Padres News: San Diego Padres Fan Fest Information
Attention Padres fans the 2016 season is ever so close, and with that the Annual San Diego Padres Fan Fest is one week away.
Padres Fan Fest will take place on April first and April second at Petco Park. Like many other things fan fest will be different this year than Padres fans are used to. First off no tickets or per-registration will be necessary for autographs or any other fan fest events.
The Padres will also host the Chicago White sox for a two game exhibition series. Unlike years past the exhibition games this year will actually not be free of charge. Season ticket holders will get a free ticket per account and the price of tickets for the general public will be quite fair at $10 dollars a ticket to sit wherever you would like.
This will be a good first opportunity for some fans to see some live Padres baseball in 2016. As well as an opportunity to see the Chicago White Sox who last visited Petco Park in their World Series campaign of 2005, totally worth the $10 dollars as far as I am concerned.
The Fan Fest activities will begin on Friday April first a bit later than usual (at 4:30 pm) with the exhibition game against the White Sox starting at 7:pm.
The gates that will be open at 4:30 will be the Gaslamp Gate on 7th Avenue, and the East Village gate on 10th avenue. There will be many activities to do at Fan Fest and I do recommend taking your family as it is a family oriented event.
Seating for fans with game tickets only will be open at 6:00 pm. The home plate gate will also be open at six o’clock if your running a bit late or are just there to enjoy some Friars baseball. Some activities will include a live DJ, a selfie station, wiffle ball for the kids at park at the park, the Padres Foundation Prize Wheel, and much more.
Some of the more anticipated events by fans will of course include the annual Padres Foundation Garage Sale, which is a great opportunity to snag some autographed memorabilia, game-used items, or just cool stuff to go in your man-cave. The Padres Garage Sale will be located at the Park Blvd. gate and of course all proceeds will go towards the Padres Foundation.
Another highly anticipated event will of course be the autograph signings. The autograph signings will take place from 5:00 to 6:30 pm all at park at the park, no wandering around the whole stadium this year for autographs. The autographs will be at a first come first serve basis so make sure to be early. Another reason to be early will be batting practice. There will be specially marked BP-Balls which will reward you with a prize if you can catch one so make sure you bring your glove to the ball park as well.
Saturday won’t be much different from Friday but the time will be drastically different. The gates will open at 9:00 am for season ticket holders and at 10:00 am for the general public at the same gates as Friday.
First pitch against the south siders will be at 1:00 pm. The seating bowl and the home plate gate will open at noon. The autograph sessions will again be hosted at park at the park but this time with a much broader spectrum from 10:00 am to 12:30pm.
Some things that you will not see on Friday that you will see on Saturday include a live band, interactive” For Those Who Serve” military and First Responder Zone, and an opportunity for fans to run the bases following the exhibition game. So remember Friar Faithful get there early, bring your glove, bring your family, and enjoy yourself at Fan Fest!
Francisco, 26, Chula Vista/Tijuana. I have been a Padres fan all my life, did most of the series previews and recaps in the Padres’ 2016 season for EVT. Now I focus more on the local soccer scene. Tijuana Xolos, San Diego Loyal, San Diego Wave.
