As Friday faded into night, and Saturday’s many activities and Sunday’s match loom, there is an electricity, a buzz if you will, in the air around Seattle about the MLS Cup as supporters for both the finalists as well as others from around the league continue to pour into the Emerald City.

Earlier today the teams practiced at Qwest Field and there was a pre-game presser:

RSL Practicing at Qwest:

Beckham and Donovan Meet the press (Video)

To promote the match, the circular roof of Seattle’s Space Needle was painted to resemble the MLS Cup ball. The design also features the logos of the both clubs LA Galaxy and Real Salt Lake playing in MLS Cup 2009.

Earlier in the week the MLS Cup arrived by ferry

And the teams arrived by chartered flight:

There are plenty of activities all listed here taking place in the run up to the Cup final:

Schedule of Events

[ FRI, NOV 20th ]

// Meet & Greet Social and Silent Auction

6PM – 8PM : Hosted by Gorilla FC
Fado Pub, 801 1st Ave
Happy Hour drink specials all night, pre-registration and entertainment by the Pop Offs (Cover band, 80’s, 90’s, 00’s) from 10pm until close. Sounders FC’s Roger Levesque and Sébastien Le Toux will be in attendance!

Silent Auction Opens! MLS All-Star Game Ball and Jersey signed by the MLS squad, Sounders items (autographed by Montero, Keller, Le Toux or Alonso), autographed Ken Griffey Jr. label wine, and more! Auction to benefit the Sounders player charity, Seattle Children’s Hospital.
» Download the Pub Map

[ SAT, NOV 21st ]

// 2009 Supporters Summit

10AM – 2PM, Hosted at Qwest Field, West Club Lounge (enter through north gate)
($10 suggested charity donation, lunch provided)
» Parking Pass for the Summit
» Download the Map

9.45 – 10.15am	Registration for Supporters Summit participants
10.15 -11.15am	MLS Commissioner Don Garber will give a state of the league address followed by a Q&A session with Commissioner Garber, moderated by Drew Carey!
11.15 – 12.00pm	Supporters Shield history and presentation by Sam Pierron, Kansas City Wizards
12.00 – 12.30pm	Lunch & Raffle
12.30 – 1.15pm	Officiating and technical discussion panel with Joe Machnick and Alfonso Mondelo

// Sounders End of Season Party

3PM – 6PM, Hosted by Prost Amerika ($13, doors open at 2pm)
Baltic Room, 1207 Pine Street
Fox Soccer Channel’s Jeremy St Louis and Sounders FC General Manager Adrian Hanauer, broadcaster Peter Fewing, and FIFA Representative in the Pacific Northwest, Sandy Hunt highlight the guests at the Sounders End of Season party. The event takes place on the Saturday before the MLS Cup Final at the Baltic Room. Food provided by Uli’s Sausages of Pioneer Square is included in the price. Only 130 places available so buy now to book your place and to take advantage of the advance discount.

» Read more and ticket information

// Pioneer Square Supporters Pub Crawl

6PM – 10PM, Hosted by the Sounder Supporter Groups
Pub crawl the soccer-friendly establishments in and around Qwest Field with fellow supporters while enjoying local drink/food specials. This is your last chance to get your Seattle Children’s Hospital charity bids in at Elysian Fields before the Silent Auction closes at 8pm. MLS All-Star Game Ball and Jersey signed by the MLS squad, Sounders items (autographed by Montero, Keller, Le Toux or Alonso), autographed Ken Griffey Jr. label wines, and more! Refer to the pub map for location details: Fado, Fuel, Elysian Fields and Swannies.
» Download the Pub Map

ELYSIAN FIELDS (Sounders Alliance): (6-9pm)
Continue the day’s summit discussions in the space provided. Silent auction finale at 8pm! ($3.50 Golden Boot/ $3 Bud Light game day specials). Sounders FC’s Sébastien Le Toux, James Riley and Taylor Graham will be in attendance and may bring a few of their MLS friends/teammates.

FUEL (Emerald City Supporters): (8-10pm)
Join the ECS MLS Cup Party and celebrate with the Emerald City Supporters. Kasey Keller will be in attendance! Drink and food specials in effect for those attending. (21+)

SWANNIES (North End Supporters):
$1 off beer and $5 Sounders Slammers game day specials all weekend.

FADO PUB Pub (Gorilla FC):
Happy hour and beer drink specials, Soccer Trivia Contest with great prizes (6:30pm), entertainment by the Kennedy Brothers!

[ SUN, NOV 22nd ]

// FIFA 2010 Tournament

11AM – 2PM, Hosted by Gorilla FC ($20 entry fee)
Fado Pub, 801 1st Ave
Are you the best FIFA10 XBOX player? Winner takes home a large prize basket full of Sounders autographed swag and GFC’s favorite bars and stores gift cards. Benefit for the victims of Black October in Bolivia. Limited to 32 teams! Don’t miss the 12:30 complimentary wine tasting with Masquerade Wine Company, including their acclaimed champagne-style sparkling wine, “Effervescing Elephant”. Register today at www.gorillafc.com!

// Pre-Game Spaghetti Feed

2PM – 4PM, hosted by North End Supporters and Emerald City Supporters ($0-$6)
Fuel, 164 S Washington St, Seattle
Swannies, 109 S. Washington St, Seattle (at Occidental Park)
Fans of the two teams competing in MLS Cup will be hosted by Emerald City Supporters (at Fuel) and North End Supporters (at Swannies). Drink specials at both pubs and a Swannies Spaghetti Feed. $6/person : Meat & veggie spaghetti, salad, & bread » RSVP to the feed!

// MLS Cup Final & March to the Match

3:45PM, Meet for the March at Occidental Park
Major League Soccer fans will meet at 3:45 at Occidental Park for a brief celebration and address and then depart from there towards the X-Box Pitch at Qwest Field at 4:00 p.m. The Sounders FC band, “Sound Wave” along with Sounders FC owners, players, coaches and MLS Commissioner Don Garber are all slated to take part. Grab your poncho gift at the gate, then join the Soccer Celebration in the North Lot, where Third Eye Blind will be performing before the game!

5:30PM, Kickoff at Qwest Field

Summit Hosted By:

Emerald City Supporters

Gorilla FC

North End Supporters

Alliance Council

Immortal Fury

Additionally, Rock band Third Eye Blind will play a free concert outside of the stadium prior to Sunday’s game, with footage to air during halftime of ESPN’s coverage.

Special Thanks to David Falk at the Examiner, Prost Amerika Soccer and the Seattle Times, and the Sounders Council for some of the above content.