By Dora McCann Guerreiro
“The Boys (Padres) are Back in Town” with Opening Day vs. the San Francisco Giants on Thursday, March 28. Swing batter, batter, swing hitting the Padres’ 51st season out of the park!
The East Village Association (EVA) invites you to the 9th annual — free, family-friendly — Opening Day Block Party to wave-in the San Diego Padres summer baseball season. As the leadoff hitter, EVA will host a double-header, two-day block party celebrating America’s favorite past time on Thursday, March 28 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Friday, March 29 from noon to 7:30 p.m. Come enjoy the fun and then watch your San Diego Padres take on NL West division rivals, the San Francisco Giants. Tickets for the ballgame must be purchased separately at mlb.com/padres/tickets, but whether you make it to the game or not, the Opening Day Block Party will help rally the Padres into the 2019 season!
Held on J Street between Sixth and Tenth avenues, in front of Petco Park, this Opening Day Block Party is a San Diego, East Village community tradition where both locals and visitors show off their team spirit celebrating with live entertainment, interactive games, baseball-themed beverages in the adult-only beer garden, tons of tasty grub with the street lined food trucks, and shopping. The craft beer and spirits garden is open to all attendees 21+, but for the Little League attendees, there will be plenty of activities and games including a fun zone with a rock-climbing wall. All four-legged fans are invited to compete in the Pet Fashion show on Friday, March 29, and with more events added daily, for updated information, please visit: bit.ly/2Xsz3YM. The Opening Day Block Party is a Grand Slam!
Revitalizing Downtown, San Diego’s Petco Park has been voted one of the best ballparks since its opening in 2004. Prior to getting its own stadium, the Padres shared Jack Murphy Stadium with the San Diego Chargers; however, on April 8, 2004 when the Padres took on the San Francisco Giants they knew they found a home field. Fifteen years later, the Padres will be back to take on the same rival team and although the rosters may have changed over the years, one thing is for certain: Padres players have the same authentic dedication to the sport and a determination to make big things happen! Singing these same praises, this year the Padres are pleased to welcome Manny Machado to the team reinvigorating the franchise with one of the youngest and most talented rising stars in baseball. At just 26 years old, Machado has already won four All-Star appearances and two Gold Gloves in 2013 and 2015 and will make for a fan-experience dream.
And although Petco Park is known for it’s bases-loaded talent, food, and weather, EVA congratulates the organization for also being a leader in energy sustainability. This year, Sullivan Solar Power panels will be installed to improve energy efficiency and sustainability, leading the way for other national sports and entertainment venues. Achieving the All-Star title as the largest solar power system in Major League Baseball, Petco Park is expected to produce over 12 million kilowatt hours over the next 25 years, saving millions of dollars over the course of its lifetime. Mayor Kevin Faulconer has citied the stadium as integral to helping America’s Finest City reach its ambitious Climate Action Plan (CAP) goals to cut greenhouse gases in half and use 100 percent renewable energy citywide by 2035. As a part of their partnership, Sullivan Solar Power and the Padres will be hosting educational workshops at Petco Park throughout the season.
Take me out to the Ball Game, Take me out to the Opening Day Block Party — there’s something for everyone in the East Village.
The East Village Association is excited to bring you new-neighborhood experiences. For more information / questions – please contact: [email protected] .
— Dora McCann Guerreiro is the executive director of the East Village Association. To learn more, visit eastvillagesandiego.com or you can reach her at [email protected].
