Target Field set to host TwinsFest for first time
Annual event, which benefits Community Fund, was previously held at Metrodome
MINNEAPOLIS -- TwinsFest is coming to Target Field for the first time ever in 2014.
The Twins announced their official plans for TwinsFest on Tuesday, as the event will move from the Metrodome to the team's home and will be held from Jan. 24-26.
The move to Target Field allows the Twins to hold new events such as boardwalk-style amusements, special panel discussions, self-guided clubhouse tours, a walking tour of the ballpark and a showcase of the 2014 MLB All-Star Game.
"We're excited to bring TwinsFest home to Target Field," Twins president Dave St. Peter said. "Hosting the event at our ballpark gives us a chance to reinvent this great tradition, providing creative new experiences for our fans in a smaller, more intimate setting. As always, TwinsFest will serve as the unofficial start to a new baseball season, while also helping raise significant proceeds for the Twins Community Fund and its many worthwhile programs across Twins Territory."
TwinsFest will still include player autograph and photo sessions, as well as the region's largest sports memorabilia and collector's show, while adding increased player involvement.
It will also include a new Twins Amusements area, which will allow fans to interact with their favorite current and former Twins players in a variety of competitive activities. Additional interactive activities include BINGO, reading with Twins mascot TC, Fan Feud and the player-related "Call a Friend."
In addition, TwinsFest attendees will have the option to purchase a "white glove" tour of the Archive Room, take batting practice in the cages and try out the concessions at Target Field.
TwinsFest will also feature the inaugural Twins Yard Sale, giving fans the opportunity to purchase unique team-issued gear, autographed memorabilia, Twins-branded artwork and promotional items from the organization's first 53 years in Minnesota.
But with the move to the smaller Target Field, TwinsFest '14 tickets will be more limited than in previous years and will go on sale to the general public on Wednesday, Dec. 11 at 10 a.m. CT. Ticket sales will be capped for each day and a sell-out is expected. Tickets will cost $20 for adults and $10 for children 14 and younger.
The Metrodome, which is set to be demolished in February, was the primary venue for TwinsFest, but the event has also been hosted at the Mall of America and the National Sports Center.
TwinsFest, which was created in 1989 and is one of the largest team-run fan festivals in professional sports, is the largest annual fundraiser for the Minnesota Twins Community Fund. Over the past 25 years, TwinsFest has raised more than $4.2 million for programs and organizations supported by the Twins Community Fund.