Redsfest in the black

From the Reds yesterday:

In figures released Wednesday, Kahn’s Redsfest 2006, presented by Great American Insurance Group raised $167,000 for the Reds Community Fund.

The eighth annual fan festival was held last weekend at Duke Energy Center downtown and drew a record number of fans. The official attendance figures of 7,251 for Friday’s session and 10,829 on Saturday were first- and second-day records. Total attendance was a record 18,080.

“Redsfest was an enormous success. Thank you to our fans for attending, and I am grateful to our sponsors and players for making this one of Major League Baseball’s most extravagant celebrations,” said Reds chief executive officer Bob Castellini. “Redsfest entertained fans of every age and magnified the power of the Reds’ tradition.”

Added Charley Frank, executive director of the Reds Community Fund, “Redsfest helped generate the type of exposure and financial support we’ve never experienced previously. It was exciting for the community fund to be featured so prominently throughout the event and to see so many of our kids, coaches, volunteers and partners participating in different ways. The team’s passion for connecting kids and baseball was unmistakable.”

The event - which includes fan interaction, autographs and photos with current and former players along with celebrity whiffle ball and poker tournaments - was not held in 2004 or 2005 because of construction on the convention center.

Redsfest 2007 tentatively is scheduled for December 7-8 at the Duke Energy Center.