Madison city residents can say cheers to the weekend. The third annual Beer and Wine Fest is from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Toyota Field, home of the Rocket City Trash Pandas, on Saturday, June 17.
The minor league baseball team is offering more than 65 varieties of beer and more than 20 varieties of wine. The team has also expanded its menu since last year and will offer at least 15 varieties of champagne.
Visitors will be handed a sampling glass at the gates for unlimited taste testing. And live music is scheduled to play throughout the festival.
Close to 1,000 people are expected to attend. But this event is for visitors 21 years and older only.
Lindsey Knupp is the Trash Panda’s executive vice president. She said the event gives residents time to enjoy themselves, the city and local businesses.
“Anything we can do here to draw guests outside of their local areas and really spend some time in town positively impacts the community,” she said. “It gives you something to do [and] a quality of life. Madison itself is growing, and we have so much going on here from a restaurant standpoint. It’s going to be a place to just have an enjoyable afternoon and a whole day you could make out of it.”
Because Toyota Field is in an entertainment and green cup district, visitors are welcome to leave the stadium with a beverage and get something to eat before returning to the event again.
Though the event is outdoors, there is shading underneath the concourse and fans to help circulate the air. Parking is plentiful, and there is a drop off zone and I-565 ramp for easy carpooling.
Knupp said in addition to serving residents, the event positively impacts the Rocket City Trash Pandas and their ability to draw in new fans.
“When you’re here and you look at the field and you realize that there’s not a bad seat in the house, you can imagine watching a Trash Panda game from any angle,” she said. “Just getting people here for the first time and realizing, ‘Wow, it is right in my backyard. It is really close, and it was really easy to get to. I had a great time at this festival. I can only imagine how much fun it would be for a Trash Panda game. It definitely would help.”
Visitors can choose from several different ticket options. VIP tickets are no longer available. But general admission tickets are offered at the gates for $40. This ticket class allows visitors to sample any drinks of their choosing and enjoy the music. All ticketing is done digitally on the team’s website.
The venue is also promoting safe travels by offering designated driver tickets. Designated drivers only have to pay $10 and get access to the field’s various Pepsi products.
The annual Beer and Wine Fest is the first of several signature events held on Toyota Field this year. Casino Night is on July 15 and will feature a night of roulette, blackjack, drinks and hors d’oeuvres. And more than 50 teams will compete in a smoking cook-off at the upcoming Smoke in the Outfield BBQ Festival on Aug. 4 and 5.
Information for the Beer and Wine Fest and future events can be found on the Trash Pandas website at www.trashpandasbaseball.com.
