O's to break in Sarasota new spring home with 'Fanfest'

The Orioles will celebrate their new spring training home by holding a free "Family Fanfest" from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 14 at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fla. The event will include player autograph sessions, giveaways, fan forums, activities for children, and a free hot dog and soda for all who attend. One fan will win a trip to Baltimore, with airfare, hotel accommodations and Orioles game tickets included. Orioles manager Dave Trembley, center fielder Adam Jones, left fielder Nolan Reimold, pitchers Brad Bergesen and Jim Johnson, and MASN broadcaster Jim Palmer are expected to attend the event, which will be co-hosted by the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce and the Sarasota Convention and Visitors Bureau. "The Orioles are excited to be a part of the Sarasota community, and this event is our first opportunity to meet many of our neighbors," Orioles director of communications Greg Bader said in a statement. "Our year-round partnership extends well beyond the traditional spring training season, and we look forward to demonstrating our commitment to the community in the weeks, months and years to come." The event will officially welcome the Orioles to Sarasota. The club, which had held spring training in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., since 1996, reached a long-term agreement in July to move its spring training operations to Sarasota.