The 2025 US Open is going out with a bang, as US Open Finals Fan Fest returns for its second year on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 6-7. After the incredible success of last year’s Fan Fest, this year’s festivities are leveling up the action, with vibrant finals viewing parties—including on-court seats in Louis Armstrong Stadium—sneak peeks of celebrity arrivals and the chance to walk your very own US Open Blue Carpet.
Louis Armstrong Stadium will be buzzing with energy Saturday and Sunday night, led by two incredible hosts. Saturday will be championed by Yvonne Orji, an Emmy-nominated Nigerian-American comedian, actress, writer, producer and author, best known for her role as Issa Rae’s best friend and fan favorite, ‘Molly,’ on the hit HBO comedy series INSECURE. And Sunday’s celebration will be led by Joey Graziadei, a former Division II tennis player at West Chester University and the Season 28 star of The Bachelor.
To learn more about the exciting activities included in Finals Fan Fest, USOpen.org sat down with Nicole Kankam, USTA Managing Director, Pro Tennis Marketing and Entertainment, for the latest details.
Q: Why did the US Open create Finals Fan Fest?
Nicole Kankam: Finals Fan Fest is an opportunity to expand the energy and excitement around finals weekend, bringing more fans into the fold. Giving folks that may not have a ticket inside Arthur Ashe Stadium an opportunity to still feel the vibe that is generated from the women's and men's championship matches.
We've sold grounds passes for years, and we’ve learned that fans have inherently wanted to feel that energy. So, we're just dialing it up. What's really great about this year's Finals Fan Fest is the viewing party that’s returning to Louis Armstrong Stadium, full of fun giveaways and special appearances by some legendary players.
Q: Fan Fest is back for its second year. What inspired the US Open to bring back the event?
Nicole Kankam: I think we built a pretty strong foundation last year. We definitely had a great crowd inside the stadium, and we received a lot of positive feedback around the additional viewing opportunities that we created for fans on site—like the slingback chairs in the Fountain Plaza. This year, we wanted to build even more on that experience, so we’re inviting fans to actually sit on the court in Armstrong to watch the action on the big screen.
Q: What are you most excited about for this year’s Fan Fest?
Nicole Kankam: One of the staples at the US Open is our celebrity blue carpet. Well this year, we’re going to have a fan version of that in Louis Armstrong Stadium, so fans can feel like they're a celebrity and walk their own version of that blue carpet. There will be plenty of photo opportunities, including the Glam Bot. And at the same time, we're going to stream the celebrity blue-carpet arrivals inside the Stadium. So, it'll be sort of Met Gala-esque.
Q: How will watching the action on screens at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center differ from watching from home?
Nicole Kankam: I think it's similar to the reason a lot of fans watch other sporting events out at restaurants or other venues: You want to be around other super fans of the sport, and watching it in a community environment makes the event itself feel that much more exciting. And, I guarantee you that our video screen is going to be much bigger than those in a living room. And the Honey Deuces, Aperol Spritzes and Ace Palomas will all taste even better. Being on the grounds, even if you don't have a ticket inside the stadium will inspire an energy that you can't recreate at home.
Q: Ahead of the 2025 US Open, we’ve heard a lot about how “Spectacular Awaits.” How do you feel this event celebrates that sentiment?
Nicole Kankam: This Finals Fan Fest really is a nice conclusion to that storyline that we've been sharing the past three weeks. We've had some amazing tennis. And I think it’s spectacular how we kicked off the tournament ensuring fans had accessible opportunities to see incredible tennis during Fan Week, and now we're offering that at the back end too with Finals Fest.
Tickets to Finals Fan Fest are available via Ticketmaster and USOpen.org.
