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Charlie Marren was taking his daughter to the library when they ended up at a football party.

The Kamloops residents were among the dozens of fans who descended upon a packed 300-block of Victoria Street to see the beloved B.C. Lions kickoff training camp on Saturday with the annual FanFest celebration.

“We just saw the event from afar and thought we’d come check it out,” Marren said, noting he hadn’t been to the event in a couple years.

The event is usually held at Hillside Stadium where the Leos prepare for the season ahead, but this year the event was given a more central location in the heart of the city, hosted as a first-of-its-kind block party.

There was plenty of food, games, face painting, dancing and fans decked out in their best BC Lions attire — and even a few people in rival jerseys.

The mood was joyful throughout the afternoon as people mingled about, and once the players arrived they were more than happy to scribble their signatures for fans young and old.

Jevon Cottoy, a four-year wide receiver for the Lions, said Kamloops’ central location in the province makes it a good spot for FanFest.

“We’re kind of close to Alberta, so it’s people coming from Alberta and B.C. just supporting the Lions as a whole so it makes it more enjoyable for us,” Cottoy said.

The BC Lions Training Camp resumes through to Wednesday, May 29.