It's almost banana ball time in Chapel Hill!

The Savannah Bananas will be taking on the Texas Tailgaters at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill's Kenan Memorial Stadium on the weekend of April 11 and 12. Before you split to watch "The Greatest Show in Sports," Chapel Hill's tourism board says there are a few things you should know.

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The Basics

If you're heading to the stadium early to catch all the fanfare ahead of the game, the Pre-Game Plaza opens at 2 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. on Sunday. Players will make some appearances after the plaza opens, and the "Before the Peel" pre-game show will kick off an hour later.

The games will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday. Gates open two hours before the first pitch. 

The weather should be warm with highs expected in the low to mid-80s. There is a chance of showers on Saturday. Be sure to download our WRAL Weather app for the latest forecast updates.

If you are looking to buy food or merch, keep in mind that Kenan Stadium is a cashless venue.

Parking

Visit Chapel Hill has a list of event parking spots, including in the town of Carrboro, Chapel Hill and around UNC's campus. You can find the full list here. The agency was highly encouraging people to use the Tar Heel Express and Chapel Hill Transit System.

Also, if you are not heading to the game and are in the area: Be prepared for some extra traffic around campus. UNC said Stadium Drive will be closed completely early that Friday to the end of Sunday, and South Road will have restricted access. Drivers should consider using alternate routes that weekend.

Fan Specials

Businesses love to get in on the excitement when the Bananas come to town, so there will be plenty of discounts and freebies for fans. Visit Chapel Hill has put together a full list of specials that you can check out at this link.

Savannah Banana K Club members also have some special deals that can be found here.

Didn't get tickets?

Unfortunately, you are out of luck unless you go through a third-party reseller.

The hardest part about watching banana ball is getting tickets to a game. Due to the high demand, the team holds a lottery before each season.

This season's lottery closed at the end of October 2025, but you can still put your name on an interest list to get news about tickets in the future. You can sign up for the interest list on the team's website at this link.

For those who missed out to Savannah Bananas tickets, there is plenty of baseball to enjoy this summer in the Triangle. Click for tickets to the Holly Springs Salamanders, Durham Bulls and Zebulon Devil Dogz.

Free Special Events

Even if you couldn't get tickets to the game, fans in the Triangle will still have a chance to enjoy some of the excitement and meet the players off the field.

On Saturday,  Dunkin’ at 1509 E. Franklin St. in Chapel Hill, will host a special fan meet-and-greet featuring players from the Savannah Bananas and Texas Tailgaters. From 9 to 11 a.m., players will step behind the counter to serve guests, take photos and sign autographs, while fans enjoy Dunkin’ merchandise and promotional gift card giveaways.

Economic Impact

The economic impact of two back to back 50,000 person events is already being felt in Chapel Hill. 

“It's huge,” said Sarah Potter, the Business Vitality Manager for the Town of Chapel Hill. “It's like having a double header football game that we have in the fall, two days in a row - which never has happened!”

Laurie Paolicelli with the Visitors Bureau says the economic boost is in extra innings - going beyond Chapel Hill.

"The ‘lift’ we call it, the occupancy and demand, is really starting to occur, and not just in Chapel Hill. We're seeing it on the interstate in Durham. We're seeing in Wake, in Alamance,” Paolicelli said. 

Out of towners arrived in Chapel Hill before the weekend began. 

"We've seen people from New York. I just heard from a family from Chicago. There's a lot of people coming from Savannah,” Paolicelli said.

Businesses are also seeing an early boost. 

"I'm expecting a game like when we play duke, basically, how the business is going to be. I already have full reservations!" said Carolina Brewery General Manager Anthony Lazzari. "We have a bus that takes you from here and brings you to the stadium and all the way back, and that's all for free as long as you spend money with us.”