Fans invited to attend Sarasota SpringFest and spring training workouts at Ed Smith Stadium

The Orioles invite all fans to celebrate the start of spring training at Sarasota SpringFest, a free family-friendly event for fans of all ages at Ed Smith Stadium on Saturday, Feb. 18. Along with watching players practice on the back fields, fans can also enjoy games and interactive activities in the East Parking Lot, located next to the Left Field Ticket office, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The second annual Sarasota SpringFest event will feature a Question & Answer session with Orioles catcher Caleb Joseph at approximately 12 p.m., as well as a variety of games and interactive activities including corn hole, giant Jenga and a speed pitch machine. Fans can also visit the photo booth provided by TapSnap for a free photo featuring a custom Ed Smith Stadium background, and the booths of local partners Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Sarasota County Parks and Recreation, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Sarasota Orchestra and the Suncoast Blood Bank. Z105 Suncoast Classic Rock will be on hand to provide music, contests and games.

Tampa Bay Food Truck Rally will offer a variety of food truck options available for purchase including:

* Merica, serving gourmet burgers, award-winning gourmet hot dogs and hand-cut fries
* Vanchetta, serving Porchetta (slow-roasted Italian pork) and other fresh roasted items cooked on their rolling rotisserie
* Dochos Latin Bistro, offering their award-winning Cubans as well as other Latin-inspired menu selections
* Jimmy's Famous Seafood, offering their award-winning crab cakes inspired by Baltimore's popular seafood restaurant

Fans are also invited to watch Orioles workouts on the back fields at the complex each day from Feb. 14 through Feb. 23 from approximately 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., leading up to the first spring training game against the Detroit Tigers in Lakeland, Fla., on Friday, Feb. 24. The first full-squad workout will be held on Friday, Feb. 17. There is no charge to attend, and free parking is available in the East Lot off of 12th Street and Tuttle Avenue.

The Orioles will play their first of 17 home spring training games in 2017 at Ed Smith Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 26, at 1:05 p.m. against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Spring training game tickets, as well as Orioles merchandise, will be available for purchase during SpringFest. Tickets are also available at www.orioles.com/spring and at the Ed Smith Stadium Box Office each day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

SpringFest is part of Sarasota 365, a host of initiatives through which the Baltimore Orioles and OriolesREACH demonstrate the ballclub's year-round engagement with the Greater Sarasota community. Whether hosting youth activities, participating in charitable causes or partnering in efforts to boost the local economy, the Orioles are active in the region all year long, proving that their commitment to the club's southern home goes far beyond baseball. For more information on Sarasota SpringFest, visit www.orioles.com/springfest.