The St. Charles Parish Library will host a Mardi Gras-themed bean bag baseball event Friday, Feb. 13 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the West Regional Library.
The program, which is designed for those 18 years and older, involves players taking turns “at bat” by tossing bean bags into a specialized game board to win points for their team. The rules and scoring are like baseball. Light refreshments are served.
The library hosted its first Mardi Gras-themed bean bag baseball event last year.
Maria Bilello, the adult programming and outreach librarian at the library, said attendees are encouraged to come dressed in Mardi Gras colors and get into the spirit of the holiday.
“We will play festive Mardi Gras music and provide light refreshments for the players,” Bilello said. “The game is very easy to play and newcomers are always welcome.”
Bilello said library staff love seeing adult patrons coming out to have a good time.
“There is always lots of laughter and friendly competition,” she said. “We have had patrons make new friends at these programs and build relationships they already have through a fun bonding event.”
The library started hosting bean bag baseball events two years ago.
“The parish’s recreation department runs an extremely successful program, but it takes a break during the summer,” Bilello said. “We had patrons interested in keeping the game going while parks and rec took their break.”
In June and July, the library offers the program every Friday.
“It’s been a great way for us to offer a physical fitness program that’s engaging for adults of all ages and abilities,” Bilello said. “We have an average of 10-30 patrons participate in bean bag baseball. We have two sets of boards, so we can accommodate groups of any size.”
Bilello said the game breaks down barriers by creating a common goal and team, making it easier to start conversations and build memories with new and old friends.
“We know our patrons enjoy socializing and the competition,” she said. “Adults don’t always have the opportunity to play on a team as we get older, so a free library program accessible to everyone is something people look forward to.”
