USA Fencing

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — While Team USA puts it all on the line this summer in Paris, future fencing fans back home can get closer to the action than ever before.

USA Fencing is thrilled to introduce Fencing Across America, an innovative initiative designed to bring the excitement of fencing directly to communities across the United States.

From the bustling halls of Grand Central Terminal in New York City to the vibrant atmosphere of OC Vibe in Anaheim and 10 locations in between, Fencing Across America offers a unique opportunity for future fencing fans to pick up a blade and experience the thrill of the sport firsthand.

Phil Andrews, USA Fencing CEO, says that while USA Fencing members are more than welcome to join the fun, the event is designed for those checking out fencing for the first time. 

“We’re bringing the Olympic and Paralympic spirit directly to the people,” he says. “With Fencing Across America, we hope to inspire a new generation of fencing enthusiasts by making the sport accessible and engaging, the biggest role our community can generate is inviting family, friends, colleagues and neighbors to go and grab a sword.”

Experience Fencing in Your Community

The vision behind Fencing Across America is simple yet impactful. Each morning and afternoon, Olympics fans will encounter fencing live on NBC or Peacock. Then, during their daily routines to ride the train, grab a meal or do some shopping, they’ll encounter live fencing demonstrations in familiar, accessible locations.

Each site will be staffed by local club owners, with fencers from these clubs ready to demonstrate fencing techniques, answer questions and guide newcomers. In some cities, these “coaches” may even include Olympians and Olympic coaches who are not competing or coaching in Paris.

In select sites, there will also be the opportunity to try parafencing as excitement builds toward the Paralympic Games in September. 

Below is the schedule of dates, cities and locations for Fencing Across America. Most locations are open 2–7 p.m.
 

This summer, we’re inviting all of America to join us in celebrating the Olympic & Paralympic Games Paris 2024 and discovering the exciting world of fencing. Whether you're commuting, traveling, shopping, or dining, there’s a chance to experience fencing up close and personal in your city.

As part of this initiative, we invite USA Fencing members to volunteer at a location near them. 

Volunteers will help with live demonstrations, engage with community members, and introduce basic fencing movements. We are also looking for team leads to serve as the main point of contact each day. Your participation will help bring fencing to new audiences and promote your local club.

Click here to sign up as a Fencing Across America Champion.

Let's capitalize on the excitement of the Olympic and Paralympic Games — and the added attention on fencing — with Fencing Across America!

While we wish we could bring this effort to every city in the country, for this initiative we prioritized large markets and those cities that offered us space in high-traffic areas for little to no cost.

We had to consider budget, the availability of volunteers and the places where we could direct interested families to one or more fencing clubs. All of that said, alongside this effort we will be providing all USA Fencing member clubs with a toolkit designed to help them host similar events in their own city!

Anyone who cares about growing the sport of fencing in the United States can take heart in knowing the primary call to action for these activations: "scan the QR code to find your nearest fencing club."

For locals, that'll be a club nearby. But for tourists, that'll be a club anywhere in the United States!