Weber State University will be hosting its first ever Wildcat Night at the Ballpark and offering free admission to this Friday’s Ogden Raptors-Great Falls Voyagers game at Lindquist Field.

Ali Threet, interim vice president of Student Access & Success at WSU, told the Standard-Examiner in an email last week that the event will be a great way to begin the summer.

“Wildcat Night at the Ballpark is Weber State University’s first-ever community night with the Ogden Raptors,” she said. “Weber State purchased the ballpark and is providing free tickets to the community as a way to bring people together for a fun summer evening. It’s an opportunity to celebrate our community, connect with residents, and showcase everything Weber State has to offer.”

She said festivities will begin at 6 p.m. Friday with an opportunity for attendees to meet representatives of various departments from across Weber State, athletics, campus recreation and others. The night will also include giveaways, music, activities and the Weber State Brass Band. The game begins at 7 p.m. and will be followed with a drone show afterwards.

“This is a brand new event and the first time Weber State has hosted a community night of this scale at the ballpark,” she said. “If the excitement so far is any indication, there’s potential to make this an annual tradition. At Weber State, we are always looking for new ways to connect with our community. The Ogden Raptors are a valued community partner, and we saw an opportunity to create an event that brings together families, students, alumni, employees, and community members in a fun and welcoming environment.”

She said that the free tickets are available to all, regardless of affiliation to WSU.

“We are incredibly excited about this event and grateful for the partnership with the Ogden Raptors,” she said. “This night is really about celebrating our community and creating an opportunity for people to come together. We hope families, friends, neighbors, and Wildcats of all ages will join us for a fun evening at the ballpark.”

Threet added that outreach events like this are important to WSU as a way of connecting with the region.

“Weber State is deeply connected to Northern Utah and the communities we serve,” she said. “Events like this allow us to meet people, build relationships, and demonstrate that Weber State is more than a university. We are a community partner. Whether someone is a future student, a current student, an alum, or a community member, we want them to feel welcome and connected to Weber State.”

For more information and to obtain tickets, visit https://www.weber.edu/raptors.