They may not swing a bat or field grounders, but there are some faces at Dunkin’ Park who will be very familiar to Yard Goats fans.
Baseball is back in Hartford!
The Hartford Yard Goats home opener took place Friday night, and the team is ready to welcome fans back.
Stream Connecticut News for free, 24/7, wherever you are.
WATCH HERE“It’s truly magical to have the fans come in the ballpark, see their smiles, and just walk around, cheer on the Yard Goats, you know, catch a foul ball, all those things. We wouldn't be able to do it without our fans,” Tim Restall, president of the Hartford Yard Goats, said.
There are new food options this year, including a meatloaf sandwich between two glazed donuts and three feet of French fries with several toppings.
Get top local Connecticut stories delivered to you every morning with the News Headlines newsletter.
SIGN UP 
Theme nights are also a big hit for fans and the team will have two alternate identities this year, the Harford Leaf Peepers and the Hartford Thunder Chickens.
“If you don't know, thunder chicken is a term for a turkey and Connecticut has a very large population of turkeys, about 35,000,” Restall said.
Local
Bark in the Park is planned for Saturday, where fans bring out their dogs to the park. The game is at 1:10 p.m.
Whalers alumni weekend on Aug, 2 is also very popular.
This season will also include Meet Bluey at the Park, a Bluey-themed night on May 28; a Star Wars night on May 4; a boy bands night on July 18; and a Harry Potter-themed night on May 14, which will take it up a notch this year.
“Harry Potter night, which we have done in the past, we're doing again. But this year, the team will wear special Harry Potter jerseys. In addition to that, fans can actually purchase a special ticket where they can get a Yard Goats cap in one of the four Harry Potter house themes,” Mike Abramson, the Yard Goats general manager, said.
Learn more about the promotions and themed nights here.
The Yard Goats took on the Somerset Patriots from New Jersey, the team they lost to in the playoffs last season. They won 5-4.
