layer of mud and debris that will need attention and organizers were unsure it could be ready in time. 

Formed in 2012 in Hyde Park, World Soccer Festival is a nonprofit organization that has organized the annual youth tournament with the support of community sponsors and donations. The most recent was held in 2019 in Lamoille Union High School with approximately 150 youngsters taking part in the youth games and 30 adults in an adult exhibition game. After a break in 2020 through 2023, the organization recently has re-formed with new leadership coordinating the August event now set for Montpelier. 

“We have begun to pass the torch to a new group of Vermont soccer lovers who are excited to continue the tradition and vibrancy of this event. Please join us through this transition,” said festival committee members Emmanuel Riby-Williams, Mark Isselhardt and Kipp Bovey in their announcement. “Sign up your kids, tell your friends, let us know you want to help (worldsoccerfestival@gmail.com), make crazy team shirts and play your hearts out.”

The festival involves small teams of just several players for a 3 v. 3 tournament. Teams can be youngsters entering grades 3-8. Teams choose a country to represent for their three 20-min. games. 

Each player gets a flag from their team’s “home” country. And teams participate in a Parade of Nations. The program also includes an adult exhibition game, food trucks, live music by Shida from the Montpelier-based East African cultural organization Shida Projects, and kids activities including art projects and face painting. 

Teams may register online at worldsoccerfestival.org by Aug. 7.