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Cardinals Themed Holiday Weekend To Kick Off 2025 Season

CARDINALS THEMED HOLIDAY WEEKEND TO KICK OFF 2025 SEASON

Weekend Highlighted by Winter Warm-Up, Cardinals Caravan, & Writers’ Dinner

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ST. LOUIS, Mo., January 14, 2025 – The 28th Cardinals Care Winter Warm-Up and the Cardinals Caravan highlight a busy Cardinals-themed holiday weekend that kicks off the 2025 season.

Winter Warm-Up—the annual fan festival and fundraising event for Cards Care, the team’s charitable arm—will be held at Busch Stadium and Ballpark Village Saturday, January 18, through Monday, January 20 with appearances from over 50 players, coaches and alumni.  New for 2025, fans will be able to enjoy Q&A sessions, presentations and entertainment from the Main Stage at Ballpark Village with no ticket required to access the area.  Admission, autograph and photo tickets are still available. For the most complete schedule and up-to-date Winter Warm-Up information, visit cardinals.com/WWU.

The 2025 Cardinals Caravan, presented by Missouri Farm Bureau Insurance, departs Busch Stadium on Friday morning. Over the course of the weekend, a combination of more than 40 current and former players, minor league prospects, and team broadcasters will visit 20 cities throughout Cards Nation along six different routes before returning to St. Louis on Monday night. For complete information on all caravan stops, visit cardinals.com/caravan.

The 65th annual St. Louis Baseball Writers’ Dinner takes place at the downtown Missouri Athletic Club on Sunday, January 19.  Attendees will enjoy a night of fun and entertainment as the dinner celebrates top performers from 2024 and honors those who have made long-lasting contributions to the organization and sport.  The evening will be highlighted by special guests, including a roundtable with members of the 1985 NL Championship team, and the presentation of the Red Schoendienst Medal, St. Louis Baseball Man of the Year and Darryl Kile Award. Visit stlouisbbwaa.com to purchase tickets or for more information.

Below are highlights of the 2025 Winter Warm-Up weekend:

 Friday, January 17, 2025

  • Cardinals Caravan: The 2025 Caravan kicks off with stops in Jefferson City and Springfield, Mo., Memphis, Tenn., and Peoria and Champaign, Ill.

Saturday, January 18, 2025

  • Winter Warm-Up: The three-day event kicks off, and is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
    • Autographs:
    • Photos (Community America Cardinals Club at Busch Stadium) – Red Jacket Photos with Ray Lankford
    • Main Stage (Ballpark Village): The Main Stage will feature a live auction, presentations and live interviews throughout the day. Scheduled events include:
      • 9:45 a.m. – A preview of 2025 promo items.
      • 10:30 a.m. – Redbird Rookies Saigh Scholarship presentation.
      • 11:00 a.m. – Live auction where fans can bid on the opportunity to present the Lineup Card at a 2025 Home Game, a team signed City Connect jersey, and the opportunity to visit the KMOX radio booth during a 2025 Home Game (fans must be present to bid and win an auction item and all items must be paid for and picked up at the close of each auction).
      • 11:30 a.m. – Q&A with President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak led by FanDuel Sports Midwest studio host Scott Warmann.
      • 12:45 p.m. – Q&A with Iván Herrera, Ryan Helsley & Brendan Donovan.
      • 1:00 p.m. – Q&A with Thomas Saggese, Chris Roycroft & Drew Rom.
      • 2:15 p.m. – A conversation with current bench and hitting coaches, and 2011 World Series Champions, Jon Jay & Daniel Descalso hosted by KMOX’s Matt Pauley.
      • 3:00 p.m. – Victor Scott II, Tink Hence, Sem Robberse and Kyle Leahy will join Spanish broadcaster Polo Ascencio on stage for a Q&A. 
      • 4:00 p.m. – 30th anniversary celebration of Team Fredbird.
    • Presentations (Visitor’s Clubhouse at Busch Stadium)
      • 10:00 a.m. – Caring for Your Collection: Tips for storing and displaying your personal memorabilia with Erin Pruhs, Cardinals Museum Collections Specialist.
      • 1:00 p.m. – Learn about the St. Louis greats with Ed Wheatley, baseball historian and president of the St. Louis Browns Historical Society and Fan Club.
      • 2:30 p.m. – Learn how to keep score with a member of the communications team.
      • 3:30 p.m. – Highlights from the Cardinals Museum’s 2024 season of programming and a preview for the upcoming year with Jennifer Urish, Supervisor of Museum & Tour Operations.
  • Cardinals Caravan: The Cards Caravan makes its way through Cards Nation with stops in Jonesboro, Ark., Dyersburg, Tenn., Bloomington, Ill., and Columbia, Hannibal, Joplin and Rolla, Mo.

 Sunday, January 19, 2025

  • Winter Warm-Up: Day two of the event is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
    • Autographs:
    • Photos (Community America Cardinals Club at Busch Stadium) – Red Jacket Photos with Vince Coleman and Ozzie Smith
    • Main Stage (Ballpark Village): The Main Stage will feature a live auction, presentations and live interviews throughout the day. Scheduled events include:
      • 10:00 a.m. – A “Talking Baseball” panel moderated by Cardinals Radio host Joe Pott, with Assistant GMs Moisés Rodríguez, Randy Flores and Rob Cerfolio.  
      • 11:00 a.m. Cardinals Magazine will host a special Kids-Only Player Press Conference with Alec Burleson, Masyn Winn & Pedro Pagés – all are invited to attend, but kids get to ask the questions.
      • 11:00 a.m. – Live auction where fans can bid on the opportunity to throw an honorary first pitch at a 2025 Home Game, a collection of Stan Musial autographed items, and the opportunity to visit the Spanish radio booth during a 2025 Home Game (fans must be present to bid and win an auction item and all items must be paid for and picked up at the close of each auction).
      • 12:00 p.m. – Conversation with retired MLB umpire, UMPS Care ambassador, and STL native Gerry Davis hosted by John Rooney and Bengie Molina.
      • 1:00 p.m. – Ricky Horton, Andy Van Slyke and Ken Dayley will join Cardinals Alumni Relations Manager, Larry State to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the 1985 Cards. 
      • 2:00 p.m. – Prospects Jimmy Crooks and Quinn Mathews will take the stage for a Q&A.
      • 3:00 p.m. – Conversation with broadcaster & 2006 World Series Champion Brad Thompson.
    • Presentations (Visitor’s Clubhouse at Busch Stadium)
      • 10:00 a.m. Growing Up Cardinal: Join Cardinals Museum curator Amy Berra to learn about the Cardinals Museum’s 2025 special exhibit
      • 11:00 a.m. – Learn about the MLB Authentication Program and collecting game-used and autographed items with Erik Jaffry of Cardinals Authentics.
      • 12:00 p.m. – Join Jeff Scott from the Cardinals Museum & Tour Operations team to learn how yesterday’s Cardinals influenced today’s bats.
      • 1:00 p.m. – Learn what it’s like to be an MLB umpire from retired ump, UMPS Care ambassador, and STL native Gerry Davis
      • 3:00 p.m. – Join Cardinals Museum/tour operations manager Brittany Schelp as she provides a behind-the-scenes look into the process of creating Museum member-exclusive bobbleheads
  • Cardinals Caravan: The Cards Caravan makes stops in Evansville, Ind., as well as Mattoon, Springfield and Marion, Ill.
  • 65th Annual St. Louis Baseball Writers’ Dinner (6:00 p.m.): The 65th annual St. Louis Baseball Writers Dinner will be held at the Downtown Missouri Athletic Club.

Monday, January 20, 2025

  • Winter Warm-Up: New for the 2025 Winter Warm-Up, day three of the event is open from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
    • Autographs:
    • Main Stage (Bally Sports Live! at Ballpark Village): The Main Stage will feature a live auction, presentations and live interviews throughout the day. Scheduled events include:
      • 9:30 a.m. – Q&A moderated by Broadcaster Chip Caray with Team Chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. and President Bill DeWitt III.
      • 10:30 a.m. – Radio Broadcasters Mike Claiborne will host a segment celebrating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
      • 11:00 a.m. – Live auction where fans can bid on an Ultimate Day at Busch Stadium during the 2025 Regular Season, a 2020 St. Louis Cardinals Team Signed Base, and the opportunity to visit the TV booth during a 2025 Home Game (fans must be present to bid and win an auction item and all items must be paid for and picked up at the close of each auction).
      • 11:15 a.m. – Manager Oliver Marmol will join Caray and Claiborne for a Q&A.
    • Presentations (Community America Cardinals Club at Busch Stadium)
      • 9:30 a.m. 2024 – A Year in Photos with the Director of Photography & Digital Assets, Taka Yanagimoto.
      • 11:00 a.m. – Learn about the St. Louis greats with Ed Wheatley, baseball historian and president of the St. Louis Browns Historical Society and Fan Club
  • Cardinals Caravan: The Cards Caravan makes its final stops in Decatur and Centralia, Ill., Cape Girardeau, Mo., and Paducah, Ky.

Additional Winter Warm-Up Information:

  • Cardinals Care 50/50 Raffle – Tickets for the 2025 Winter Warm-Up 50/50 raffle, presented by DraftKings at Casino Queen, are available now. Fans who purchase raffle tickets by 5:00 p.m. CT on Saturday, January 18, will be entered into a bonus raffle for the Cardinals Hall of Fame Prize Pack including an autographed photo of Stan Musial, an autographed photo of Red Schoendienst, and an autographed photo of Lou Brock.  Tickets cost $10 for 10 raffle tickets, $20 for 60, and $50 for 200 and are available for purchase online at cardinals.com/WWU for those located in the state of Missouri and at least eighteen (18) years of age at time of purchase and in person at the event. The raffle will close and the grand prize winner will be drawn on Monday, January 20, at 1:00 p.m. CT.
  • Silent Auctions (Ballpark Village) – Open for bids starting at 9:00 a.m. on January 18, closing at 2:00 p.m. on January 20,Cards Care Silent Auctions feature autographed items including baseballs, jerseys, photos and more! Items will be on display inside Ballpark Village near each entrance. Fans can bid online, both at Winter Warm-Up and from home at cardinals.com/WWU.
  • Cardinals Care Store (Cunningham Corner at Busch Stadium) – Open throughout the weekend, the Cards Care Store is stocked full of Cards memorabilia such as baseball caps, team-issued apparel, t-shirts, game-worn jerseys, autographed photos and bats, and more.
  • Cardinals Clubhouse Self-Guided Tours (Access from Redbird Club at Busch Stadium) – Fans with an admission ticket to the Winter Warm-Up can access the Clubhouse Tour through the Redbird Club on the third level of Busch Stadium. The Clubhouse Tour is a self-guided experience that will be open during regular hours of the event each day.  No additional ticket is required for this experience.
  • Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum (2nd Floor of Cardinals Nation at Ballpark Village) – Admission to the Winter Warm-Up includes complimentary admission to the world-class Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum.
  • Exhibit Hall (Redbird Club at Busch Stadium) – The Exhibit Hall features a variety of premium vendors and kid-friendly activities. Visit cardinals.com/WWU for a full list of Exhibitors. Please note the Exhibit Hall will close at 12:00 p.m. on Monday.
  • Kids Activities (National Car Rental Club) – Kids can enjoy carnival games and photo opportunities. Please note the Kids Activities will end at 12:00 p.m. on Monday.
  • Visiting Clubhouse – The Visiting Clubhouse will be open for self-guided tours on Saturday 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. and Sunday 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
  • Food and Beverage – Concessions will be available for purchase at Busch Stadium in the Redbird Club.  There are several dining options available at Ballpark Village during Winter Warm-Up including:
    • Cardinals Nation Restaurant and Bar – WWU ticket holders receive a 20% discount when showing their wristband
    • Bally Sports Live!
    • Condado Tacos
    • Katie’s Pizza and Pasta Osteria
    • Salt + Smoke
    • Sports & Social
    • Clark & Bourbon at Live! by Loews
    • Fielder’s Choice at One Cardinal Way
    • Koibito Poke
    • Auntie Anne’s
  • Stay Updated: Be sure to enable push notifications for the MLB Ballpark App on your smartphone to receive the latest Winter Warm-Up news and event information on your mobile device!
  • Admission Tickets: Fans can purchase tickets for the event online at cardinals.com/WWU or at the Busch Stadium box office during Warm-Up hours. Three-day tickets cost $50 for adults (fans age 16 and older) & $25 for children (fans age 4 to 15).  Children under four years are free. Active military members and first responders with valid military/first responder ID can visit the Busch Stadium ticket windows on 8th Street (next to Gate 3) on the day of the event they wish to attend to receive one (1) complimentary ticket. Tickets are available while supplies last. Advance complimentary tickets are not available.
  • Autograph and Photo Tickets: Remaining Autograph and Red Jacket Photo tickets may be purchased online at cardinals.com/WWU.  Every dollar donated for autograph tickets will benefit Redbird Rookies, Cardinals Nike RBI, Cards Care Ballfields, and charitable grants to support non-profit organizations that help kids. Donation amounts and updates can be found at cardinals.com/WWU.
  • Cardinals Kids Club Booth: The Cardinals Kids Club, presented by Rawlings and Hi-Chew, will have a booth in the Exhibit Hall in the Redbird Club at Busch Stadium. To learn more about the Kids Club, visit cardinals.com/kidsclub.
  • Cardinals Authentics: The Cardinals Authentics Shop in Ballpark Village, next to the Cardinals Nation Restaurant is offering  specials during the 3 days of WWU:  Regular priced Hats, Short Sleeve T-shirts, and ALL City Connect merchandise are Buy One, Get One 70% OFF.  Discount applies to equal or lesser value item and specially priced items will also be available. The Cardinals Authentics Booth, located in the Exhibit Hall in the Redbird Club at Busch Stadium, will offer deep discounts with game used, team-issued, framed pieces and much more at 50% to 85% OFF original price. Stay tuned for special announcements by Cardinals Authentics via X (@CardsAuthentics) throughout the three-day event.
  • Official Cardinals Team Store: The Official Cardinals Team Store at Busch Stadium is offering the following specials during the WWU: Regular priced Hats, Short Sleeve T-shirts, and ALL City Connect merchandise are Buy 1, Get 1 70% Off.  70% off select merchandise throughout the store.  The New Era store located on the north side of Ballpark Village will also feature Regular priced Hats, Short Sleeve T-shirts, and ALL City Connect merchandise for Buy 1, Get 1 70% Off. Discount applies to lesser value item.  Both stores will open at 9:00 a.m. daily during the event.   Stop by either location for the newest gear!
  • Cardinals Publications: Cardinals Publications is hosting a “Kids Press Conference” located on the main stage of Ballpark Village on Sunday, January 19, at 11 AM. Kids will learn how to ask questions like reporters and get to practice their skills with Masyn Winn, Alec Burleson, and Pedro Pagés.  Fans can also sign up for a Cardinals Magazine subscription or order our collectible 2024 Cardinals Yearbook: “My Greatest Day as a Cardinal.” For more on Cardinals Publications, visit cardinals.com/publications.
  • Green Team: The team’s “4 A Greener Game” initiative will have a booth in the Exhibit Hall in the Redbird Club at Busch Stadium where fans can learn more about the Cardinals Green Team—a group of volunteers who collect recyclables from fans throughout each game at Busch Stadium. In exchange for volunteering, fans can watch the game in standing room only sections of Busch Stadium. Visit cardinals.com/green for more information.
  • St. Louis Cardinals Staff Recruitment – Interested in working for the St. Louis Cardinals? Visit the Cards job recruiting booth in Redbird Club. Positions include Event Attendants, Ushers and Community Outreach Team. Visit cardinals.com/jobs for more information.
  • Social Media: Throughout the Cards Caravan and Winter Warm-Up, fans can stay connected by following the Cardinals on X (@Cardinals), Facebook (@Cardinals), TikTok (@Cardinals) and Instagram (@Cardinals) for the latest news, event updates and behind-the-scenes content. Fans can join the conversation and share their own photos and experiences by using hashtags #CardsWarmUp, #CardsCaravan and #CardsCare.
  • Traffic & Parking: For the most up-to-date alerts regarding construction and winter road conditions this weekend, fans can visit the Missouri Department of Transportation’s website at modot.org. Winter Warm-Up event parking can be found at several locations around Busch Stadium and Ballpark Village. Fans can visit cardinals.com/WWU for a complete Winter Warm-Up Fan Guide and FAQs.
  • Cardinals and Cardinals Care Sponsors: Cards Care and the St. Louis Cardinals would like to thank the following sponsors for helping make the 2025 Winter Warm-Up possible: Ballpark Village, FanDuel Sports Midwest, DraftKings at Casino Queen, Live! By Loews – St. Louis, Edward Jones, In Focus Marketing, KMOV News 4, KMOX Radio 1120 AM, Rawlings Sporting Goods, Altair Travel & Cruises, FastSigns of Bridgeton, Betallic Balloons, and Kube Auction Service

— STL —

About Cardinals Care

Cardinals Care was established to give fans a way to team up with players and the organization to help children in our community—both on and off the baseball field.  Established in 1997, Cards Care has invested over $31 million to support St. Louis area children, built or renovated 25 youth ball fields in local under-resourced neighborhoods, and distributed over $17 million in grants to nonprofit organizations. 

Since 2004, Cards Care has orchestrated the innovative Redbird Rookies program, a free co-ed baseball/softball league for kids who otherwise might not have the opportunity to play.  In addition to providing all the uniforms and equipment needed for each team, Redbird Rookies also provides extensive off-field support in the areas of health, education, mentoring and the cultural arts for each of the nearly 2,500 kids who participate in the program each year. 

In 2023, Cards Care launched the Cardinals Nike Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program in cooperation with Major League Baseball to provide greater baseball and softball opportunities for youth ages 14-18 in our community. To learn more about all of Cards Care’s programs visit cardinals.com/community and follow @CardinalsCare on X, Facebook and Instagram.

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