WHAT'S COOL NEW FOR WOOSOX '22

A TASTE OF WORCESTER SHERWOOD'S DINNER

BEANTOWN BETTY RIGHT FIELD VIDEO BOARD

WHAT'S COOL & NEW FOR WOOSOX '22

JENNIFER RUSSO

Polar Park has become the summer destination for sports fans and families throughout Central Mass. Aside from having a great team this year, there are a number of new features that have been added to the park since last season. Ballpark Design Coordinator Ben Weingarten filled me in on what’s new this summer for the Woo Sox, let’s take a look!

Beantown Betty

Fans are welcome to stop by Beantown Betty, a retired Duck Boat you might recognize from the Red Sox World Series parades in 2004 and 2013. After all that partying with original dirt dogs like Trot Nixon and Nomar Garciaparra, Beantown Betty is now peacefully enjoying the view over the Simply Orthodontics Berm. She is available for group rentals, and is open to fans during games. Rumor has it if you whisper “cowboy up” three times Kevin Millar will appear and sing “Born in the U.S.A.” to you. Ballpark Design Coordinator, Ben Weingarten

Sherwood Diner

This authentic diner that was originally built in Worcester during the 1940’s has been restored and found its new home on Summit Street. “It’s now the home to the WooSox Foundation as well as the pregame broadcast from Cumulus radio,” Weingarten explains, “Ball players, mascots and special guests will be there to visit throughout the year.” Keep an eye out for autograph signing sessions with some of your favorite players!

A Taste of Worcester

It seems like every time I open social media, someone is raving about A Taste of Worcester, Polar Park’s food stand that highlights rotating chefs and restaurants from all around the city. “It’s a very cool opportunity to be able to feature different tastes in the ballpark besides the core groups,” Weingarten notes. Ziggy Bombs was a recent guest, but fans can look forward to Lock 50 occupying the space from May 31 to June 5 and the Taco Spot from June 14 through 19. Their Birria tacos are amazing and it's worth a trip to Polar Park just to enjoy all that cheesy goodness.

Rockland Trust Plaza

Fresh off a ribbon cutting, Rockland Trust Plaza is a “hypotenuse” between downtown Worcester, parking for games, and Union Station and serves as the start of the ballpark experience. “Just a lot of new trees and greenery, it’s pretty amazing to see how much this little path was transferred from a year ago,” Weingarten says. The unique water feature in the plaza is a tribute to the Blackstone Canal that still flows under this area of the city.

Many of the new features at Polar Park were actually created from fan input. The new 22’ by 39’ LED video board in the middle of the Worcester Wall, concession items like cotton candy and loaded smiley fries and even more drinking fountains were all fan suggestions. “That’s one of the things that’s been so special working for this team is how closely the leadership listens to fan suggestions and improvements and really takes them to heart and acts on them right away,” says Weingarten. I am personally grateful to the fans who came up with the Beer Bat, and although I haven’t had the chance to see this yet I am positive that I’m going to love it when I make it out to a game.

There are also new general admission areas to enjoy and spaces available for group rentals, like the Triple Decker Garden. Whether you’re a foodie looking to check out A Taste of Worcester, or you enjoy drinking your alcohol out of baseball bats, there is definitely something for everybody at Polar Park.