The Winter Caravan & NatsFest Schedule

This afternoon Our Washington Nationals released full and complete details for the upcoming Winter Caravan & NatsFest to be held between January 22nd and January 26th. The participation is pretty good. The Caravan Guest List is rather large and presently includes eight different players, Team President Stan Kasten, Our General Manager Jim Bowden, Assistant GM Mike Rizzo, as well as, Our Manager Manny Acta. To many fans great delight, Ryan Zimmerman will be on hand for two days and, as expected, Radio Broadcaster Charlie Slowes will be hosting every step of the way. MASN's Bob Carpenter will join Charlie for the weekend events when NBC's Meet The Press Moderator David Gregory hosts The Season Ticket Holder Hot Stove Luncheon on January 23rd.

The public opportunities to Meet & Greet with Players, Coaches and Management are aplenty as these events are spread throughout Washington's potential fan base. Caravan events are free to everybody. There is no admission charge. NatsFest is free to Season Ticket Holders but tickets are available for non-season ticket holders for $10 Adult and $5 Children at Nationals.com

There are 12 different stops on The Winter Caravan, one of which will be a Private Event. On Friday, January 23rd, a group of players from Our Washington Nationals will visit Angela, the mother of four from SE D.C. that The Washington Nationals Dream Foundation and Rebuilding Together of Washington, DC partnered to help renovate and refurbish her home. That event will take place at 10AM, a short time before the only other limited event on the schedule--The Season Ticket Holder Hot Stove Luncheon at Nationals Park which begins at 11:30AM. A Now Sold Out Event for the first 250 Fans that ordered tickets to attend beginning January 9th.

The Winter Caravan itself will begin on Thursday, January 22nd in Martinsburg, West Virginia in The Martinsburg Mall, followed later in that day with a Meet & Greet at The Harris Teeter in Rockville, Maryland. After the Rebuilding Together Appearance and The Hot Stove Luncheon on Friday, January 23rd, The Winter Caravan will take off again for stops at The Build-A-Bear Workshop in Annapolis, Maryland and then move to The ESPN Zone in Downtown D.C. for a Celebrity Cookoff beginning at 8PM.

Saturday, January 24th, The Tour moves to Virginia with three stops--including Pfitzer Stadium in Woodbridge--The Home of Defending Carolina League Champion Potomac Nationals. Following that 10AM event, it's on to Charlottesville and the AMF Keglers Bowling Alley--maybe The Z-Man and Manny can strut their stuff on the hard lanes? Saturday night touring will end in Richmond, Virginia with an appearance at a Red, Hot & Blue Restaurant.

The Inaugural NatsFest is Sunday, January 25th and will also include get togethers with DC Baseball Historian and Broadcaster Phil Wood and Washington Post Columnist and TV Pundit George Will. Clubhouse Tours, Kids Events and Concessions can all be had for this four hour afternoon event--beginning at 1PM.

The Winter Caravan will conclude on Monday, January 26th with three final stops. A book donation event at Amidon-Bowen Elementary School in Washington, DC; an atrium visit to The Children's National Medical Center and The Big Finish attending a Washington Wizards NBA Game at Verizon Center beginning at 6PM.

Very pleased to see Zimmerman, Scott Olsen and Josh Willingham on the tour. All three are expected to play major roles in Version 5.0 of Our Washington Nationals. It's a good sign they are willing to attend. And just to make sure I checked back with The Team--all players listed to be in attendance on January 25th will be at NatsFest and these participants are the final groupings of players--subject to any last moment scheduling conflicts or additions.

Here is the complete Press Release:

WASHINGTON NATIONALS SET TO BEGIN FIVE-DAY WINTER CARAVAN THURSDAY, JANUARY 22 – MONDAY JANUARY 26

Tour will include 12 Stops and the Inaugural NatsFest at Nationals Park on Sunday, January 25

The Washington Nationals today announced the full schedule for their 2009 Winter Caravan, as the team will make several stops in the D.C. Metropolitan Area, including visits to Martinsburg, WV, Annapolis and Rockville, MD and Charlottesville, Richmond and Woodbridge, VA. The Caravan will take place Thursday, January 22 through Monday, January 26 and includes the first-ever NatsFest at Nationals Park on Sunday, January 25. Nationals Manager Manny Acta, pitchers Joel Hanrahan, John Lannan, Garret Mock, Scott Olsen and Terrell Young, outfielders Willie Harris and Josh Willingham and third baseman Ryan Zimmerman will be on hand to participate in the Caravan events. Nationals television broadcaster Bob Carpenter and radio voice Charlie Slowes will serve as moderators for various venues throughout the region.
The Winter Caravan is an opportunity for the Nationals team members to connect with their fans in the community and the region before they head to Viera, Florida for the start of the Spring Training season in mid-February. The Caravan will make 12 stops, including autograph sessions and meet-and-greets at the Martinsburg, WV Mall, Build-A-Bear location at the Annapolis Mall, the Harris Teeter in Rockville, MD and Red, Hot and Blue in Richmond, VA. Team members will participate in a celebrity cook-off at the ESPN Zone in Washington, DC on Friday evening and visit Amidon-Bowen Elementary school in Southeast Washington for a book donation and partnership announcement on Monday morning. Additional stops will be made in Woodbridge, VA, Charlottesville, VA and Washington, DC. “The Nationals are excited about the 2009 Winter Caravan, which is a great opportunity for fans throughout our region to get reacquainted with Nationals players, Manager and broadcast personalities,” said Nationals Team President Stan Kasten. “The Inaugural NatsFest will give fans a unique behind-the-scenes look at both the ballpark and the organization.”

NatsFest, which will be open to the public, will take place on Sunday, January 25, from 1:00pm – 5:00pm. The event will take place in the Lexus Presidents Club, PNC Diamond Club, Stars & Stripes Club and Conference Center and will include autograph, photograph and question-and-answer sessions. Q&A topics include “The Craft of Baseball” with author and The Washington Post columnist George Will, “Behind the Scenes” with Nationals SVP & General Manager Jim Bowden, “Call from the Dugout” with Nationals Manager Manny Acta and “Baseball in DC” with baseball historian Phil Wood. Fans may also enjoy clubhouse tours, games, face painters, caricaturists and concessions for purchase throughout the afternoon.

All Nationals Season Ticket Holders were offered four complimentary tickets per account. All Nationals fans may purchase tickets online at nationals.com/natsfest, by calling 1-888-632-NATS (6287) or at the Nationals Park Main Box Office (Monday through Friday, 10:00am – 5:00pm). The cost of the event is $10 for adults and $5 for children under the age of 12.

2009 WINTER CARAVAN

Thursday, January 22 – Monday, January 26

Participating Players, Manager and Front Office Staff*

Manager Manny Acta January 22 – 25

SVP & Vice President Jim Bowden January 23 & 25

Pitcher Joel Hanrahan January 22 – 24

Outfielder Willie Harris January 23 – 25

President Stan Kasten January 23 & 25

Pitcher John Lannan January 23 – 25

Pitcher Garret Mock January 24 – 26

Pitcher Scott Olsen January 24 – 26

Asst GM & VP Baseball Ops Mike Rizzo January 23 & 25

Outfielder Josh Willingham January 24 – 26

Pitcher Terrell Young January 23 – 26

Third Baseman Ryan Zimmerman January 24 – 25

Moderators

Nationals Television Broadcaster Bob Carpenter January 25 – 26

NBC’s “Meet the Press” Moderator David Gregory January 23

Nationals Radio Broadcaster Charlie Slowes January 22 – 26

Thursday, January 22

12:30pm – 1:30pm

Martinsburg Mall, Martinsburg, WV

Meet-and-Greet
6:00pm – 7:00pm

Harris Teeter, Rockville, MD

Meet-and-Greet
Friday, January 23

10:00am – 10:30am

Rebuilding Together Appearance, Washington, DC*

Photo Opportunity

*Private Event

11:30am – 1:30pm

Hot Stove Luncheon, Nationals Park*

*Ticketed Event – Sold Out

4:00pm – 5:00pm

Build-A-Bear, Annapolis Mall, Annapolis, MD

Meet-and-Greet

8:00pm – 9:00pm

ESPN Zone, Washington, DC

Celebrity Cook-Off

Saturday, January 24

10:00am – 11:00am

Potomac Nationals Pfitzer Stadium, Woodbridge, VA

Meet-and-Greet
3:00pm – 4:00pm

AMF Kelger’s Lanes, Charlottesville, VA

Meet-and-Greet
7:00pm – 8:00pm

Red, Hot & Blue, Richmond, VA

Meet-and-Greet
Sunday, January 25

1:00pm – 5:00pm

NatsFest, Nationals Park

Monday, January 26

10:30am – 11:30am

Amidon-Bowen Elementary School, Washington, DC

Book Donation and School Assembly

2:00pm – 4:00pm

Children’s National Medical Center, Washington, DC

Atrium Visit with Patients

6:00pm – 7:00pm

Washington Wizards Game, Verizon Center

Meet-and-Greet

END OF CARAVAN

*Player, Manager and Front Office Schedules Subject to Change