KC Royals: How To make The Most Of Fan Fest 2017

Need a KC Royals fix in the middle of winter? Kansas City has your answer. The 2017 Royals Fan Fest is coming to Bartle Hall at the Kansas City Convention Center on Friday, Jan. 27 and Saturday, Jan. 28.

The event gives fans an opportunity to meet Kansas City Royals players and coaches, get autographs, and get a first-hand look at all the awards handed out by the team. As a three-year veteran of Fan Fest, I’ve seen the small crowds and I’ve seen the big ones. Here is a survival guide to making the most of your Fan Fest experience.

Buy Tickets: They’re Affordable

Twelve bucks will not get you much at Kauffman Stadium over the summer. Twelve bucks, will however, get you into Fan Fest for a day. Single admission tickets are listed at $17 for each day, or $23.00 for both days.

Once you’re in, you’re in. Sure, food and memorabilia costs extra. But, Fan Fest offers a variety of free, kid-friendly activities away from the stage. The organization makes good use of its time on the stage with a wealth of fan-involved entertainment. Last year, fans who wanted to participate in some of the free activities had to fill out a waiver prior to participating. Be aware of that and look for ways to fill out those waivers ahead of time.

Get There Early

Fan Fest kicks off on a Friday but don’t be fooled: a lot of kids will be there. Season-ticket holders have the advantage of getting in early at noon on Friday, and 9 a.m. on Saturday. The doors open to all fans at 2 p.m. on Friday, and 11 a.m. on Saturday.

More from KC Royals News

• KC Royals Rumors: Is a monster move in the cards?
• KC Royals Free Agent Hunt: 3 Tampa Bay pitchers
• Grading the 2022 KC Royals: The $25 million man
• KC Royals Winter Meetings Tracker: Expectations met
• KC Royals Winter Meetings Tracker: Day 3 update

In 2014, the KC Royals just missed on the playoffs. The team held Fan Fest was held at the much-larger Bartle Hall for the first time. Getting there early was not a tremendous priority as crowds were respectable but not overwhelming. The Kansas City Royals played in their first World Series in 29 years later on in 2014, which made the 2015 Fan Fest a mess. Crowds were thick on Friday and unbearable on Saturday.

Last year, the organization introduced timed entry in an effort to keep the crowd manageable. Getting into an earlier session can mean the difference between getting an autograph or not. Buy your tickets early and get there early so you can be inside the facility as early as possible. As of Dec. 4, first-day tickets were still available for the 2 p.m. entry.