Posted June 30, 2026
Toledo Mud Hens plan for festive, memorable Rock N Blast Weekend
Red, white, and blue fireworks light the sky, illuminating the faces of Toledo Mud Hens fans and commemorating Fourth of July Weekend, or Rock N Blast.
For most Mud Hens fans, the organization’s Fourth of July celebration weekend is a must-see, with the countless activities, on-theme merchandise, and postgame fireworks.
The Hens are home July 3, 4, and 5 this year due to the Minor League Baseball schedule.
“We’ve never had the third and fourth in the same year, at least for as long as I’ve been here,” Erik Ibsen, Hens General Manager, said. “Baseball and the Fourth of July just go together so well, it is a natural tie-in. It is an anchor event on the calendar for minor league teams.”
For the Hens, Fourth of July games are the second-highest in attendance behind Opening Day.
This year also marks America 250, celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The Hens are celebrating both the anniversary and the Fourth, dressing the concourse in themed decorations and hosting pregame festivals in Hensville Park.
“We are really playing into our Rock N Blast theme, that is our brand,” Taylor Vandenbroek, Mud Hens Promotions Coordinator, said. “Everything is going to be USA themed. We are rocking out, having fun, and the fireworks go along with it.”
Both games on the third and fourth have 20-minute postgame fireworks and laser shows, with pregame festivals starting at 4:30 p.m. Friday and 5:30 p.m. Saturday. The festivals include live music, inflatables, and face painting.
Street Light Curfew Cover Band starts at 4:30 p.m. Friday and the Lynyrd Skynyrd Cover Band, Turn It Up, starts at 9:30 p.m. Elton Dan and the Rocket Band, covering Elton John tunes, starts at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, followed by the Steepwater Band at 9:30 p.m.
“There will be music, activities, photo opportunities, then the game itself,” Vandenbroek said. “Who doesn’t want to be downtown? You have the beautiful cityscape around you with the fireworks going off.”
Sunday brings a postgame kids run the bases, a youth racing jersey giveaway for the first 1,000 children 12 years old or younger, and a patriotic Muddy the Mud Hen bobblehead ticket package.
A Freedom Feast package is offered for the weekend, including an all-you-can-eat feast and one ticket to the Hens game on either the third or fourth of July. Fireworks glasses will be handed out to the first 8,000 fans in the ballpark Friday and Saturday, with 4,000 LED bracelets postgame.
For nearly 30 years, Fifth Third Field has welcomed thousands of fans, both new and returning, to celebrate the Fourth of July. Families and friends who choose to spend their holiday with the Hens should be in for a fun night this year.
“It is a great way to create traditions,” Ibsen said. “It’s always been energetic around the ballpark and I know that has really transcended the last 25 years downtown.”
Tickets for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday’s games can be purchased online.
Written By: Gina Napoli