SF Giants Fan Fest is Tomorrow; Here Are Some Tips

Thinking of going to Fan Fest tomorrow? It takes place from 8am–3pm at AT&T Park. Before you consider it too seriously I want you to do the following things:

Look at the above picture closely and try to count just the people in the photo (I took this last year). Ask your self this question: Have you ever been? If yes, you can make a decision on your own, but I’d look at that picture again to remind yourself of what you’re getting into. If no, ask yourself this question: Do you like really large crowds? I mean, seriously large. If yes, well, then go for it. If no, maybe consider skipping it for something like spring training or opening day at AT&T Park.

Okay, if you are bound and determined to go, and I’d never suggest that you didn’t go if you really wanted to, then here are some tips from my experience.

• If you plan on buying tickets there, plan on only doing that unless you can sucker your fiancé to stand in line for you like I did last year. He was literally in line for the entire time we were there.
• If you’re standing in line yourself, get there well before the gates open to get in line. Get a good spot to get into the park and make a bee line for wherever they are selling tickets this year. It could even be outside the park. I wasn’t in the line, so I have no idea.
• Don’t have very high expectations for getting a lot of autographs. Those lines are extremely long too. Unless you are super aggressive and willing to cut line in front of small children, I’d pick your favorite and wait it out. The only player I got close enough to to even get a close up picture of was Eli Whiteside, and that wasn’t even in an autograph line.

If you can overlook the tickets and autographs, and if the weather is nice like it looks to be, it’s really a wonderful day at the ball park. I figured out quickly that my best bet was to walk the field and bases and stand where the Giants spend the season playing. Go out in right field, it really is like a black hole out there. Enjoy the sunshine. Enjoy the kids and take in the surroundings.

I will say that my favorite part was the player interviews. At some point during the day, or maybe all day, KNBR has a stage set up around home plate. Grab a nice seat in the stands behind home plate, the place us common folk rarely get to sit without shelling out a paycheck or two, and listen to the interviews. It was hands down the best part of Fan Fest for me. Watching the players talk, live, right in front of you, is an awesome experience.

So, my advice is this, don’t have high expectations and expect large crowds of sweaty people. Don’t make it about the commercialism part like the tickets (there are always tickets on stubhub, craigslist and on those crazy scalpers) and the autographs (though autographs are awesome), but enjoy actually being on the field and seeing things in a way you don’t get to during the season.

Admission is free (donations are accepted) and here is the link to all the details you need from the SF Giants website.