The Fan’s Guide to 2023 Marlins FanFest

For the first time since 2020, the Miami Marlins are hosting their own preseason FanFest at LoanDepot Park. The team has been going all around South Florida and tweeting constantly to raise awareness about the free event on Saturday afternoon.

The event will take place from 1 pm-6 pm. Tickets are completely free and you can claim up to six per person.

Here’s everything else you need to know, and remember to vote in the poll at the bottom of the article.

Who’s going to be there?

Every player on the Marlins 40-man roster will be there—Miami’s offseason additions include Luis Arráez, Matt Barnes, Johnny Cueto and Jean Segura. So will many non-roster invitees to Spring Training, like prospects Eury Pérez, Jacob Berry, Nasim Nuñez, and Dax Fulton, and various minor league free agent signings. Also expect to see some members of the new-look coaching staff like manager Skip Schumaker and first base/outfield coach Jon Jay.

Player Interaction

An aspect of FanFest that we did not see in 2020 was the batting cage portion. Many teams have done this in the past and the Marlins will be bringing this back in 2023. Fans will need to sign a waiver to participate in most events and activities that include a bat and a baseball.

Fans will also have the opportunity to play Dominoes, Giant Jenga, and Connect 4 with some of your favorite players on the Marlins. Imagine running a game of Dominoes with Jorge Soler or playing Jenga with Sandy Alcantara. Who wouldn’t want to do that, right?

Exclusively for Club 305 members, there is a Kids Press conference at 1:30 pm. Prepare your questions folks, now is the time to ask!

Fan Activities

Have you ever wondered what rooms and resources LoanDepot Park provides to players and staff away from the field? Well, here’s your chance to find out. As a part of the fan activities, you will have the opportunity to tour the Marlins clubhouse, batting cages, and dugout. Doing this myself in 2020, I can personally say that this experience is one that you cannot miss.

Other fan activities include being able to take a picture with the 1997 and 2003 World Series trophies, take swings in the batting cages, throw some pitches in the bullpen, and listen to live musical performances.

For parents with young kids, let them take some swings on the Mini Home Run Derby Field. As always, Billy’s Boathouse—which is located in center field—will be there for kids to explore. Something new that we will see is an arcade trailer (located on the West Plaza).

Drinks!

During FanFest, the Marlins are holding their first Beerfest (1-3 pm) and Food & Wine experience (3-5 pm) of 2023. Tickets are $25 for each event. If you like what you taste, come back for more on select gamedays during the regular season.

Jeff Conine’s “Surprise Announcement”

Miami Marlins

Last year, you saw him raise the banners. On Saturday, Jeff Conine is scheduled to make a live announcement during FanFest. With this being the franchise’s 30th anniversary, all signs point to Conine sharing details about how the Marlins will honor their history in 2023.

How to get to FanFest?

There are alternatives for those who want to avoid possible traffic jams going to or from FanFest.

For the many that live further up north, transportation will not be an issue. The Marlins continue their partnership with Brightline and now have a new stop at Aventura along with stops in West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Boca Raton. Prices are cheap and there are options such as a Tesla Service, Uber, or Lyft that can take you right to the stadium.

Fish Stripes will have wall-to-wall coverage of the event, from early in the morning, throughout the afternoon and a post-event Twitter Space at night. Whether or not you are able to make it to FanFest in person, follow all the Fish Stripes staff for updates.