YAKIMA, Wash. — A rich slate of giveaway items, five fireworks nights and the first postgame concert highlight the promotional nights when the Yakima Valley Pippins return to Yakima County Stadium this June.

Opening Night, presented by Legends Casino Hotel, is Tuesday, June 6, when the Pippins host West Coast League champion Corvallis in what has become a recent tradition for the home opener. The first 1,000 fans receive a free souvenir blanket courtesy of Legends, with postgame fireworks. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m, and gates open at 6 p.m.

Single-game tickets for all 32 home contests are available for sale beginning Monday, April 17, at PippinsTickets.com or by calling 509-575-HITS (4487) from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday. In addition to tickets, game-day parking passes also can be purchased online. For telephone purchases, tickets and parking passes can be emailed or sent by text message to buyers.

Opening night tickets already are on sale at PippinsTickets.com.

“We’re already over a thousand tickets sold for opening night, which is a great indicator that fans are ready for warmer weather and baseball,” Pippins general manager Jeff Garretson said.

The Pippins also will host a preseason community game on Thursday, June 1, against their sibling team, the Walla Walla Sweets. All tickets cost $5 for that game, with open seating in the stadium. Season ticket holders receive the extra game at no additional charge.

“The preseason game helps us in several ways,” Garretson said. “It helps us train staff and work out issues that crop up before opening night, and another game is always a good thing to have. Plus, with both the Pippins and the Sweets opening on the road this year, it gives both teams a chance to see players in game situations before the first official game.”

The Pippins start the season with a three-game series against the Cowlitz Black Bears in Longview, Washington, on June 2. By playing in Yakima on June 1, the Sweets cut two hours off their season-opening trek to Nanaimo, British Columbia, the next day.

For the first time, the Pippins will host a concert after their July 8 game against the Victoria HarbourCats. Billed as the “Best Night of the Summer,” presented by the Greater Yakima Chamber of Commerce, the game will start at 4:35 p.m. with Englewood Heights performing after the WCL game. There is no additional charge for the concert beyond purchasing a ticket for the game.

“It’s just an extra benefit of attending that day’s game,” Garretson said. “Fans will get their own concert, and the chance to mingle with players.”

Besides Opening Night, four other fireworks nights are scheduled on June 22 (Celebrate Summer Night, presented by Toyota), June 29 (Tree Top), July 1 (Celebrate America Night, presented by Banner Bank), and Aug. 3 (Fan Appreciation Night, presented by Valley Mall).

On July 1, the first 1,000 fans will receive a souvenir Pippins cap from Banner Bank.

In celebration of the latest “Indiana Jones” film debuting this summer, the first 1,000 fans will receive an “Archeologist Scott T. Pippin” bobblehead on Aug. 3.

The Pippins open their home schedule with a seven-game homestand that includes the return of Baseball Bingo Winning Wednesday, sponsored by St. Joe’s Bingo; Perry Tech Trades Night, with a giveaway item provided by Perry Technical Institute; Tieton Cider Night, with giveaway courtesy of Tieton Cider Works; Alzheimer’s Awareness Night on Sunday, June 11, with special team jerseys to be auctioned off at the game, and School Day on the morning of June 12.

The Pippins and Sweets will again square off in the Battle of the Basin series, presented by Cascade Natural Gas Corp., in both Yakima and Walla Walla. The Yakima series is July 28-30, with a T-shirt giveaway to the first 250 fans prior to the Friday contest.

On Saturday, July 29, select Pippins and Sweets batters will face off in the Battle of the Basin Home Run Derby, presented by Toyota. For each home run, Toyota and the home team will donate to a selected local charity. Lucky fans will win a Battle of the Basin trophy bat or other prizes.

With a promotional giveaway, games or discounts available, Garretson noted the schedule has something appealing for hardcore fans, casual fans, friend groups and family outings.

“There’s a little bit of everything,” he said.

Other giveaways include Team Poster Night, Trading Card Night, Sports Bottle Night, Tote Bag Night and more.

The Pippins are teaming up with Fred Meyer and Northwest Harvest for a food drive on Monday, July 17. With two nonperishable food items, fans can purchase a general admission ticket for $5.

Recurring promotions throughout the summer include:

• $2 Off Tuesdays, with food discounts throughout stadium concession stands;
• Baseball Bingo Winning Wednesdays, where fans can win prize packages courtesy of St. Joe’s Bingo, the Pippins, and local businesses;
• Ever-popular Thirsty Thursdays, courtesy of Stephens Media Group, with discounts on beer and wine from gate opening through last call;
• and Sunday Fundays, where youths can run around the bases after the game, and mimosas will be available for purchase for fans 21 and older.

Download the promotional schedule here.