Nationwide Fathers Eve Event Combines Free Virtual and In-Person Gatherings to Bring Together, Celebrate Dads June 20
Fathers Eve -- created in 2012 as a way for dads to connect and celebrate fatherhood the Saturday before Father's Day -- began as a series of in-person get-togethers across the country, and has grown to include thousands of participants in 60 cities. This year, the organizers are adding a virtual celebration on June 20, as well. While some dads will join in-person via small, socially distanced gatherings, others will join the party solo from their homes. Founder John Francis is turning his Mendota Heights, Minn., garage into "Times Square" and will be broadcasting live to dads across the country for a countdown and a live toast to fatherhood at 8 p.m. four times - once for each time zone. Dads across the country can sign up on FathersEve.com for the free 30-minute online event - to be livestreamed on the website and Facebook Live from 7:40 to 8:10 p.m. in each time zone.
MENDOTA HEIGHTS, Minn., June 17, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Nationwide Fathers Eve Event Combines Free Virtual and In-Person Gatherings to Bring Together, Celebrate Dads June 20
Fatherhood is rarely easy, especially during trying times, and men often don't seek out the support they need.
That's why Minnesota dad John Francis created Fathers Eve as a way for dads to connect, share and celebrate fatherhood the Saturday before Father's Day. And it's gaining momentum: What began as a single gathering in his St. Paul garage in 2012 has now grown to include thousands of participants in events in 60 cities across the country, as well as in Mexico and Canada—and it's still growing.
In the past, Fathers Eve gatherings have been in-person events at venues like bars and restaurants, which due to COVID-19 are not permitted in many states. So this year, on Saturday evening, June 20, Francis is also taking the celebration virtual – allowing even more fathers to participate than ever before. From New York City, to Cincinnati, to St. Paul, to Fresno, to many locations in between, some dads will join in small, socially distanced gatherings, and others will join the party solo from their homes.
Francis is turning his Mendota Heights, Minn., garage into "Times Square" and will be broadcasting live to dads across the country for a countdown and a live toast to fatherhood at 8 p.m. four times – once for each time zone. His garage will be "command central" and will have screens displaying social media posts and videos from other events.
Dads across the country can sign up for the free 30-minute online event – to be livestreamed on FathersEve.com and Facebook Live from 7:40 to 8:10 p.m. in each time zone – by visiting the website.
The 8 p.m. local-time live toast will be accompanied by videos of supporting partners as well as a special keynote from John Sweeney (aka the infamous Jiggly Boy, who welcomed Kevin Garnett back to the Timberwolves in 2015 in a special way that went viral and earned more than 25 million YouTube views). Sweeney is also co-owner of the Brave New Workshop, motivational speaker and dad to two boys.
The Fathers Eve events support Children's Miracle Network, with participants encouraged to donate throughout the evening. Sport Clips is this year's event's national sponsor. Dad-group partners include City Dads, National At Home Dads, Fathering Together and Dads Married to Doctors.
"Usually, Fathers Eve events happen in silos, with each city doing their own thing," says Francis. "This virtual Fathers Eve event will connect dads across the country like we haven't done before, and I'm excited to reach an even bigger group of dads, to let them know they are not alone, especially during this difficult time in our world. Good fathering is especially critical in this time of crisis and uncertainty."
For more information on Fathers Eve, visit http://www.FathersEve.com.
Media Contact:
Megan Anderson, Bellmont Partners
[email protected], (612) 423-0335
SOURCE Bellmont Partners
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