A dream realized: How Chatham-Kent earned Canadian baseball’s biggest weekend

Chatham-Kent Barnstormers owner/manager Dom Dinelle has a laugh with his players prior to their game on July 7, 2026 (Source: Brent Lale/CTV London)

Some of the Canadian Baseball League’s top talent is in Chatham-Kent this weekend as the Barnstormers host the league’s All-Star Weekend at Fergie Jenkins Field.

The two-day event features the league’s best players alongside live music, food trucks, family activities, celebrity appearances, and fireworks, turning Rotary Park into a festival celebrating baseball and the community that has embraced it.

For Barnstormers team manager Dom Dinelle, hosting the event is the culmination of a vision he first shared when bringing the franchise to town.

“What a great honor, to be honest,” Dinelle told CTV News. “When we started that project back in 2019 ... I said, ‘It’s going to be huge here in Chatham-Kent.’”

Dinelle said one of his goals from the beginning was convincing the league to bring its marquee event to the city by the team’s third season.

That vision became reality after league owners unanimously selected Chatham-Kent to host this year’s festivities.

He credits the community’s passionate support for earning that opportunity.

“We’re the smallest ballpark, but I think we’re the loudest one,” Dinelle said. “All the visitors love to come and play here because it’s loud and there’s a lot of atmosphere ... I think we deserved it and we’re going to show the league a good time.”

Fun for fans and families

Since the Barnstormers launched, the ballpark has grown from roughly 300 seats to more than 1,400, with additional bleachers, sponsors, and improvements around the facility. Dinelle said he’s expecting about 2,000 people each day over the weekend.

The celebration extends well beyond the diamond, with free live music throughout both days, inflatables for children, refreshments, celebrity guests, and a street fair surrounding the stadium.

“Family entertainment. Family fun,” Dinelle said. “Inflatables for the kids, all kinds of stuff ... it’ll be great.”

While the on-field action will showcase the league’s all-stars, Dinelle hopes the weekend also introduces new fans to Barnstormers baseball, “A lot of smiles for sure, and a lot of people happy to come and discover. Maybe some people will discover them and discover the Barnstormers as well.”

Barnstormers well represented

The host club will also have plenty of representation during Sunday’s all-star game, including infielder Thomas Green, who earned the final roster spot through a fan vote.

“It’s cool. I appreciate all the fans and all the people in Chatham-Kent and everywhere else that voted for me,” Green said. “It’s special.”

Green said playing an all-star game at home alongside several teammates makes the experience even more meaningful.

“It’s going to be a great weekend,” he said Saturday morning. “It’s really cool to be able to do it at our home ballpark. Especially with how many guys we have on our team being a part of it.”

Sunday’s festivities continue with activities beginning at 11 a.m., followed by the Canadian Baseball League All-Star Game at 2 p.m.

Organizers are encouraging residents to come out and enjoy the remainder of the weekend, whether they’re longtime baseball fans or simply looking for a family-friendly summer event.