The last time Metro Atlanta was the home of the Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star Game was in 2000. The game was held at Turner Field, which previously hosted the 1996 Summer Olympic Games track and field events and later became the home of the Atlanta Braves. Chipper Jones, Andres Galarraga, Andruw Jones, and Hall of Fame pitchers Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine represented the home team.
This year, the 2025 MLB All-Star Game is back in the Peach State, but the 25th anniversary of the All-Star Game taking place in Atlanta is about much more than just the Midsummer Classic. The fan experience inside The Battery, Truist Park, and at satellite All-Star Weekend stops in Midtown, the Summerhill section, and Lenox Square in Buckhead will allow baseball fans to participate in the action.
Atlanta Braves President and CEO Derek Schiller spoke to the media during a walk-through on Wednesday morning, beginning his comments with, “It’s here.”
Schiller wore a pair of special All-Star Weekend Nike Dunks for the occasion and spoke about the rare opportunity to host a Major League Baseball All-Star Game, MLB Home Run Derby, HBCU Classic, and All-Star Futures Game.
“You only get a chance to host these events every 20-25 years, so this is special,” said Schiller, before adding that the franchise had been working to secure the game for years. “This is significant for the Braves, Cobb County, and Georgia.”
Schiller said the All-Star Game will be streamed to over 200 countries. There is an expectation that 100,000 people will visit metro Atlanta for the All-Star Game, which takes place on Tuesday, July 15th, and all the activities taking place around metro Atlanta.
An economic impact of $50 million is being reported as the financial expectation for a week’s worth of baseball events. The FIFA Club World Cup will continue to take place downtown at Mercedes-Benz Stadium this summer, and Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter tour stops will come to Mercedes-Benz Stadium this week and next week, making this week and next week two of the busiest tourist weeks of the year.
The Celebrity Softball Game (Saturday, 7 p.m.) and the All-Star 4.4 Miler (starts at Center Parc Stadium in Summer Hill (7:30 a.m. on Sunday) are two other events that do not involve Major League ball players, but are fan-friendly events surrounding the game.
The HBCU Classic will bring collegiate players from programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities to Truist Park. From Florida A&M University to Southern University to Grambling State University, baseball talent will be displayed for fans and Major League Baseball scouts. The baseball program at Atlanta’s own Morehouse College will also be represented during the HBCU Classic. Former Atlanta Braves Brian Jordan and Dave Justice will serve as team managers.
With everything surrounding the 2025 MLB All-Star Weekend, the star of it all will be the scene of the action, said Schiller.
“This will be the focal point, The Battery Atlanta and Truist Park,” he said.
Major League Baseball Senior Vice President, Global Events Jeremiah Yolkut, was at Truist Park for the media tour, and called the Atlanta Braves fan base, including fans from the surrounding states that make up “Braves Country,” one of the most passionate fan bases around the league.”
“The Battery Atlanta has been quite the destination, not only for sports, but for entertainment,” Yolkut said.
Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
What’s Eating You?
The foods specifically on sale for All-Star Weekend will have regular Atlanta Braves fans requesting an update to the menu at Truist Park. From the Down the Bay Burger, which is served with a combination of ground beef and soft-shell crab, to the fried green tomato sliders, or the southern nachos. The latter is served with pork rinds, pulled pork, baked beans, cheddar cheese sauce, and tangy Alabama white sauce. If you’re looking for the southern nachos, they will be available in sections 116 and 224 at Truist Park.
Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Chef Jaco Deyer, who presented the menu to the media on Wednesday, says another special addition to the dining experience during All-Star weekend will be the reimagined lobster roll. It will feature a fried buttermilk lobster tail served in a brioche roll with coleslaw and hot honey sauce. The Atlanta Voice was there to try the lobster roll and the peach cobbler nachos, a combination of cinnamon-sugar tortilla chips topped with warm peach cobbler and whipped cream. Both dishes were fun to eat and tasted great.
Free Fan Activities and Interactions
On Saturday, July 12, and Sunday, July 13, former Atlanta Braves stars Javy Lopez and Fred “The Crime Dog” McGriff will publicly appear at the Capital One Cafe at Lenox Square. Both men, who played large parts in successful runs for the Braves during their time at Fulton County Stadium and later Turner Field, will be posing with the World Series trophy. The appearances are free and last an hour. Lopez will be there on Saturday from 2-3 p.m., and McGriff on Sunday from 1-2 p.m.
If home runs are your thing and the MLB Home Run Derby tickets are out of reach, the Home Run Derby X might satisfy a thirst for the longball. Taking place at Mac Nease Baseball Park at Russ Chandler Stadium on the campus of Georgia Tech, the event is free and takes place on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.