By Nicole Sedivy

NFL fans lined up to get inside Draft Town Thursday. Located in Grant Park, the gates to the football playground opened around noon.

The three-day festival is for all ages and admission is free. Fans can race the clock in a 40-yard dash, kick a football through the uprights, take a ride on the new ferris wheel and even snap a picture with the historic Lombardi Trophy.

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Last year, Chicago hosted the NFL Draft for the first time in 50 years, and nearly 200,000 fans participated in the festivities. With a bigger Draft Town this year, the number of visitors is expected to increase.

The teams’ first and second round selections will be made across the street in the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Rounds three through seven will take place in Selection Square inside Draft Town.