Astros fans were treated to an oasis of hardball in an otherwise cold winter devoid of any baseball. Minute Maid Park opened its doors to the public for the Astros annual Fan Fest event.

The gates opened at 11 am to the free event filled with autograph sessions, photo ops, and Q&A forums with some of the Astros' most famous players. For those willing to spend the cash, fans were given the opportunity to throw bullpen sessions, play catch in the outfield, or take a swing in the batting cages.

Shortly after opening to the public a press conference was broadcast throughout the park announcing the establishment of the Astros Hall of Fame. The hall will replace the outfield concourse currently referred to as "Home Run Alley," and inductees will receive a bright orange Hall of Fame blazers and plaques.

As the afternoon lingered on, the lines stretched further and further with fans looking to get a piece of Astros history. Out in right field, fans lined up for the annual "garage sale," where excess inventory from the previous season's promotions are laid out on fold out tables with bargain price tags slapped on them. In the team store located at first base, fans were scrambled to lock down their own piece of authentic Astros memorabilia. From game used jerseys to ballpark furniture, and even down to five-gallon buckets of MLB authenticated dirt from Tal's Hill, it was easy to see that there was something for everyone.

While most lines provided Astros fans with an opportunity to own a part of Astros history, one particular line on the third base line concourse provided fans with an opportunity to glimpse into the future. Those in attendance were able to sample the one of the newest beer recipes from Karbach Brewing Company, the Crawford Bock. The new beer represents a unique collaboration between the Astros and Houston's largest brewery. Fans unable to sample the new recipe will have little trouble finding it, as the installation of a field-level Karbach bar behind home plate has already begun.

The bevy of new announcements and additions to the ballpark came as a welcome surprise to all. From the young fans running the basepaths in the infield to the old fans lounging in the Crawford Boxes happily ruminating in the simple fact that they were back at the ballpark, it was apparent the the Astros latest iteration of Fan Fest was one of the most successful implementations in the past several years.