[title]
It’s that time of year again. Thousands of people—tennis fans, clout chasers and everything in between—descend onto a tiny speck of Queens for three weeks of sporting hoopla dubbed The U.S. Open Tennis Championships.
You’ll undoubtedly see folks all over your social media feeds who have shelled out hundreds of dollars for a ticket, dressed up to take pictures around the USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Center, hung out in exclusive suites, eaten bloatedly priced food and bought this year’s signature cap. And if you scroll long enough, you might also see some people who—get this—actually really love tennis and the athletes competing on the courts.
Before the main draw of the US Open Tennis Championships, there’s a week-long stretch of festivities that allows you to experience so much of what’s amazing about the tournament. It’s called Fan Week—and it’s free!
Here’s what you can do at the storied grounds from August 23 to 29 without emptying your wallet—plus a few high-priced extras, if you want to splurge.
US Open Fan Week: Free Events and Experiences
Sponsored booths
From Cadillac to Emirates and Dobel tequila to Lavazza coffee, the US Open draws major sponsors. And rather than just showcasing their logos on a poster, each company has different kinds of activations set up around the grounds for fans to experience. Don’t miss the free samples of La Roche-Posay sunscreen, first pick at the Polo Ralph Lauren stores and much more. Plus get an up-close look at the Tiffany & Co. trophies.
Displays of dance
The Chinatown Young Lions Dance Group is kicking off this performance series with a Lion Dance meant to bring good luck to the tournament. It’s followed by a Japanese Folk Dance, a Filipino Kinding Sindaw Dance and a Thai dance showcasing parts of Thai life. Performances from Bollywood Axion Dance, Calpulli Mexican Dance Company and NAITA Recognition + Redhawk Indian Arts Council are also on the docket, plus Steppaz In Command, a Brooklyn-born step team and performing arts organization guided by core principles of scholarship, sisterhood/brotherhood and community service. Learn how to dance salsa and bachata from Somos Latin Dance and take a crash course in line dancing with Scuff. A fusion of Irish dance, Afrobeat and Dancehall is also slated to grace the stage.
Featured Player Practice
Fan Week visitors have the chance to watch Main Draw competitors practice on the iconic courts inside Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong stadiums. Check the Fan Week schedule to see who will be practicing at what times and where.
Mixed Doubles Championship Qualifying
Catch duos Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz, Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic, Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud and more as they compete for the mixed doubles title at the Grandstand court.
Heineken Happy Hour
The beer company will be hosting happy hours Monday through Friday of Fan Week from 5 to 7pm. The gathering takes place on the grounds and features live music, DJs and two-for-one drink specials.
Silent Disco
Head over to the Fountain Plaza Stage from 7 to 9pm on Monday for a silent disco led by DJs Jasmine Solano, Curly Nez and Whutever. They’ll be spinning Top-40 hits, ‘80s, ‘90s, and 2000s throwbacks and Latin tunes.
Family Festival of Activities
There’s something for all ages at Fan Week. With face painting, airbrush tattoos, various entertainers and games geared toward the young fans, kids will not be bored. Plus, you won’t want to miss Drag Queen Family Storytime on Thursday at 4pm on the Fountain Plaza Stage.
Marvel Comic Book Giveaway
Snag an exclusive comic book made just for tennis fans. The storyline this year follows Queens-native Spider-Man as he chases supervillain Scorpion across all five boroughs to get to the US Open. The only catch: you’ll have to be one of the first 1,000 fans to enter the grounds. But you have five chances as the giveaway runs from August 24 to 28.
US Open Qualifying Tournament
The qualifiers offer a unique chance to catch talent that may not make it into the championships this year—but they might just become a household name by next season. This year features 128 men and 128 women competing for one of the final 16 spots in the US Open Singles Main Draw. Watch the matches up close at the outdoor courts.
Double Dutch
The Fountain Plaza Stage will feature an interactive Double Dutch jump-roping performance on Tuesday at 3pm.
Magic with Nicole Cardoza
Magician and storyteller Nicole Cardoza uses whimsical, narrative-driven performances to flaunt her talents. The show will be on the Fountain Plaza Stage Thursday at 3:30pm.
US Open Media Day
Hear directly from some of the biggest stars on the WTA and ATP tours as they are interviewed live inside Arthur Ashe Stadium from 1 to 4pm on Friday. There’s no play during this session, but you’ll hear all the commentary.
Fan Feud: A Divine 9 Showdown
Witness the nine historic, nationally recognized Black Greek-letter fraternities and sororities compete in a Family Feud-style game show. Test your own knowledge of tennis and their organizations right along with them.
US Open Block Party
Fan Week’s major festivities come to a close Friday at 7pm with a massive party on the Fountain Plaza featuring DJ D-Nice and opener Natasha Diggs.
Paid add-ons
Roger Federer: An Icon Returns to New York
Tickets are pricey, but you can beef up your Fan Week experience even more by viewing this one-night-only match with fellow tennis legends Andy Roddick, Andre Agassi, John McEnroe and, of course, the five-time consecutive US Open champion himself, Roger Federer.
Mixed Doubles Championship on Arthur Ashe
Watch as 16 teams of two—made up of the sport’s top players—compete for the title on Tuesday from 11am to 6pm. You’ll have to buy tickets if you want to watch the Arthur Ashe matches, but your general Fan Week grounds pass will get you into Louis Armstrong for free.
Food Village
There are so many restaurants and vendors to choose from at the US Open, and they’re open during Fan Week. Just know that prices are often high (we’re talking more than $20 for a sandwich), so bring your own food if you don’t feel like forking that over. Otherwise, think of it as a chance to try some of the buzziest foods in NYC, with a little bit of convenience tax.