HAGERSTOWN – As the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars wrap up their second year at Meritus Park and the baseball season glides into September, the stadium provides local fans with enjoyable options that transcend typical sporting events. Social happenings at the venue complement a baseball game and then go further, offering memorable moments for people of all ages.
The multi-use park earned rave reviews since opening in May 2024, drawing 175,000 fans during its debut season. While the Boxcars strive to build a roster that will enable them to better compete against the league’s best teams, the fan experience at Meritus Park has been at the top of the standings since day one.
The Boxcars are members of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, an association of 10 teams that stretches from New York state to North Carolina to Kentucky. Headlined by regional powerhouse teams from Lancaster and York (combined, those two teams won the last three ALPB championships), baseball lovers enjoy an opportunity to attend 60 seasonal home games to witness an impressive pool of East Coast baseball talent. All this action takes place in a stadium that serves as the crown jewel of Hagerstown’s continuing downtown revitalization.
During the inaugural season, most visitors arrived to simply watch a baseball game; the team averages over 2,700 fans per contest. Then they discovered that all the supporting activities surrounding the game are equally entertaining. The Boxcars’ front office had vowed to host a quality baseball experience and also to bolster Hagerstown’s culture and be a good neighbor. To date, sporting an enthusiastic community-oriented game plan, the Boxcars franchise has lived up to those promises.
The stadium accommodates 5,500 fans for baseball (more for music concerts), but with many activity areas outside the traditional grandstands, the venue feels even more spacious. A main promenade runs through the stadium like a friendly main street, passing among evenly spaced vendors with aeronautical themes.
Still, the stadium’s scale fits Hagerstown perfectly, and the facility’s design produced a seating bowl where all seats offer great views for baseball. Another fortuitous element of Meritus Park is that this main seating area offers fans comfortable evening shade.
Activities for young fans are plentiful, with the prime host being “Stryker,” the Boxcars mascot. Stryker’s happy antics easily win the hearts of kids and adults. It’s impossible to stifle a grin when this charmer roams the park, even if the home team is having an off day. At a recent game, a young boy stood beside Stryker near home plate and shouted, “Play ball,” to officially start the Boxcars game. A children’s play area in right field is another great amenity for kids.
Outside the leftfield foul line, the Meinelschmidt Bar is a sociable place for adults to watch the game and mingle with fellow fans. At a Thursday night game against league-leading Lancaster, a bassett hound bellied up to the 360-degree bar beside its owner. They hung out together on the bar’s western side, facing the game’s action. A westerly breeze complemented pleasant evening temperatures, bringing the aroma of vendors’ wares down from the stands. The bar offers a first-rate variety of adult beverages, from the expected beer selection (including local brews) to cocktails and canned specialty drinks.
Beyond the leftfield fence, a private party snacked on picnic food and gathered under blue umbrellas on a large patio, watching the Boxcars battle the Barnstormers. Since Meritus Park is more intimate than a big-league ballpark, the crack of the bat and the cheering crowd are easily heard at this outfield section, which fans can reserve for a memorable group or family outing.
Another bar, called the Power Alley Pub, quenched fans’ thirsts behind the rightfield fence, with casual seating providing a view of the diamond’s action. Hanging above the bar is a glowing neon transport plane, symbolic of the famous aircraft once manufactured in Hagerstown, which serves as the namesake for the Flying Boxcars baseball team. Within these park sections, the prevailing mood is appreciative fans who support the Boxcars, but with the relaxed social atmosphere at Meritus Park, they don’t fret over every pitch.
Between innings, fans’ attention focuses on fun activities for both adults and children. One contest involves Krumpe’s donuts, a cherished local tradition. In another competition, costumed characters start a simulated race in Hagerstown’s nearby City Park, appearing remotely on the gigantic video scoreboard, and then they magically burst onto the field to sprint toward a neck-and-neck finish at home plate. Also, during game breaks, clever sound effects (like the ominous Jaws musical theme and funny quotes from other iconic movies) add a touch of humor to the evening.
The menu at Meritus Park provides reasonably priced fare with a nice variety of upgraded choices. With prices ranging from $3 to $19, fans can choose a meal that pleases their stomachs and their wallets. From hot dogs to Maryland crab cakes to barbecue and cheesesteaks, Meritus Park serves up better-than-average ballpark food. The brisket burnt end sausages ($10) and pulled pork barbeque sandwich ($14) are both excellent choices. Meritus Park is a cashless facility, so a debit or credit card is required to purchase food/drinks or souvenirs at the team store.
Considering all these activities and amenities, combined with exciting minor league baseball action, it’s not too late to catch a game this season. The Boxcars host Lancaster from Tuesday, Sept. 9, to Thursday, Sept. 11, and then close out the home season against the Staten Island Ferryhawks, with a three-game weekend series from the 12th to the 14th. Fireworks follow the game on Sept. 12. Game times are 6:30 p.m. on weekdays, 6 p.m. on Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays. Hagerstown’s 2025 season ends on Sept. 18 at Gastonia, North Carolina, against the Ghost Peppers.
However, Meritus Park’s season doesn’t end with the baseball schedule. On Sept. 18 and 25, the venue continues its “Non-Gameday Thirsty Thursdays” from 5-9 p.m. at the Meinelschmidt Bar. Live music acts entertain from 6-8 p.m., and fans can enjoy deals on food and beverages. On Saturday, Oct. 18, Meritus Park presents “Boxtoberfest,” a craft beer and music festival from 12-5 p.m. Later that month, the stadium hosts “Stryker’s Spooktacular,” a free trick-or-treat event for children on Oct. 26 from 12-2 p.m.
To finish off an active year, Meritus Park will welcome the holiday season with weekend “Diamondfest” events (learn more at: diamondfesthagerstown.com) from 5:30 to 9 p.m., Fridays through Sundays, from Nov. 21 to Dec. 21. Local fans’ attention will likely be focused on winter sports by then, but some Meritus Park visitors may already be dreaming about a soaring 2026 Boxcar season that eventually lands a baseball championship in Hagerstown.
