JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Savannah Bananas are in Jacksonville this weekend to play two rounds of their viral brand of Banana Ball.
In downtown, 121 Financial Ballpark’s gates opened at 5:30 p.m. for Saturday’s 7 p.m. round. Thousands of people flooded the stands to watch the Bananas for the first time in the River City.
Tickets for both Saturday’s and Sunday’s rounds sold out. The two rounds are part of the baseball franchise’s 2023 Banana Ball World Tour, and Jacksonville was the team’s third stop on the tour.
If you aren’t quite familiar with Banana Ball yet, it’s a high-energy, entertaining mix between baseball and theatrics. Players will dance, do tricks and interact with the fans like you’ve never seen before. We traveled to Savannah over the summer to learn more about the franchise.
“I’m a just say don’t blink. If you blink, you going to miss something,” said Bananas outfielder Noah Bridges. “There’s a lot to expect.”
“It’s going to be one heck of a show,” said Bananas player Danny Hoslety. “You got good baseball, dancing, probably a little singing.”
On Saturday night, families, Little League teams and others had the chance to experience fun and entertainment — from flying bananas to dancing nanas and even a player playing on stilts.
And every sport has its rules, but the Bananas’ rules are quite different from typical baseball rules — including no bunting. This is not your typical baseball team.
What to know for Sunday’s round of Banana Ball in Jacksonville
If you got a ticket to Sunday’s game, here’s what you need to know.
You can park in Lots P and J — right next to 121 Financial Ballpark. You can see where those lots are with the Bananas logo in the photo below.
Plan ahead and give yourself plenty of time to navigate downtown traffic and find a spot.
Only tickets purchased through the Savannah Bananas website will be valid for the game. Those tickets are general admission, meaning you won’t have an assigned seat in the ballpark. Arrive early to get a good spot.
Gates open at 11:30 a.m. for Sunday’s round, which begins at 1 p.m.
You cannot bring any chairs into the ballpark. You can bring bags, but your bag will be searched before entering.
Once you’re inside the ballpark, that’s when the fun begins. The Bananas will be selling merchandise along the concourse. The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp will also have its souvenir store open during the game.
And if you didn’t get a ticket, you’ll still be able to enjoy the Bananas in the River City. The team will sell its merchandise outside the ballpark this weekend. The Bananas will also livestream the fun on their YouTube page.