GARY, Ind. — The Gary SouthShore RailCats Third Annual Fan Fest will kick off a year-long celebration of the 10th anniversary of RailCats baseball and will be held Saturday, February 5, 2011 at the Radisson Hotel at Star Plaza in Merrillville.  Discount presale tickets are on sale now!

The largest celebration of minor league baseball in the Midwest, Fan Fest has brought more than 1,000 fans of RailCats baseball together the last two winters, and this year’s Fan Fest will be extra special with the unveiling of the RailCats 10th Anniversary Team highlighting the day-long event.

Featuring ballpark-style games, appearances from dozens of RailCats coaches, players and administrators, autograph signings, question-and-answer sessions with team decision-makers and more, Fan Fest brings the Fun, Affordable, Family Entertainment of RailCats baseball to fans during the winter.  The RailCats will announce full details including a roster of V.I.P. guests during the offseason, but fans can save money by buying presale tickets now.

General admission tickets are available for $15 (regularly $20), with kids 12 and under and season ticket holders able to buy tickets for just $10.  Every Fan Fest ticket includes an all-day pass to the event, a ticket to the RailCats 2011 Opening Day game and other great giveaways.  Tickets can be purchased at the U. S. Steel Yard Box Office, by calling 219.882.2255 or by visiting www.railcatsbaseball.com.

The RailCats will open voting for the 10th Anniversary Team in September with fans able to help choose the winners at each position.  The team will be selected based on an online fan balloting and input from RailCats coaches and administrators.  The final team will be unveiled during Fan Fest, with honorees in attendance.

The following is the schedule for online fan balloting (conducted at www.railcatsbaseball.com):

September 6 – 12: Catcher
September 13 – 19: First Baseman
September 20 – 26: Second Baseman
September 27 – October 10: Shortstop
October 11 – 17: Third Baseman
October 18 – 24: Designated Hitter
October 25 – October 31: Utility Player
November 1 – 7: Outfielders
November 8 – 14: Right-Handed Starting Pitchers
November 15 – 21: Left-Handed Starting Pitchers
November 22 - December 5: Relief Pitchers

The RailCats will play the 2011 season in the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball. The 14 team league has teams as far north as Winnipeg and as far south as Pensacola bringing a wide variety of new (and some old-rivals) to U. S. Steel Yard in 2011.