Mohawk Valley Garden President Robert Esche gave a media tour of the Subaru World Championship Village, which will be open daily from April 3-14, during the 2024 IIHF Women's World Championship, being held in Utica, New York. The village will feature interactive virtual reality games, artificial turf lawn games, a beer garden and more, according to organisers. Fans will also be treated to live music with bands coming from Nashville to New York. 

Visitors will also be able to watch tournament highlights and pre-game shows on big screens located throughout the Village, while enjoying food and drink from local restaurants. The Village also features graffiti by local legend Foster and the World Championship Ferris Wheel, which will carry passengers high above the Utica skyline.

This year has been full of good news for ice hockey. First was the announcement of the return of NHL players to the 2026 and 2030 Winter Olympics, following an agreement between the players, the league and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

IIHF President Luc Tardif was optimistic months before the agreement was reached, when he said: "The planets are in the right place." Last month the IIHF unveiled the Village where the competition will be held.

Oneida County Executive Tony Picente Jr. stated: "When we first announced that Oneida County would host the IIHF Women's World Championship, we promised it would be a party unlike anything this region has ever seen, and today we're excited to give you a taste of what's to come.

"The Subaru World Championship Village will transform downtown Utica into an interactive entertainment hub with music, games, food and more to complement the exciting hockey action taking place inside the Adirondack Bank Centre. We can't wait for everyone to be a part of this unique experience," he added.