Why Opening Day in St. Louis is the Ultimate Baseball Holiday

It’s Called Baseball Heaven For A Reason

I have had the chance to cover some of the biggest sporting events around the country. But for me, nothing compares to Opening Day for the Cardinals.

In St. Louis, Opening Day isn’t just a baseball game; it’s an unofficial civic holiday. Kids skip school and adults skip work – and no one seems to care (other than jealousy). While every city celebrates the return of baseball, the Cardinals have turned their home opener into a choreographed spectacle of history and local pride that is arguably the most elaborate in Major League Baseball.

Here is why it’s such a massive deal:

1. The Red Jacket Motorcade

The most iconic tradition is the Hall of Fame parade. St. Louis is obsessed with its history, and every year, the team’s living legends—men like Ozzie Smith, Albert Pujols, and Mark McGwire—don their signature red blazers and ride around the warning track in a fleet of convertibles. Seeing the “greats” pass the torch to the current roster is a sentimental rite of passage for fans.+2

2. The Budweiser Clydesdales

Because of the deep-rooted history between the Cardinals and the Anheuser-Busch brewery, the Budweiser Clydesdales are the stars of the pregame show. They gallop around the warning track to the tune of “Here Comes the King,” pulling the iconic beer wagon. For many St. Louisans, the sound of those hooves on the dirt is the official signal that winter is finally over.+1

3. A “Baseball Heaven” Culture

St. Louis is a mid-sized market that consistently punches into the top three in MLB attendance. The city’s identity is inextricably linked to the team.

• The Sea of Red: Downtown St. Louis essentially shuts down. Fans flood the streets and Ballpark Village (the entertainment district next to the stadium) hours before the gates open, creating a massive, city-wide party.
• Multi-Generational Tradition: It’s common for fans to travel from all over the “Cardinals Territory” (which spans several states due to the historic reach of KMOX radio) to maintain decades-long family traditions of attending the opener.

4. The “St. Louis Way” of Pageantry

The Cardinals go to great lengths to make the opener feel “grand.” The ceremony often lasts over an hour and includes:

• Current players being introduced via Ford F-150 trucks (a nod to local manufacturing).
• The team owner and front office being introduced on the field.
• Massive flyovers and elaborate National Anthem performances (like Adam Wainwright singing it himself in 2023).

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How To Do Opening Day in St. Louis Like A Pro

Opening Day is typically in the afternoon on a Thursday or Friday. So you might as well make it a couple of days and nights so you don’t have to rush.

Where To Stay:

Do it right and stay at Union Station.

Get there on the afternoon prior to opening day so you have plenty of time to explore the history of the historic train station and hotel. While you are there, you can also hit the aquarium and the Wheel. Then it’s dinner at The Pitch, which is a sports bar also inside Union Station.

But make sure you save time to grab a drink in the lobby so you can enjoy the laser light show in the grand atrium.

Breakfast is in the….. then you can begin your pilgramage to the stadium by noon. Once you are in the stadium area, take time for lunch or a drink at Ballpark Village.

But no matter what you do, make sure you are in your seat at least 90 minutes prior to the first pitch. If you get there when the game is starting, you already missed the biggest part of the day.

After the game, it’s time to do a 360. The rooftop bar and restaurant is where the who’s who of St. Louis go after the game. You might see former Cardinals, or current Blues players having a drink by the fire overlooking the Gateway Arch.

And if you are able to pack all of that in, you have done St. Louis Cardinals opening day about the best way possible.