Despite the Phillies not having a game until Friday as they will head down to Atlanta to play the Braves, they will still be at Citizens Bank Park today. No, not for batting practice or a workout- they will be there for a much more important cause- The 28th annual Phillies Phestival.
Since 1984, the Phestival has raised more than $12.7 million for The ALS Association's Greater Philadelphia Chapter, in an effort to combat Lou Gehrig's Disease. More than 7,000 fans are expected to flood the gates around 4:00 pm, as the entire Phillies roster will be there for the event.
Fans with pre-paid tickets (now sold-out) can get their pictures taken with outfielders Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino, starting pitcher Vance Worley, Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt and Greg "The Bull" Luzinski. Also sold-out are player autograph sessions, as each fan with a ticket to get into the event is awarded with booth tickets.
Many more events will be taken place as fans get autographs and pictures taken with their favorite players from the past and present. A silent auction will be held from 4:00 pm to 6:25 pm, and a live auction will be held at 6:15 pm in the Diamond Club Seating Area.
The Phestival, with more than 6,000 fans attending last year, raised approximately $900,000.
Update 1:44 pm: Stations Posted (Thanks goes to @JSmull05)
Stay tuned afterwards for pictures from today's event.
Matt Rappa is a contributor for Philliedelphia. You can find him on Twitter at @mattrappa.
