Expos Fest sells out in 52 minutes

Expos Fest 2025 sold out in record time. Photo: ExposFest

December 15, 2024

By Danny Gallagher

Canadian Baseball Network

Jersey Retirement Night at Expos Fest in suburban Montreal on April 26 sold out really quick.

Like in 52 minutes, breaking the previous mark of five hours for the 2023 event by a landslide.

After the tickets went on sale at 10 a.m. E.T. on Dec. 14, a little more than 1,000 people purchased ducats at $200 a pop. An astounding response.

"It tells me the Expos are alive and well in the hearts of Expos fans,'' Expos Fest founder Perry Giannias said in an interview.

Uniform numbers had been retired by the Expos years ago for Rusty Staub (10), Andre Dawson (10), Gary Carter (8) and Tim Raines (30) but Giannias and the folks at Expos Fest are going the classy extra mile to retire numbers for eight other individuals.

To be honoured in April are majority owner Charles Bronfman (83), players Claude Raymond (16), Vladimir Guerrero (27), Steve Rogers (45), Tim Wallach (29), Jeff Reardon (41) and Larry Walker (33) and manager Felipe Alou (17).

Also attending as special guests are Bill Lee, Al Oliver, Wilton Guerrero, Mel Rojas, Jose Vidro, Moises Alou and Denis Boucher, announcer Dave Van Horne and an extra-special guest of honour will be feted -- Gary Carter's wife Sandy.

Admission to the popular autograph festival includes a four-course dinner, beer, wine and autographs. Proceeds from the event will go to support the Kat Demes Pavilion at Montreal Children's Hospital.

Most of Danny Gallagher's Expos books are available on Amazon, discounted by 25% until Jan. 3.