Hundreds of Oakland sports fans gathered in Jack London Square Saturday for their own Fans’ Fest event hosted by the Oakland 68’s and Last Dive Bar.
Chad Backsen, who used to live in Oakland, flew this morning from Denver to attend Fans’ Fest, a former Oakland Athletics annual event. The A’s stopped hosting the event in 2019.
Now, Fans’ Fest is a celebration of Oakland sports clubs, such as the men’s and women’s soccer teams, Oakland Roots and Oakland Soul, the newly created baseball club, Oakland Ballers, the ultimate frisbee club, Oakland Spiders, and many more local clubs.
Oakland Athletics fan Hal Gordon, also known as “Hal the Hot Dog Guy,” who sells hot dogs at A’s games, wore a possum costume in honor of the famous possum who has appeared at the coliseum during night games since 2014.
Former A’s players Coco Crisp, Grant Balfour, Trevor May and others turned out at to greet fans, sign autographs and pose for photos.
Read the full story here and see more photos from the event.
Oakland Athletics fans attend the Fan’s Fest event hosted by the Oakland 68’s and Last Dive Bar in and outside Bloc15 warehouse in Jack London district in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Former Oakland Athletics star outfielder Coco Crisp, right, signs autographs and takes photos with fans during the Fan’s Fest event hosted by the Oakland 68’s and Last Dive Bar at Bloc15 warehouse in Jack London district in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. . (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
An Oakland Ballers cap is placed atop the statute of Civil Rights activist CL Dellums during the Fan’s Fest event hosted by the Oakland 68’s and Last Dive Bar at Bloc15 warehouse in Jack London district in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Protest posters against Oakland Athletics president Dave Kaval, left, and A’s owner John Fisher are displayed during the Fan’s Fest event hosted by the Oakland 68’s and Last Dive Bar in and outside Bloc15 warehouse in Jack London district in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Hundreds of Oakland Athletics fans attend the Fan’s Fest event hosted by the Oakland 68’s and Last Dive Bar in and outside Bloc15 warehouse in Jack London district in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Former Oakland Athletics star pitcher Grant Balfour takes photos with fans during the Fan’s Fest event hosted by the Oakland 68’s and Last Dive Bar at Bloc15 warehouse in Jack London district in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
An Oakland Athletics fan holds a ball autographed by Oakland Athletics star pitcher Grant Balfour during the Fan’s Fest event hosted by the Oakland 68’s and Last Dive Bar at Bloc15 warehouse in Jack London district in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics fans Jennie Drummond, left, of Benicia, and Chad Backsen, who used to live in Oakland and flew this morning from Denver to attend the Fan’s Fest event, look on during the event hosted by the Oakland 68’s and Last Dive Bar at Bloc15 warehouse in Jack London district in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics fans attend the Fan’s Fest event hosted by the Oakland 68’s and Last Dive Bar in and outside Bloc15 warehouse in Jack London district in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
A fan carries a backpack featuring Oakland Athletics mascot Stomper during the Fan’s Fest event hosted by the Oakland 68’s and Last Dive Bar in and outside Bloc15 warehouse in Jack London district in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
American Cheese band and Oakland Athletics fans perform during the Fan’s Fest event hosted by the Oakland 68’s and Last Dive Bar in and outside Bloc15 warehouse in Jack London district in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Former Oakland Athletics star pitcher Trevor May sign autographs to fans during the Fan’s Fest event hosted by the Oakland 68’s and Last Dive Bar at Bloc15 warehouse in Jack London district in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics fans Ryan Brown and his 5-year-old twin daughters, Maple, left, and Birdie, of Walnut Creek, attend the Fan’s Fest event hosted by the Oakland 68’s and Last Dive Bar in and outside Bloc15 warehouse in Jack London district in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
An Oakland Athletics fan sports a jacket during the Fan’s Fest event hosted by the Oakland 68’s and Last Dive Bar at Bloc15 warehouse in Jack London district in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)