SpringFest planned from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18; workouts run Feb. 14 through Feb. 23
The Baltimore Orioles are inviting all fans to celebrate the start of Spring Training by joining them for Sarasota SpringFest, a free family-friendly event for all ages at Ed Smith Stadium on Saturday, Feb. 18.
Along with watching players practice on the back fields, fans may enjoy games and interactive activities in the East Parking Lot, located next to the left field ticket office, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., a news release says.
This second Sarasota SpringFest event will feature a question-and-answer session with Orioles catcher Caleb Joseph at approximately noon, as well as games of corn hole, a giant Jenga and a speed pitch machine. Additionally, fans may visit the photo booth provided by TapSnap for a free photo featuring a custom Ed Smith Stadium background, as well as the booths of Orioles’ partners Marie Selby Botanical Gardens; the Sarasota County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Department; the Sarasota Orchestra; and the Suncoast Blood Bank. DJs from Z105 Suncoast Classic Rock will be on hand to provide music and conduct contests and games, the release notes.
Further, Tampa Bay Food Truck Rally vendors will be providing a variety of edibles for purchase, the release points out:
- Merica, serving gourmet burgers, award-winning gourmet hot dogs and hand-cut fries.
- Vanchetta, serving porchetta (slow-roasted Italian pork) and other fresh-roasted items cooked on a rotisserie.
- Dochos Latin Bistro, offering award-winning Cubans, as well as other Latin-inspired menu selections.
- Jimmy’s Famous Seafood, serving up award-winning crab cakes inspired by Baltimore’s popular seafood restaurant.
Along with welcoming fans to SpringFest, the Orioles are inviting the public to watch workouts on the back fields at the complex each day from Feb. 14 through Feb. 23, from approximately 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., leading up to the first Spring Training game against the Detroit Tigers in Lakeland on Friday, Feb. 24, the release says. The first full squad workout will be held on Friday, Feb. 17. Attendance is free, as well as parking in the East Lot near the intersection of 12th Street and Tuttle Avenue in Sarasota, the release says.
The Orioles will play their first of 17 home Spring Training games at Ed Smith Stadium this year on Sunday, Feb. 26, at 1:05 p.m. against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the release notes.
Spring Training game tickets, as well as Orioles merchandise, will be available for purchase during SpringFest, the release adds. Tickets are also available at www.orioles.com/spring and at the Ed Smith Stadium box office each day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
SpringFest is part of Sarasota 365, a host of initiatives through which the Baltimore Orioles and OriolesREACH demonstrate the ball club’s year-round engagement with the greater Sarasota community, the release explains. For more information on Sarasota SpringFest, visit www.orioles.com/springfest.