Daybreak Opening Night 2026

Yesterday was the Salt Lake Bees home opener, and with it came the start of another season at the ballpark in Daybreak. It almost felt like a bonus night for us. Our season tickets didn’t include Opening Day this year, but thanks to Alison’s employer, Cox Automotive, we were able to snag Terrace Club seats, something we had really enjoyed a couple of times last season. We were excited to be back.

The weather, which had been unseasonably warm, decided to remind us it’s still spring in Utah. It cooled off just in time for first pitch. Not ideal, but nothing a few extra layers couldn’t fix. We bundled up and headed over right after work, making a point to get there early since dinner was included with our tickets and we were definitely hungry. We arrived right as the gates opened and had that familiar Opening Day buzz walking into the stadium.

Madeline was all in from the moment we got there. She kept saying “baseball” over and over, which was about as cute as it gets. We checked the stroller and were excited to see the same friendly faces running stroller check again this season. From there, we made our way toward the Terrace Club, slowly. Madeline had other plans. She wanted to explore everything, stopping, running, and taking it all in.

On the way, we ran into one of her favorites, Bumble. She lit up when she saw him, then immediately got a little shy once we got close. She couldn’t stop staring during the picture, and as we walked away she gave him a wave. Bumble reached out for a high five, and after a quick moment of hesitation, she leaned in and gave him one. It was a perfect little interaction.

We eventually made it to the Terrace Club and grabbed dinner. The buffet had a fun Mexican theme with taquitos, carnitas, and a southwest salad, all really good. But for Madeline, there was only one thing that mattered, cookies. Alison grabbed a small cookie for Madeline and a bigger one for herself, which Madeline found deeply offensive. Naturally, she ended up with the bigger cookie. We also ran into a few neighbors up there, which made it feel even more like the start of the season, catching up, talking baseball, and settling back into the rhythm of ballpark nights.

After dinner, we grabbed some popcorn and found our seats. Madeline loves popcorn, so we paced her carefully, breaking it into safe pieces as we went. We were sitting near some of Alison’s coworkers and settled in to watch the game.

The Bees fell behind early, but things turned quickly in the fourth inning with back-to-back home runs. Madeline loved every second of it, the fireworks, the cheering, the energy. She clapped, danced, and soaked it all in. Honestly, that’s one of my favorite parts of bringing her to games. She may not understand everything yet, but she absolutely feels it.

In the fourth inning, we got our first produce race of the season. Madeline was completely locked in. Mac the apple jumped out to an early lead, but we were firmly rooting for Mellie the watermelon. I love that she’s already into the quirky little traditions that make going to games so fun.

At this point, though, sitting still was becoming optional. Now that she’s fully mobile, keeping her contained to our seats is a bit of a challenge. She mostly wanted to wander, but luckily we had a little extra space to work with, which helped.

By the fifth inning, we were pushing past bedtime and it started to show. Madeline got a little fussy, so I changed her into her jammies and we split another cookie, no complaints there. The Terrace Club dessert spread was impressive, complete with an ice sculpture.

Mads and I rejoined the crew at our seats and we enjoyed the game right up to the seventh-inning stretch. She was completely caught off guard when the entire stadium stood up and started singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” but she loved it. Clapping along, looking around, taking it all in.

Not long after that, we decided to call it a night. It was getting close to 9pm, and we made our way back to the stroller and headed out. On our way out, the Bees took the lead on another home run. They went on to explode for 10 runs across the seventh and eighth innings and closed it out with a 13–5 win. A pretty great way to start the season.

On our way out, we had one more run-in with Bumble, which Madeline was very excited about. As soon as she saw him, she wanted to stop, say hello, and of course get another picture. This time she was much more comfortable, walking right up to him and soaking it all in. It was the perfect way to end the night, one last little ballpark moment before heading home.

Madeline fell asleep on the way home, but we learned something new, she’s officially at the stage where transferring her from the stroller is no longer easy. I gave it a shot, but she popped right back up. No problem. We read a couple of books, and she went down just fine.

I’m really glad baseball is back. There’s something about this time of year, settling into the routine of games, evenings at the ballpark, and all the little traditions that come with it. And getting to experience it all with Mads makes it even better. She loves the energy, the noise, the excitement, and I have a feeling that’s exactly how a lifelong love of baseball begins.