Returning a Halloween-themed event to Blue Wahoos Stadium a year ago provided organizers with a new idea.
What about having Trick-or-Treat stations on the field, thus giving children a more wide-open, space and place to run around?
That will happen Friday night, beginning at 5 p.m. when the Blue Wahoos host a Halloween celebration night, sponsored by T-Mobile, and complete with popcorn, candy stations set up by area businesses, a Walt Disney movie, and a fireworks show above the stadium for families to enjoy.
Admission is $5 for the event and gates will open at 5 p.m. Friday to start the Trick-or-Treat procession.
“I love offering the stadium as a safe space for parents to have an alternative from, say, going door to door (in neighborhoods) for Halloween,” said Shannon Reeves, the Blue Wahoos events director. “I feel having businesses giving out candy in an open community space, still checks the boxes for kids to ‘Trick or Treat’, but also brings some comfort for wary parents who might not want kids to go door to door.”
The movie “Hocus Pocus” will be shown at 6 p.m. on the stadium video board. Ticket holders can either sit on the field (blankets only, no chairs), or utilize the stadium bowl seats to watch the film. Fireworks will follow. T-Mobile is providing popcorn bags for the first 500 people.
Following the movie, there will be a fireworks display to close out the event.
“To me, Hocus Pocus is your perfect, family, Halloween movie,” said Reeves, who wanted to ensure a movie did not contain violence or rough language. “It is a cult favorite and I think always will be. It is a fun, family movie.”
The Blue Wahoos have partnered with 30 area businesses, who will set up their stations along the perimeter of the field. A year ago, the Halloween night at the stadium utilized the concourses for Trick or Treat stations.
This time, it will enable people to purchase beverages and food at concessions areas without crowding the area.
“We’re excited about the plan to have everything on the field,” Reeves said. “The concourse is not super conducive to a Trick or Treat type of event with the main gate stairs in the middle. We wanted to give people the opportunity to go here, there, or everywhere and not be stuck in a line.
“Kids can run from booth to booth and have free reign of the stadium which I know parents will love. Get treats and then watch the movie.”
Incorporating local businesses was a popular pitch, she said.
“It gives those businesses a chance to come out, free of charge, and to have their businesses showcased in front of a large amount of people,” Reeves said.
“I think people really appreciated that. We were offering a chance to be part of a community event without having to pay anything.”
The Blue Wahoos held Halloween events in their early part of the team’s history. A year ago, the concept was brought back and revised during a time when the ongoing coronavirus pandemic cancelled many indoor Halloween events.
From that experience, the Blue Wahoos made the current revision.
“We had such a great turnout, such a great response,” Reeves said. “People were very grateful for it. We did it with a movie, which we had not done before in previous Halloween events.
“This gives us a chance to fulfill our mission again in the community. When we talked about this year, we decided on how to make this an even smoother, even better event.
“We’re just trying to give families a safe place to come, and give kids a safe place to come in their costumes. And not worry about traffic. Or not worry about running in the street.”
Friday’s event closes out a busy October at the stadium. In addition to a variety of smaller private events, Blue Wahoos Stadium has been a venue for the Soul Bowl youth football event, the Nitro Circus stunt bikes show, the First City Art Pumpkin Patch, along with two UWF football games.
‘It has been a banner October,” Reeves said. “We have seen probably the most diverse group of events in this stadium than I have ever seen. All of these events have brought in different audiences and demographics. And (Friday) will be a great finale to the month.”
WANT TO GO?
WHAT: Blue Wahoos Halloween Night
WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium.
WHEN: Friday, gates open at 5 p.m.
ADMISSION: $5 apiece.
FORMAT: Trick or Treat for children begins at 5 p.m. on the field with area businesses setting up stations. The Walt Disney movie, Hocus Pocus, will be shown at 6 p.m., followed by a fireworks display. Sponsor T-Mobile will provide popcorn bags.
TICKETS: Available online at www.bluewahoos.com or at the stadium box office.
PARKING: Available at stadium main lot, as well as the addition lots across street from ballpark.
WORCESTER, MA – Continuing a Rhode Island tradition that dates back 71 years, the Worcester Red Sox will send a pair of youngsters from the Boys & Girls Club of Pawtucket on an all-expense-paid trip to see Games 3 and 4 of the 2021 World Series at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA, this Friday and Saturday night.
The two children were randomly chosen during a Boys & Girls Club group outing at Polar Park this season. This year’s trip marks the 31st year that the franchise has sent two children from the Boys & Girls Club of Pawtucket, each accompanied by a parent, to baseball’s Fall Classic.
The Fort Wayne TinCaps (High-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres) are currently accepting résumés, cover letters, and references from students that are interested in being considered for an internship position during the 2022 season. Interviews will be conducted starting in November and early December, and the expectation is to have the internship positions filled as soon as possible. Please don’t call/email in regards to the status of your résumé. We’ll contact all interested candidates for either a phone interview or update with an email for your status.
As the Dayton Dragons entered the 2021 season, the organization developed a goal of doing more than saying “thank you” to the community. The Dragons organization felt that it was important to express its appreciation with action.
(Reading, PA) – FirstEnergy Stadium will welcome the 15th Annual Eastern PA Toy Run, presented by Classic Harley-Davidson, on Sunday, November 7th from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Tompkins VIST Bank Plaza. Please note this is Daylight Savings so make sure to turn your clocks back and join us at the ballpark for a good cause!
The Eastern PA Toy Run began in 2007 after the Berks County Toys for Tots motorcycle run was nearly cancelled due to the deployment of the Marine Corps Reserve Unit. Multiple motorcycle runs combined and teamed with the Fightin Phils in order to continue benefitting Toys for Tots in Berks and Lebanon counties as well as The Children’s Home of Reading.
NORTH AUGUSTA, SC – The Augusta GreenJackets, Single-A Affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, in conjunction with Complete Game, are excited to announce the 8th Annual Line Drive Canned Food Drive FREE Baseball Clinic in memory of Terry Childers Sr. on Saturday, November 13th from 11:00 am – 12:30 pm.
Trunk or Treat and Halloween Movie Night will be returning to Toyota Field for the second time on Saturday, October 30. Trick-or-treating at Toyota Field will be from 5-7 p.m. in the Toyota Outfield Experience followed by a screening of The Haunted Mansion at 7:15 p.m.
The Greenville Drive are excited to partner with The City of Greenville to host the first Heroes Softball game at Fluor Field October 31 to support Shriners Hospital for Children.
CLEARWATER, Fla. – Boo Bash is back at BayCare Ballpark! The 2021 edition of the free, family-friendly Halloween event is on Sunday, October 31st. BayCare Ballpark gates will be open from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. for children to trick-or-treat on the concourse.
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma City Dodgers, USA Softball and OKC Parks and Recreation, in conjunction with Major League Baseball, will host a free PLAY BALL event for all children 18 and under at Scissortail Park in Oklahoma City Sunday, October 24 from 4-5:30 p.m.
United Way has been on the frontlines of the COVID-19 response in Tulare County. They will receive $10,000 to continue connecting community members with resources and services through their non-emergency hotline and comprehensive app. United Way directly serves families that have been impacted by COVID-19 by connecting them with available resources. This grant will provide critical mortgage and utility assistance for 20 families. The need in Tulare County is great. In the past year and a half, over 2700 families have requested support for mortgage and utility bills totaling over $3,000,000.
Through the Shorebirds Wag Your Tail Tuesday promotion during the 2021 season, the Shorebirds and Concord Pet Foods & Supplies were able to raise over $2,500 worth of pet supplies to donate to the Humane Society of Wicomico County. In addition, through Wag Your Tail Tuesdays and Shorebirds Season Ticket Holders, the Shorebirds were able to raise an additional $900 in cash to donate to the Humane Society of Wicomico County to aid in their efforts of finding forever homes for animals.
Bowie, Md: The Bowie Baysox are excited to announce the return of their “Read & Hit a Home Run” Reading Program in partnership with Educational Systems Federal Credit Union for the 2021-2022 school year. This year marks the program’s 25th year working with schools to encourage literacy education around the region.