SOUTH BEND — With a wealth of national and international championships taking place in the local area, July has been a busy month for South Bend.
Just last week, the University of Notre Dame played host to the National Baton Twirling Championships , bringing together twirlers from across the country to compete in the prestigious weeklong event. A large youth baseball tournament, the 2024 BPA World Series, also took place last week, seeing over 1,000 players compete at South Bend’s Four Winds Field.
Even as July draws to a close, however, things are not slowing down, and there are still ample opportunities for locals looking for something to do.
- Running through Wednesday, July 24, the 2024 Scrabble Players Championship is taking place at Century Center in downtown South Bend, as Scrabble enthusiasts compete in the game’s largest major North American tournament.
- For those wanting some fun in the sun, USA Ultimate will be holding a tournament at the Indiana Invaders Soccer Complex — marking the first Ultimate tournament hosted in South Bend since 2019. Taking place on Saturday and Sunday, July 27-28, “ Bid in the Bend ” will host 25 mixed or open teams comprising 15 to 20 players. South Bend’s local Ultimate team, the South Bend Skyhawks, will be competing, perfect for residents to cheer on the hometown team.
- On Thursday, July 25, from 6:30-8:30 p.m., the South Bend Skyhawks will be hosting a pickup Ultimate game at the Indiana Invaders Soccer Complex ahead of the tournament. Open to families and players of all skill levels, the event is meant to give locals a chance to try their hand at Ultimate and learn more about getting involved with the team.
- For an evening of intercontinental soccer, on Saturday, July 27, England’s Chelsea FC and Scotland’s Celtic FC will face off at Notre Dame Stadium for an exhibition game. The friendly kicks off at 4 p.m., bringing together two clubs boasting a long, award-filled Premier League history.
Local businesses have also experienced the flood of visitors these events have generated, seeing higher numbers of customers over the last month. Kirbea Kohler, a manager at Chicory Café’s South Bend location, said she has noticed a significant increase in patrons, particularly around lunchtime.
“Lunches are looking a little bit more like the lunches that we would see pre-COVID,” she said. “Having more events at the Century Center and in the downtown area has definitely helped increase business … especially with school being out right now.”
Kohler said she sees the increase as a positive thing, helping to show off to out-of-towners who might not otherwise visit what South Bend has to offer.
“South Bend is trying to be revitalized and rejuvenated,” she said. “I think overall, it looks like a pretty pleasant place to visit.”
Jeff Jarnecke, executive director of Visit South Bend Mishawaka, said it has been an “incredibly exciting time” to be in South Bend, crediting the organization’s partners across the country to help bring such a high volume of events to the area.
He said that July usually sees the area’s largest number of visitors over the year, but with this month’s “incredible and impactful three-week run” of events in South Bend, that number has been much higher this year.
“We think that these unique sort of events will still have some local participation and certainly some local ticket sales … (but) I’m absolutely certain that we’re bringing in people from multiple states throughout the region and, frankly, across the globe,” Jarnecke said.
He added that information about the area’s upcoming events can be found on Visit South Bend Mishawaka’s social media accounts and website, where results can be filtered by topic and cost. Residents can also sign up to receive weekly emailed newsletters, sharing the latest news and events in the South Bend area.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: South Bend's bustling July not over, with Scrabble, Ultimate, Premier League still on tap
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