The Savannah Bananas are bringing the “Greatest Show in Sports” back to Jacksonville this weekend.
The ticket lottery closed Dec. 1, but if you didn’t get a spot in the ballpark, you’ve still got a shot.
Just head to the Dunkin’ restaurant at 7005 Gate Parkway from 9-11 a.m. Saturday.
The Savannah Bananas and The Party Animals are taking over the restaurant and players will go behind the counter to serve orders, treat guests to giveaways from the Dunkin’ prize wheel and also surprise lucky guests with tickets to the upcoming game on Saturday.
There will also be a special appearance from Dunkin’ mascot Sprinkles.
Dunkin’ will also fuel the Bananas’ fan-favorite Donut Batter of the Night feature March 1 – March 3 where fans at 121 Financial Ballpark will receive free MUNCHKINS Donut Hole Treats when the opposition’s designated “donut batter” goes down swinging.
News4JAX profiled the Bananas in an in-depth story in July 2022. Owner Jesse Cole told News4JAX then that he’d talked with Jumbo Shrimp owner Ken Babby about bringing the Bananas to Jacksonville on a tour date and he did last March.
The team played at 121 Financial Ballpark on March 4 and added a second date the following day due to overwhelming demand. Both games sold out almost instantly. The Bananas, who play a wild and theatrics-filled brand of Banana Ball on their tour, will play their traditional opponent, the Party Animals, during their tour.
The Bananas’ national profile has exploded over the past two seasons. They were even featured in a five-part documentary on ESPN+. And they had a waitlist of 80,000 for their traditional games in the Coastal Plain League.
The Bananas played two variations of baseball until last year. The team played traditional baseball in the Coastal Plain League, but Cole announced that the Bananas would no longer play in that league in 2023 as it looked to barnstorm around the country on its tour. On its tour, the Bananas play something called Banana Ball, which includes zany antics and modified rules to make the game fast, wild and fun.
The Bananas will play in Savannah 23 times this year including, March 28-29, April 4-6 and May 30-31.