Baseball season is officially back! As a Southern California native, I grew up as an avid Dodger fan and I continue that tradition whenever I take my family to a game. There is no feeling that compares to entering Dodger Stadium and hearing the sound of cheering fans and the smell of fresh-cut grass and of course, Dodger Dogs!

In Santa Clarita, we take pride in tradition, and one of our oldest traditions is SCV Dodger Day. After having to take a pause on the event due to the pandemic, we are so excited to bring Dodger Day back so that we can offer this wonderful, family-friendly night to the residents of the Santa Clarita Valley. The 43rd Santa Clarita Dodger Day takes place on Saturday, May 14, at 7:10 p.m. when our hometown Los Angeles Dodgers take on the Philadelphia Phillies at Chavez Ravine. This game is a perfect opportunity to enjoy a night out with friends and family while watching the 2020 World Series Champions fight their way toward another championship.

Whether you attend 10 games a year or have never been to see the Dodgers play in person, Dodger Day is a great way to spend time with other members of our community and support the team you love. As a special bonus, every SCV Dodger Day ticket holder will receive a unique event T-shirt as a part of their purchase. At the game, the Dodgers are also giving away a Don Drysdale bobblehead to fans while supplies last!

With gas prices on the rise, I encourage residents to take advantage of Santa Clarita Transit’s bus route to the game this year. You will be able to board a Santa Clarita Transit bus to and from Dodger Stadium from two locations in Santa Clarita. Tickets for the bus can be purchased for $3 per person and can be paid for in cash, with a TAP card or through the Token Transit mobile app upon boarding the bus.

There will be one bus available at each pickup location, the McBean Regional Transit Center and the Via Princessa Metrolink Station, to get fans to the game about an hour before the first pitch. The buses will depart Dodger Stadium to return to Santa Clarita 45 minutes after the game concludes. Each bus offers 57 seats, and seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. You can learn more about the shuttle schedule at SCV Dodger Day.

If you were unable to purchase Dodger Day tickets through the city, you can still find seats for the game through other ticketing platforms. While these won’t include the event T-shirt, you can still get your hands on the bobblehead and meet your friends at the game.

I hope you have a wonderful time at the game and Go Dodgers!

Ken Striplin is the City Manager for the city of Santa Clarita and can be reached at kstriplin@santa-clarita.com.