Free Event Featuring Batting Practice Highlights Opening Week of Ticket Sales
The Durham Bulls will host their 2017 Fan Fest presented by Delta on Saturday, March 4 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to kick off the 2017 campaign at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The free event provides the opportunity for fans to take batting practice on the field, get a behind-the-scenes tour of the DBAP and purchase single-game tickets at the ballpark. In addition, National Anthem auditions will take place prior to Fan Fest from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Each fan in attendance will be entered to win a $500 credit from Delta, and the winner will be chosen at random based on a raffle drawing. Each attendee will be given a raffle ticket upon entrance, and fans will receive an additional raffle ticket for every Bulls ticket purchased at Fan Fest. For example, if a fan buys 10 Bulls tickets at the event, he or she would receive an additional 10 raffle tickets, while if a fan purchases two nine-game mini plans, he or she would receive an additional 18 raffle tickets.
In an effort to increase fan safety, two separate batting practices will be held at this year’s event. All attendees ages 13 and older wishing to hit on the field will be able to do so from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., while all fans 12 and under wishing to take batting practice may do so from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. Fans will not be allowed in the outfield until 12 p.m., at which point catch on the field will commence.
The team’s ticket representatives will be available to showcase available season ticket and mini plan locations throughout the event, and the Frontier Communications Ticket Office will be open as well, providing fans an opportunity to purchase tickets to events such as Opening Day, Star Wars Night, DURM Night and Fourth of July. Season ticket holders and mini plan holders in attendance will also have the opportunity to pick up their season ticket packages in the third base party decks beginning at 11 a.m.
Other events/offers scheduled for Fan Fest include:
- Wool E. Bull and the Bull Durham Racers posing for pictures and signing autographs
- Photo opportunities with Wool E. Bull’s Go Kart
- The Ballpark Corner Store will open at 10 a.m., and have a yard sale with select items marked down 50 percent
- DBAP tours, featuring the Bulls’ clubhouse and PNC Triangle Club
- Bull Durham Brewery tours
- Any fan who purchases a ticket to a 2017 Bulls game at the event will receive a free hot dog and soda
- Wool E. World, the children’s playground, will be open for the duration of the event
Fans eager to secure tickets for Opening Day can do so during a one-day, online-only Flash Sale on Friday, Feb. 17 at durhambulls.com from 9 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. From Monday, Feb. 27 to Thursday, March 2, single-game tickets for the remainder of the 2017 season will be available online only, and tickets will become available by phone and at the Frontier Communications Ticket Office beginning at 9 a.m. on March 3.
National Anthem auditions will also take place at the DBAP the morning of March 4 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. for people wishing to perform the Star Spangled Banner at a Bulls game in 2017. Performers who arrive after 9 a.m. will not be permitted to audition.
Participants may enter through the ballpark’s left field gate and register upon arrival to perform on a first-come, first-sing basis. Singers may leave at the completion of their audition and will be contacted at a later date as the Bulls choose those who will perform at limited, select dates during the 2017 season.
Performers will have one minute and thirty seconds to perform the Star Spangled Banner, and lyrics must be memorized and performed in a traditional style.
The Durham Bulls open the 2017 International League season on Thursday, April 6, and host their first home game of 2017 on Monday, April 10 against the Charlotte Knights. Full-season, mini plan and group ticket packages for the 2017 season are on-sale now at durhambulls.com or by calling 919.956.BULL.
Thanks to DBBC’s Matt Sutor for this capcom story & graphic.
