RIVER BANDITS UNVEIL ALL-STAR WEEK EVENTS

The River Bandits today announced one of the most jam-packed entertainment and promotion schedules ever seen for a Midwest League All-Star Game. This year's event, to be held in the Quad Cities on June 20 and 21, promises to be one of the highlights of the summer.

"We are so excited to be hosting the All-Star Game and giving the people of the Quad Cities a chance to see the next generation of Major League stars - as well as giving everyone in the League a chance to see why the Quad Cities is the best community in the entire Midwest," said team owner Dave Heller. "With so many give-aways and so much entertainment lined up, we are going to put on a show for the people of the Quad Cities that is so fantastic people will be talking about it for weeks."

The events will get started with the Midwest League All-Star Fan Fest taking place at the River's Edge Sports Center, located directly across South Gaines Street from Modern Woodmen Park. The Fan Fest will offer fans a chance to participate in interactive games, play on inflatables, get autographs from the Midwest League All-Stars, enjoy free ice skating and much more. The Fan Fest will be open on Monday, June 20, and Tuesday, June 21 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The Midwest League All-Star Home Run Derby will take place on the field at Modern Woodmen Park on Monday, June 20, beginning at 7 p.m. The format will be different than in years past. This year's home run derby will be a combination of a hitting showcase and a home run derby. Players will be heavily rewarded for hitting home runs, but hitters will also be awarded points, and earn money for local Quad Cities charities, for hitting randomly placed targets around the field and stadium. There will also be special guest entertainers performing between rounds of the derby.

The player with the most points will be crowned the winner. All players will also represent a fan and a charity designated by each participant's media partner. The home run contest will be emceed by Rock 104-9's Dave and Darren. Tickets for the Home Run Derby are currently on sale, starting at just $5.00. After the derby, fans can enjoy an All-Star Game Fireworks show, courtesy of Lujack's.

Following the Home Run Derby, fans 21 years of age and older are welcome to join Midwest League all-stars, team and league executives on a pub crawl presented by SignCo through the heart of downtown Davenport. The River Bandits have partnered with numbers of bars and restaurants that will offer exclusive drink specials and incentives for participants.

The week's events all lead up to the Midwest League All-Star Game on Tuesday, June 21st at 7:05pm. The sheer baseball talent of the prospects on the field are enough to entertain any baseball fan, but in true River Bandits fashion, the team is bringing in never-before seen acts to the Quad Cities. The Russian Bar Trio acrobatic group will perform numerous times during the game, as will David "No Way" Brulet, a former Cirque du Soliel juggler who is making his first domestic appearance at the All-Star Game. Following the game, fans will be treated to a huge Lujack's Fireworks show to cap the two-day festival.

"We really wanted to make this a unique experience for our fans," said River Bandits general manager Kirk Goodman. "Our goal from the beginning has been to give our loyal River Bandits fans a game-day experience they won't see during the regular season and brand new memories they will cherish for years."

Tickets are still available for the Midwest League All-Star Game and Home Run Derby. To purchase seats, call (563) 3-BANDIT, buy them online at RiverBandits.com or in person at the Modern Woodmen Park box office.

UP NEXT: Now is the perfect time to lock-in your group outing for the 2011 season. Group packages start for groups as small as just 10 people. It's also not to late to pick out the ticket package that fits your schedule. Ticket plans start as low as $40 per seat. Ticket plans are a great way to ensure a seat for the 2011 Midwest League All-Star Game at Modern Woodmen Park on Tuesday, June 21.

ABOUT THE BANDITS: After three years of continuous ballpark improvements, the River Bandits and the City of Davenport are set to unveil some of the most impressive enhancements to Modern Woodmen Park yet. A brand new, state of the art, high definition 20' x 35' videoboard is set to go live for the River Bandits homestand on June 7 and work continues on a new enclosure for the Sky Deck on the suite level of Modern Woodmen Park. Those improvements, in addition to new flood protection, a new front plaza, and a new parking lot directly across the street from the ballpark, are quickly making Modern Woodmen Park one of the premier facilities in all of Minor League Baseball.