The Kane County Cougars will host Military Appreciation Night on Saturday, July 2 when they take on the Quad Cities River Bandits in a 6:30 p.m. game. The evening will feature a variety of special events to recognize and honor the sacrifices of both active duty and veterans as well as their families. For tickets, call the Cougars box office at 630-232-8811 or visit www.kccougars.com.

Big Band Boom! will kick off the festivities with a pre-game concert set to begin at 4:45 p.m. An 18-piece modern jazz ensemble, Big Band Boom! performs live jazz and swing music including a Patriotic song selection. Gates will open at 4:30 p.m. and the first 1,500 fans, age 21 and older, will receive a camo sling bag courtesy of Miller Lite. Military vehicles, courtesy of Cantigny Park, will also be on display.

Rolling Thunder, a non-profit organization that works to educate the public on issues involving POW’s and MIA’s, will ride motorcycles around the warning track on the field as part of a pre-game ceremony to honor all branches of the military. In addition, Mel Kehr, a retired Navy Seal from Rolling Thunder, will perform the National Anthem.

Cougars players and coaches will wear special Military Honor Photo jerseys for the game featuring fan-submitted military portraits of men and women who have served or are currently serving in the Armed Forces. Created by Cougars graphic designer, Emmet Broderick, the photo collage will be laid out on the shoulders of the jersey to symbolize that we carry the weight of those who protect our freedom upon our shoulders.

Fans who are interested in bidding on the first-ever Military Honor Photo jersey to ever be worn by a Minor or Major League team, will be given the opportunity to do so both at the game and online via a silent auction. The online portion of the silent auction will run from Monday, July 11 until July 18. Details regarding the online jersey auction will be announced on kccougars.com.

Proceeds from the Military Honor Photo jersey silent auction will benefit the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans. Located in Wheaton, the mission of MSHV is to provide veterans and their families with housing and support services throughout several areas in Illinois including Kane and DuPage counties. For more information about MSHV and the services they provide, visit www.helpaveteran.org.

Following the game, fans will be treated to a spectacular patriotic themed fireworks show, presented by Miller Lite, with the opportunity to run the bases following the show.

Active duty military personnel and their immediate families will be given free admission to the game with the proof of their military ID at the box office when ordering tickets. Veterans are encouraged to visit vettix.org to receive complimentary tickets for the game on July 2. For more information, or with any questions, contact the Cougars ticket office at 630-232-8811.

Veterans and active duty military from several groups including the Illinois National Guard, Cantigny Park and Heels for Combat Boots are also scheduled to attend.

About the Kane County Cougars

The Cougars, Class-A Minor League affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, have been at the forefront of family-friendly entertainment since 1991. In 2015, the franchise became the first Class-A team in Minor League Baseball history to welcome 11 million fans through the gates. More than 130 former Cougars have reached the Major Leagues including Miguel Cabrera, Adrian Gonzalez and Kyle Schwarber. Follow the Cougars on kccougars.com, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram all season long for updates on tickets and promotions.