The summer event season gets off to a fast start this month with soccer watch gatherings, the return of third Thursday downtown summer street parties and Hayward’s annual Juneteenth Celebration, which takes place Saturday, June 20, at a new location.

For fans of the beautiful game, the Hayward Area Recreation and Parks District (HARD) is rolling out its large LED screen in area parks to present FIFA World Cup 26 matches. The fun starts on Friday, June 12, at Eden Shores Park, 2841 Seahaven Court, for a group-stage contest between the USA Men’s National Team and Paraguay starting at 6 p.m.

On Thursday, June 18, the Hayward Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with HARD, presents the first of three Downtown Hayward Street Party events fanning out from the intersection of B and Main streets. The fun runs from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., and will include bands, food, mobile recreation activities and more.

To learn more about the summer Street Party series—including future event dates and sponsorship and vendor opportunities—check out the event page on the Hayward Chamber of Commerce website.

Then, on Saturday, June 20, the annual Hayward Juneteenth celebration will take place at a new location, Mount Eden High School, 2300 Panama Street, from 12 p.m.to 6 p.m. There will be a Juneteenth history reading, live music, DJs, vendors, activities for children and more. For the line-up: visit https://www.instagram.com/juneteenthhayward/.