The Barnstormers are gearing up for the 2009 season. The club is hosting a FanFest with the coaching staff planning to attend. Here's the release:
The 2009 Lancaster Barnstormers baseball season unofficially begins on Saturday. The club’s annual FanFest, featuring free admission, free food, free entertainment and more, will be held April 4 at Clipper Magazine Stadium.
And did we mention it’s FREE?
Fans attending the season-opening event will receive a voucher for a free Kunzler hot dog, bag of Herr’s chips and Pepsi, Auntie Anne’s will distribute free pretzels and Turkey Hill Dairy will offer samples of its “Duetto” brand ice cream. Regular stadium concessions will also be available for purchase, including grilled items in the stadium picnic area. As in past years, young fans will have free and unlimited use of the Weis Horse Around Corral, carousel and Barnstormers inflatable obstacle course and moon bounce for the duration of the event.
New in ’09: Young Barnstormers fans can participate in a “Cylo Egg Hunt” to find eggs filled with candy. Ten of the 500 eggs will also contain FREE memberships in the Fulton Bank Barnyard Bunch, the Barnstormers kids-only season ticket club. Other eggs will contain free passes to the kids park and Wheatland FCU Home Run Harbor for use during the baseball season.
Fans will also be able to play Wii games in a kiosk, courtesy of Play & Trade Video Games.
The Inside Corner team store will unveil a new line of “Pennyslvania Clutch Country” merchandise, and Barnstormers manager Von Hayes, coaches Tom Herr and Bill Bliss and mascot Cylo will be on hand to sign autographs. Live music and entertainment will be provided by the Kracker Beez.
“We’re hoping for good weather and planning for another great turnout,” Barnstormers general manger Vince Bulik said. “My staff is working hard this week to get the ballpark up and running by Saturday, and it will be a great reward to see the place full of fans once again.”
FanFest will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Auditions to sing the national anthem for a Barnstormers baseball game in 2009 will be held after the event from 2 to 5 p.m. Auditions are open to anyone, but singers should schedule an audition time by calling (717) 509-HITS.
FanFest is also the first opportunity for Barnstormers skybox partners, full and partial season ticket holders to pick-up their ticket books along with their fifth anniversary “Signing Bonus” of stadium gifts. The stadium box office will also be open, where fans can purchase single-game tickets for Opening Night on April 23 and other big games in the 2009 season. Priority seating will be given to fans who purchase tickets in person. Spring training tickets will also be available for the first time.
A family of four can again attend Barnstormers game for as low as $12 in 2009. General admission seating is $6 for adults, $4 seniors (65+) and youth (5-12) and free for children 4 and under. Plus youth 12 and younger who wear their athletic league jersey will again receive free admission thanks the club’s popular “Kids for Free” program, a partnership with Lancaster General to promote healthy lifestyles. Single-game box seats are $9 for all fans.
FanFest is one of numerous opportunities this spring for fans to visit the ballpark before Opening Night. Barnstormers spring training will be held in Lancaster for the first time beginning April 14. Team workouts held at Clipper Magazine Stadium and the B2B Baseball and Softball Academy in Manheim will be free and open to the public. Two highly-anticipated exhibition games, against Elizabethtown College on April 16 and Franklin & Marshall College on April 20, will also be free for all fans.
The Barnstormers will open the 2009 baseball season at home on Thursday, April 23 at 7:05 p.m. when they host the Newark Bears. Tickets to Opening Night and all other games in the 2009 season are on sale at www.LancasterBarnstormers.com. The Clipper Magazine Stadium box office opens for the season on April 6.
