The Pittsburgh Pirates today announced the schedule for the Pirates “Winter Caravan.” The Caravan is currently scheduled to visit 16 different communities in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia from Tuesday, December 13 through Thursday, December 15 to meet with fans and the media, to build excitement for the 2012 baseball season, and to share Holiday well wishes with Pirates fans across the region.
The Caravan features private and public appearances by current players, coaches, broadcasters, members of the front office and the Pirate Parrot and/or Pirates Pierogies. At each public visit, the participants will sign free autographs for fans, meet with members of the media and discuss the 2012 Pirates season.
Five separate groups of players, coaches, broadcasters and front office staff will travel throughout the region during the week of Tuesday, December 13 through Thursday, December 15.
PirateFest will take place during the weekend following the Caravan. Now in its 22nd year, PirateFest will once again take place at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center from Saturday, December 17 through Sunday, December 18. Based on last year’s record-setting PirateFest attendance, the two-day interactive baseball carnival will be showcased over an expanded footprint in order to better accommodate the increased demand, and will feature a Holiday theme in addition to offering free autograph sessions, youth baseball clinics, prizes, games and question and answer sessions with Pirates management and players and much more.
“The support that our fans showed us throughout 2011 began with record crowds for the Caravan and PirateFest during the off-season and continued throughout the summer with 17 sellouts at PNC Park was overwhelming,” said Pirates President Frank Coonelly. “The Winter Caravan and PirateFest provide us with an opportunity to say thank you to the fans for their remarkable support in 2011 and to show them our commitment to finish the job in 2012. These two winter events also give fans an opportunity to reconnect with our players and staff locally in Pittsburgh and in a number of outlying communities in the tri-state area during the holiday season.”
Manager Clint Hurdle, players Andrew McCutchen, Joel Hanrahan, Kevin Correia, Jose Tabata, Jeff Karstens, James McDonald, Daniel McCutchen, Alex Presley, Brad Lincoln and Michael McKenry and coaches Jeff Banister, Nick Leyva, Luis Silverio and Ray Searage are all scheduled to participate in this year’s Winter Caravan.
The current Pirates Caravan schedule is below. Please go to www.pirates.com/caravan for updated information.
Tuesday, December 13:
4:30 – 6:00 p.m.: Evening meal service at Light of Life Rescue Mission in Pittsburgh (private event)
5:30 – 9:30 p.m.: Season Ticket Holder event at PNC Park (private event)
6:00 – 8:30 p.m.: Season Ticket Holder event in Pittsburgh (private event)
Wednesday, December 14:
Time TBA: Community event in Beaver (public event)
9:00 – 11:00 a.m.: Community event TBA in Pittsburgh
10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.: Visit to Meal Center at the Salvation Army in Uniontown, PA (private event)
11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.: Visit to Pirates Radio Network Station WKBI, St. Marys, PA (private event)
12:00 – 1:30 p.m.: Pirates Radio Network Affiliate WCNS luncheon at Giannilli’s II Restaurant in Latrobe (public event)
1:00 – 1:45 p.m.: Patient visits at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh (private event)
1:30 – 2:30 p.m.: Pirates Radio Affiliate WMBS Radio visit in Uniontown, PA (private event)
2:00 – 3 p.m.: Autograph Signing, Allegheny General Hospital lobby in Pittsburgh (public event)
5:00 – 8:00 p.m.: Event with Pirates Radio Affiliate WAJR 1440 at The Vintage Room in Morgantown, WV (public event ages 21 and older)
5:30 – 9:30 p.m.: Season Ticket Holder event at PNC Park (private event)
6:30 – 8:00 p.m.: Autograph Signing at Millcreek Mall in Erie, PA (public event)
6:30 – 8:00 p.m.: Autograph Signing in Johnstown Mall (public event)
6:30 – 8:00 p.m.: Autograph Signing at DuBois YMCA (public event)
Thursday, December 15:
10:00 – 11:00 a.m.: School visit in State College (School TBD)
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Autograph Signing, Highmark North Fayette, PA store (public event)
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Holiday party for the Children’s Institute The Day School in Pittsburgh (private event)
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.: Boys and Girls Holiday party in Charleston, WV (private event)
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.: Luncheon TBA, State College (public event)
1:30 – 2:00 p.m.: Mount Nittany Lion Hospital visit (private event)
1:30 – 3:00 p.m.: Autograph Signing at PNC Bank in Peters Township, PA (public event)
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.: West Virginia Power “Winter Warmup” at YMCA in Charleston, WV (public event)
Time TBA: Event TBA in State College
6:30 – 8:00 p.m.: Autograph Signing at Curve Store at Logan Valley Mall in Altoona, PA (public event)
Time TBA: Event TBA in Franklin
6:30 – 8:00 p.m.: Autograph Signing, Indiana Mall in Indiana, PA (public event)
6:30 – 8:00 p.m.: Autograph Signing, Fort Steuben Mall in Weirton/Steubenville (public event)
