Photograph by Madeline Shapiro
In the days leading up to Truist Park’s first time hosting of the MLB All-Star Game, an all-day fan event for baseball enthusiasts is taking place at Cobb Galleria Centre. Located a short walk from both the Battery and Atlanta Braves’ home stadium, the Capital One All-Star Village is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. from July 12 to 15 and gives fans the opportunity to score autographs from MLB legends, take a stab at batting and pitching, and compete in games for baseball swag. All-day entry tickets cost $35 for adults and $30 for children, and with both a large indoor and outdoor space packed with activities, there’s a few things you don’t want to miss at the 2025 All-Star Village.
Photograph by Madeline Shapiro
1. See the world’s largest baseball
The first thing you’ll notice when walking into the large convention center hall is a giant baseball covered in signature—the largest baseball in the world, according to the Guinness World Records. Early on in the day, the line is relatively short to snap a picture with the baseball signed by players like Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Derek Jeter, Yogi Berra, and more.
If you walk by at the right time, you might even get the chance to pose in front of the baseball with Hall of Famers. When I walked by, fans had the opportunity to chat with former Braves pitching coach Leo Mazzone for a minute before snapping a picture with him and all those signatures.
Photograph by Madeline Shapiro
2. Learn to pitch like a pro
In both the indoor and outdoor sections of the All-Star Village, several booths are set up for pitching and batting simulators. Test how you measure up against the pros, with technology set up to record your pitch’s miles per hour and how many feet your line drive soared. At one of the outdoor batting cages, you can even score a few dollars off MLB tickets on Seat Geek depending on how many hits you can manage in one turn (5 or more hits equates to $25 dollars off).
Photograph by Madeline Shapiro
3. See a treasure trove of baseball memorabilia
If you’re a baseball history fanatic, there’s plenty of old, unique memorabilia on display throughout the entire convention center to see. At the Hunt Auctions booth, there’s a seemingly-never ending display of signed baseballs, historic bats, black-and-white photos of baseball’s most iconic figures, and other eccentric goods, like an old ad for $3.99 Mickey Mantle-approved gloves. Even if you aren’t planning on entering the action, the booth is well worth a stop.
Photograph by Madeline Shapiro
4. Feast on stadium eats
Even though the event is being held in a convention center and not at Truist Park, you can still grab some of your favorite stadium eats at the indoor food court, including nachos, wings, and snow cones that come in small plastic baseball hats. The indoor food court also features foods inspired by stadiums across the nation, including “Chicago dogs” and a Pittsburgh Pirates-inspired pastrami sandwich. There are also food truck options outside, serving everything from chicken and waffles to Jamaican cuisine and caramel cake.
Photograph by Madeline Shapiro
5. Snag a custom-made hat
If you see a bunch of people wearing gray bucket hats with custom All-Star patches and want one, you’re in luck. One turn at the walk off or batter up stations inside the All-Star Village earns you a redemption card, which can be exchanged for a customizable hat. You can put any team’s logo on the front, add an All-Star patch, and even put the outline of Georgia on the side stitching. A custom baseball cap or bucket hat is the perfect way to commemorate the All-Star Game coming to Georgia this year
Photograph by Madeline Shapiro
6. Don the velcro suit and become the home run robber
In addition to pitching and batting simulators, there are a host of wacky activities you can do at the event, including hanging from a wall in a red, yellow, and blue velcro suit to simulate catching a ball right before it exits the outfield. Although you may feel ridiculous in the moment, donning the velcro suit and extending your arm to catch the ball will result in an especially funny memory, as well as some legendary pictures.
Photograph by Madeline Shapiro
7. Explore the trophy room
The hidden gem of the entire All-Star Village can be found in the corner of the lower food court level hidden beneath the escalator. In the trophy room, a small, dimly-lit gallery about the size of a classroom, sit some of the biggest prizes in Braves history, including former Braves center fielder Marquis Grissom’s 1995 Gold Glove Award and the Commissioner’s Trophy the Braves captured in 2021. And at the end of the small exhibit, you’ll even have the chance to take a picture with this year’s Commissioner’s Trophy, set to be awarded to the World Series Champions later this fall.
Photograph by Madeline Shapiro
