The annual Fan Fest for the Tampa Bay Rays was a success once again.
It was my first time attending the event at Tropicana Field, and I can honestly say it’s worth every penny. Well, it was free, but that’s besides the point.
With games, free gifts, discounted promotional items and player/fan interaction, Fan Fest pleases Rays fanatics of all ages.
If you had a Rays membership # from buying multiple tickets in packages # you would’ve had the opportunity to meet various players and have them autograph an item for $25. The only flaw to the autographs is that if you aren’t a season-ticket holder, the chances of catching Evan Longoria were slim-to-none, as his 60-autographs cap was reached within an hour.
However, Longoria was at his restaurant (Ducky’s) in Tampa celebrating its one-year anniversary following Fan Fest. He gave out drinks, food and autographs, and took pictures with people in attendance. So, it’s hard to complain.
With better chances to win prizes than at a local fair, I won a kid-sized Rays jersey (which I gave away) and a couple of posters. I also caught an autograph from pitcher Matt Moore.
Then I went for the promotional items, which is half the reason people even attend Rays’ games anyways. After sending off David Price and the 2013 rookie of the year, Wil Myers, the event featured bobble heads and ceramic figurines for $7. I couldn’t help myself.
I bought a mini-basketball hoop set for $2 and a Joe Maddon potato-head toy for $5. What can I say, I’m still a kid at heart.
There were arcade-style basketball games to play, with some of the team’s players at the front of the line to assist participants, providing another chance for autographs to anyone. There were pitching radars for fans to test their arm strength and batting cages for young sluggers.
All in all, it was a great event. The event took place on the field, adding a small plus. You didn’t even have to pay for attendance or parking. I would recommend anyone to attend this event next year … and I’m an Orioles fan.
