It’s been my personal experience that the Padres do a really nice job of offering special events for families and themes for games and series throughout past seasons.
Opening Day and Opening Weekend 2025 will be no different with special events and giveaways throughout the four game series. Let’s have a look at what we can look forward to!
Party in the Park – Friday
Gallagher Square just beyond center field is the place to be on Fridays, starting with the opening series Friday game on March 28th. From the time the gates open until first pitch, fans can expect $5 drink specials, plus live music and activities that are fun for kids and adults alike.
Each week’s event is themed with pink and mint Padres colors being set for the opening series event.
Friar Funds are required for discounted drinks. Valued at $5, they can be used for food and drinks throughout the stadium as well.
Special to opening weekend, The first 40,000 fans to the Friday game will receive an opening series hat, courtesy of Sycuan Casino Resort.
The East Village Block Party – Saturday
The 13th annual Opening Weekend Block Party is set for Saturday, March 29th from 10:00am – 5:00pm. Live music, food and drink, vendors and more will line the streets on J St from 7th to 10th Avenue.
The event is family-friendly and free to attend. My kids are interested so this Saturday may be a good chance for us to see what it’s all about!
Kidsfest – Sunday
The Padres are always looking for ways to keep families excited and coming back for more and the Sunday Kidsfest is one of their best events. Set for Sundays starting Sunday March 30th, Kidsfest will feature bounce houses, the Paw Squad, face painting and more, all in the newly renovated Gallagher Square.
Kids Run the Bases – Sunday
At the conclusion of Sunday’s game, kids 14 and under are invited to run the bases!
Presented by Chick-fil-A, this is a fantastic feature of Sunday games throughout the season. Fans can start lining up after the eighth inning in Gallagher Square, with season ticket holders getting to skip the line.
After the game, your little guys can make a memory as they look into the stands from the field exactly as their major league heroes do on gameday!
PETCO Park – Beyond Baseball
PETCO Park is home to the Major League Baseball’s (MLB) San Diego Padres first and foremost, but the park also offers some pretty exciting tours, concerts and more during the 275+ days that are not home games for the Padres.
PETCO Park Tours
PETCO Park offers daily and pregame tours where a guide will take you around, from the seats to the dugout, field and even the press box, providing history of the venue and team alike.
I just found out that the tours are offered in Spanish and Japanese, so if you’d prefer a tour in one of those languages, the park has you covered!
The tour is a behind the scenes opportunity that usually lasts about 80 minutes. I can say that if you have teenage kids that are interested in baseball, stadiums, history or architecture, I think they would really enjoy this experience!
The tour is $39 but can be had a discount with a Go City San Diego pass using our savings code GVSD5OFF at checkout. The pass bundles admission to more than 50 of San Diego’s top attractions and gear rentals to offer lower than advertised prices.
In addition to the PETCO Park tour, I’d recommend the world-famous San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld San Diego and museums like the The New Children’s Museum in the Gaslamp Quarter and the San Diego Natural History Museum – theNAT in Balboa Park which are both great for families and all part of the pass.
Concerts and Events
PETCO Park offers concerts and events year-round in between baseball series of course. The largest crowd ever in the park was for a concert where nearly 80,000 fans were in attendance!
This year you can expect a range of musicians from Papa Roach & Rise Against: Rise of the Roach Tour the evening before the Padres Opening game on March 26th at 6:00pm to a country music favorite, Brad Paisley set for a show on Saturday, June 7th at 7:30pm.