The crack of the bat and the return of a community tradition marks the start of the season as the Mad River Valley Little League holds its annual opening day May 2.
Families, players and community members are invited to celebrate the start of the summer season with a morning parade, ceremony and full slate of games at Kingsbury Field in Waitsfield.
The event will begin with participants gathering at the Big Picture Theater parking lot before marching in a parade along Route 100 to Kingsbury Field. The parade will step off at 9 a.m., with an opening ceremony to follow shortly after.
Organizers said the day is an annual rite of spring in the Mad River Valley, bringing together players, parents and fans to kick off the season.
Parking will be available at the Big Picture Theater, and attendees are encouraged to arrive early. The road will close at 8:45 a.m., and all vehicles must be parked before that time.
Following the ceremony, games will take place throughout the day across multiple fields.
The schedule begins at 10 a.m. with Tee-Ball Gold vs. Blue on the Tee-Ball Field, Farm Baseball’s Muddy Boots vs. Griffin & Son Excavating on River Field, Minors Baseball featuring Northfield vs. Mad River Valley on Kingsbury Field and Farm Softball’s Pain Mountain vs. Mad River Valley on the Softball Field.
Additional Tee-Ball and Farm Baseball games will follow through the late morning, including matchups between Orange and Green, Purple and Red and several rotating Farm Baseball teams.
Afternoon games include Minors Softball and Minors Baseball at noon, followed by a Majors Baseball game at 2 p.m. on Kingsbury Field.
