Raider Park has hosted countless memorable moments throughout the years — walk-off hits, championships won, Run with the Raiders, Color Me Raider. But on Saturday, April 4, the familiar athletic facility takes on a new kind of magic. Presented by the Jackson Academy Athletic Booster Club, the inaugural Party at the Park is a full-day community event that opens the gates to students, families, alumni, and fans of all ages for a celebration of good food and a shared love of the game. Admission is free.
The morning belongs to the youngest Raiders. From 10 a.m. to noon, the Kids Baseball Camp transforms Raider Park into a learning laboratory for aspiring players in first through sixth grades. Coaches will lead participants through fundamental skills in a setting designed to build confidence and competence. Whether a child has never stepped inside a batter’s box or already dreams of wearing the blue and white, the camp promises purposeful, fun instruction.
When the clock strikes 12:30 p.m., the atmosphere shifts into full celebration mode. The Home Run Derby and other hitting contests take center stage. Each competitor in the adult and Upper School division steps into the box with the mission to send as many balls over the fence as possible. The youth division brings that same electric energy to a younger age group, giving every kid in the crowd a chance to channel their inner cleanup hitter and feel the roar of a home crowd after a ball sails into the outfield.
Perhaps no moment on April 4 carries more sentimental weight than the alumni softball game, a first of its kind in Jackson Academy history. Former Raiders, many of whom once called this very park their home field, will step back between the white lines. For current students watching from the bleachers, it is also a glimpse at the thread that connects every generation of JA baseball. The alumni game begins at 2:00 p.m. and is for any alum, whether they played a sport or not.
Winding through the afternoon alongside all of it: food trucks, concessions, a dj, a campus store pop-up shop, and the unmistakable sound of a community. The whole community is welcome. Come hungry, come loud, and come ready to cheer.
Party at the Park Schedule of Events
10:00 a.m.–noon
Kids Baseball Camp
Skills instruction open to young Raiders in first through sixth grades
12:30 p.m.
Home Run Derby
Adults & Upper School and Kids Division
2:00 p.m.
Inaugural Alumni Softball Game
Former Raiders return to the diamond — all alumni invited to play
All afternoon
Food Trucks, Music & Raider Spirit
A full festival atmosphere for the whole community
