The first-ever Canadian Baseball League (CBL) All-Star Weekend will be held in Chatham in July.
The Chatham-Kent Barnstormers will host players and fans on July 11 and 12, 2026 at Fergie Jenkins Field.
“Chatham-Kent has been an extremely successful franchise since entering this League only two years ago, both on-field and off. The atmosphere at Fergie Jenkins Field on game day is vibrant, and it will undoubtedly be even more dynamic with the various events we have planned for All-Star Weekend," said CBL Commissioner Ted Kalnins.
Saturday will feature the Skills Competitions, highlighted by the Home Run Derby.
The All-Star Game on Sunday will feature the best players from the North against the best from the South, as voted by the fans and media.
The CBL said Tweedsmuir Avenue will be closed to traffic all weekend, transforming into a family-friendly festival zone filled with activities, food, entertainment, and opportunities for fans to connect with the sport.
The 2026 CBL All-Star Weekend promises to be an unforgettable weekend of competition, community, and celebration, according to the league.
CBL officials added that further event details and special guests will be announced early this season.
The Barnstormers said this is history in the making.
"This is a national spotlight moment for the Barnstormers, our city, and Canadian baseball," said the Barnstormers. "Be there, be loud, be part of history."
Team Owner Dom Dinelle told CK News Today that hosting an All-Star Weekend is a great honour, adding that it was part of his wish list right from the beginning.
"Third year of the franchise, I would like to have the All-Star Game, and not only a game, but I would like to have a weekend, and people were, yeah, yeah, prove yourself kind of thing. Now we got it. So, I guess we proved ourselves," a proud Dinelle said.
Dinelle said the enthusiastic fans and his hard-working group get a lot of credit for landing the All-Star Weekend.
"We're pretty loud for the small ballpark we have, and the opposing team says, man, it's cool to play in Chatham, it's loud, and people are close to the field, and it's great to play here," noted Dinelle.
Dinelle said a committee has already been set up to plan for the weekend. He said food trucks and fireworks on Saturday night are part of the plan.
Tickets go on sale starting February 1.
