Black Excellence Celebration

The Cleveland Guardians are excited to celebrate and honor Black history! Throughout the summer, the Guardians will be participating in local festivities to celebrate and uplift the African American community in greater Cleveland. The Guardians will also host our first-annual Black Excellence Celebration presented by Nestlé at Progressive Field on Friday, June 27.

As part of our ongoing efforts to ensure everyone has a chance to be part our game, the Guardians work in partnership with local community organizations to provide learning and education to our staff and teammates throughout the entire year. We know that jewel events like Black Excellence Night allow us to intentionally spotlight the collective stories of hope, struggle, and opportunity that make our city and team better.

Game-Day Celebration & Theme Night Ticket Package

Friday, June 27 – Black Excellence Celebration presented by Nestlé

Join the Guardians for a night of educational and inclusive experiences for fans.

  • Ceremonial First Pitch by Blaine Griffin, Cleveland City Council President
  • National Anthem by saxophone sensation Mike Williams
  • Game Ball Delivery on behalf of National Pan Hellenic Council of Greater Cleveland
  • Pregame Step Show Performance by Divine 9 Greek letter Sororities and Fraternities
  • Pregame West African Drum Performance by Djapo Cultural Arts Institute
  • Community Resource Fair behind the SeatGeek Infield Lounge (5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.)
  • Special fan giveaways from the Cleveland Strikers
  • In-game content highlighting Black Excellence resources on the scoreboard
  • “Hip-Hop & R&B”-themed Phantom Fireworks show presented by Dollar Bank
  • And more!

Fans can upgrade their experience and purchase a Theme Night ticket for the June 27 game to receive a limited-edition jersey featuring the “Black History C” logo.

Community Events

Saturday, June 14 – Juneteenth Freedom Festival

  • Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery on June 19, 1865 – the day when all African Americans were freed from slavery. This city-wide, family-friendly celebration and commemoration of Juneteenth is one you don’t want to miss.

Saturday, September 14 – Fresh Fest

  • Fresh Fest Cleveland offers an amazing line-up of music, and a full day of unforgettable performances, art installations, health and wellness activities, farmer’s market, chef tastings, local vendors, hands-on activities, workshops, and a kids’ zone filled with fun for the whole family!

Saturday, September 20 – Buckeye Fest

  • Celebrate the 1945 Cleveland Buckeyes & their Negro League World Championship. Come enjoy music, games, food, vendors and a Negro League family reunion.

Community Partners

The Guardians are proud to celebrate local organizations supporting the African American community:

  • Cleveland NAACP
  • National Pan Hellenic Council of Greater Cleveland
  • Baseball Heritage Museum
  • Rid-All Farms
  • Teaching Cleveland
  • Young Men Growing
  • B Buzz Little League
  • African American Cultural Garden

CLE Inspires

Cleveland Guardians social platform, CLE Inspires will share highlights from the Cleveland Guardians Black Excellence Celebration on Friday, June 27.

Inside Progressive Field