Our family loves baseball. When we lived in Minneapolis, we had cheap seat season tickets to the Minnesota Twins, and Lucy went to her first baseball game at six-weeks-old. We've been to various other major league games and stadiums, but Eric and I will both admit that our favorite homage to the sport is the casual, homegrown nature of minor league teams. Although no one has stolen our hearts quite the way the St. Paul Saints did, with their live pig mascot, Larry Craig "bobblefoot" and other quirky shenanigans, we undoubtedly needed to give our new home team a try.
My summer playgroup arranged for us all to meet one Wednesday night in July for Family Night at the Boise Hawks game. They picked up wristbands for everyone for free at a local Walgreens (I know you can get them at other locations, too). The bands got us $1 standing room only admission to the game, and there is a killer table and chair set up in the shade on the first base side that is conveniently near the jump houses for the kids.
The kids got balloons upon admission, which they released before the game began, much to my chagrin, as it seemed like an environmental disaster to me, but it was a pretty sight.
Family night wristbands also get you $1 hot dogs, ice cream sandwiches, popcorn, and snocones, which was THE BEST DINNER EVER for my girls.
The kids had a blast climbing and running around with their friends, and the adults had a great time, too, especially when the "beer batter" made it to first base and we got $1 draft beers to boot.
It was a pleasant way to spend an evening, not to mention a fun, cheap summer evening with friends. There are just a few Wednesday Family Nights left on the Hawks schedule, though, so you'd best act quick before this ball's knocked outta the field til' next season.