What's new at Nationals Park for the 2026 season
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Nats Park: come for the baseball, stay for the $5 beers and dogs — just one of the many perks and experiences on tap. Photo: Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Nationals' home opener is Friday — and there's plenty to show up for: new leadership and a young team on the rise, plus a ballpark experience that's getting better, faster and more fun.
Why it matters: Nats Park is still about the game, but the team is going bigger on the experience with quicker entry, tasty new eats, cheaper beer and more room for families to hang out.
State of play: The Nats open at home against the two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers (1:05pm) with full pageantry: Budweiser Clydesdales, a military flyover and a ceremonial first pitch tied to America's 250th anniversary.
- Gates open at 11am, with face painting, balloon artists and other family-friendly activities around the park.
What's fun and new
💰 Deals!
The Nats are sticking with — and expanding — their affordability push. The team offers one of the most wallet-friendly experiences in D.C. sports if you play it right. Look for:
- $5 District tickets for D.C. residents (now available online).
- $5 Tuesdays are back with cheap concessions — including $5 beer! — plus tickets starting at $12.
- Kids 12 and under eat free again this season.
- Daily happy hour runs from gates open to first pitch with $5 beers and $6 hard seltzers.
⚡Getting in (and around) is faster
Some of the biggest upgrades this season are about convenience:
- Expanded Go-Ahead Entry lets fans walk into the stadium hands-free using facial recognition.
- The new Nationals Wallet speeds up paying for food, merch and tickets in one place.
- Grab-and-go marketplaces (including new frictionless locations) cut down concession lines.
😋 New eats
Over 40 local food and drink vendors fill the park, with everything from pupusas to Italian subs and boozy slushies. Newcomers this season:
- Coneacopia (Section 136) - Gourmet waffle cones and soft serve.
- Don Churro (Sections 113, 308) - Sweet fritters with dunking sauces.
- Eatopian Eats (Section 136) - Vegan and vegetarian Ethiopian food.
- Fuzzies Burgers (Section 105) - Dry-aged smash burgers out of B'more.
- Stuggy's Gourmet Hot Dogs (Section 105) - Dogs with fun toppings like crab mac.
Meanwhile, the Change-Up Food Hall added a foot-long, half-smoke and monument-themed chicken sandwich.
- More grab-and-go beer options (including $9 domestics) aim to keep lines moving.
👨👩👧 A bigger focus on families
The ballpark is always kid-friendly, but the Nats are going the extra inning.
- The Kids Zone is expanding with picnic tables, turf space and lawn games.
- A new interactive scavenger hunt — "The Great President's Chase" — runs on weekends
- On Sundays, kids can run the bases (starting April 19) and get autographs and giveaways.
🎁 Giveaways + theme nights get even bigger
- Mark your cals for fun giveaways like the Alex Ovechkin bobblehead (May 16) and hot dog hat (May 15).
- New theme nights include Margaritaville, NARUTO and Caribbean Heritage Day, joining faves like Pride and Pups in the Park.
📺 Bonus: Watching from home changes, too
For the first time, local games will stream directly through Nationals.TV, MLB's in-market service, with new broadcast tech like wire cams.