The Tampa Bay Rays will host this season’s Fan Fest Block Party on Feb. 14 from 1 to 5 p.m. outside Tropicana Field, which is undergoing final repairs and renovations due to damage caused by 2024’s Hurricane Milton.
Fan Fest will be staged along 16th Street South while work continues to prepare the stadium for the home opener on April 6 against the Chicago Cubs.
The event brings the Rays back to their long-time home for the first time since the hurricane ripped the fabric roof off the domed ballpark. The team played home games last season in Tampa at Steinbrenner Field.
“The Fan Fest Block Party is our first chance of the year to bring fans together and reconnect with the team ahead of the upcoming season, and we’re thrilled to welcome everyone back to Tropicana Field in April,” said Rays CEO Ken Babby, part of the investment group that purchased the franchise in September.
Among the stadium enhancements in the works is a left-field “social space” called the MaintenX SkyDeck. According to the Rays, it will include ballpark fare, beverages and a redesign featuring a tribute to the Sunshine Skyway bridge. Tickets start at $49.
“Last season taught us a lot, and one key takeaway was how much our fans value social, all-inclusive spaces. That insight inspired the design of the MaintenX SkyDeck, and we can’t wait to share that experience with them,” Babby said in a team press release.
The Trop will also have upgraded 200-level premium suites, new seating areas and “revitalized” group party areas, according to the press release.
The annual Fan Fest serves as a countdown to the season, which begins with spring training in Port Charlotte on Feb. 21.
The event will feature family-friendly activities, including player autograph sessions, a charity yard sale, games, mascots, ticket representatives and a panel with members of Rays’ new leadership.
Season members will have exclusive access to purchase autograph passes for specific players beginning Feb. 5 at 10 a.m., with all other passes available starting at 2 p.m. No player schedule has been released. Click here for guidelines for the autograph sessions.
The yard sale will offer Rays items from past and present, bobbleheads, hats, shirts and more, as well as game-used merchandise such as jerseys, helmets, bats and mystery-autographed baseballs at discounted prices.
All proceeds from the autograph passes and yard sale will benefit the Rays’ official charity.
Admission to Fan Fest is free, but attendees must claim a free mobile ticket at RaysBaseball.com/FanFest. Season members’ tickets will automatically be added to their accounts.
For security, no bags will be allowed except for medical and diaper bags, which will be inspected upon entry.
Free parking will be available in Lots 1, 2, 6, and 7 of Tropicana Field.
