If you are looking for a party where you can tune up your on face paint for matches, play minigolf with hockey sticks, sweep ice with the zamboni and enjoy beer and bevarages with hockey fans from all over the world, then you should head to Herning over the next days where organizers have managed to build a fan zone which by many members of media and fans is labelled "the best ever".
You don't even necessarily need to be a hockey fan to be a part of the festivities in Herning. The fan zone is free for everyone who wants to get a feel of the amazing atmosphere at the place. Forget all about hostile ultras known from the world of football, this is a place where fans meet across nations to share their passion for hockey, enjoy a beer, bring their kids and perhaps form lifelong friendships.
The Danes, the Germans but perhaps especially the Swiss and the Czech fans have during all opening hours made the fan zone into a huge hockey party and basically turned a city which is not used to this kind of passion for hockey upside down, says Robbin Piel Carlsen, Responsible for the Fan Zone at the MCH Arena.
"Its not often that you see 2000 Swiss supporters dressed as cows walking to MCH arena. Its clear that all the international spectators arrive with a completely different culture, tradition and passion for hockey than what is normal in Denmark and its absolutely fantastic. We are basically a handball nation but the ice hockey fans bring a completely new dimension to the place", says Carlsen to Flashscore.
Inside the fan zone there are 15 different food and beverage stands but the fan zone also offers airhockey, board hockey, Zamboni cars for kids, floorball, facepainting, minigolf with hockey sticks, a giant tic-tac-toe game, a place where you measure the strength of your voice and other things.
Flashscore met up with Lucas and Jana, two long-time hockey fans from Ostrava, who are enjoying their 8th World Championships in Herning together with their two children. "We have been to a lot of fan-zones but this is definitely one of the best. Its huge (has room for 15.000 fans), there are a lot of great things to try out, things are very organized and it has become a bit of our home. Not only for when we celebrate but also when we relax", says Lucas.
Robbin Piel Carlsen underlines that it has been important for the organizers to create a fan zone which would always be full of life even during matches. "We have had live music here, there are karaoke challenges and of course there are also big screens where fans can watch the matches. We have experienced that people pour in from the start when we open, we have tried to make it a home for them and I even saw Czech fans sleeping in the sofas on Sunday after they had been partying in the city on Saturday."
The Fan-zone Responsible also says that there has been challenges along the way but only of a positive nature. "On the opening day we were challenged on the number of toilets because people had been drinking three or four beers on their way out here during the fan march, so they needed toilets urgently when they arrived."
"Also the Swiss and the Czechs turn the fan zone into huge parties after their games, so it can be challenging to close down the zone at 23.30 but at that time we encourgae them to continue the party in the city" ends Robbin Piel Carlsen.