The Maryland Jockey Club has announced details for this year’s Preakness InfieldFEST, which will feature live entertainment, other events, and a $20 mug for unlimited refills of beer.
The MJC is attempting to build on its newer approach to the infield party held in conjunction with the Preakness Stakes (gr. I), which this year will be held May 21 at Pimlico Race Course.
Grammy Award winners Bruno Mars and Train will play extended sets on the main stage. Three other acts and a bikini contest will be held on a secondary stage.
Two 160-foot “MUG Club” areas will be available in the infield and another in the Top of the Stretch section. For an additional $20 to a regular admission to the infield or a Top of the Stretch ticket, fans will receive a souvenir mug with unlimited refills of beer.
“We worked through some of last year’s glitches,” MJC president Tom Chuckas said in a statement. “We did homework on our own and listened to feedback from customers to find a way to make this an even better experience.”
There also will be an infield beer garden offering $2 draft beer from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. EDT for early arrivals.
Other infield offerings include 25 concession vendors featuring local food and beverages; a “Wagering 101” tent; volleyball and corn-hole tournaments; an oxygen bar with beer pong; and carnival-style games.
Infield tickets cost $40 in advance through Ticketmaster or the Preakness ticket sales office. The price will increase to $50 Preakness week beginning May 16. The MUG Club package is $60 in advance and $70 Preakness week. Top of the Stretch seats will remain $110, with MUG Club tickets $130.
Seating information and ticket reservations are available at www.preakness.com.
In keeping with recent policy, no beverages can be brought into the infield of Top of the Stretch. Sixteen-ounce beers, served in plastic cups, will be sold for $4. Water bottles will be available for $2.
Coolers and backpacks containing food will be permitted in the infield, but coolers larger than 28 inches long by 15 inches wide by 17 inches high will be prohibited. Coolers are limited to 12 inches by 12 inches or smaller in the Top of the Stretch section.
Beach blankets and suntan lotion, cellular phones, cameras (up to 35mm), camcorders, binoculars, and lightweight plastic lawn chairs are also allowed in the infield.