The Seattle Mariners announced today that the annual Mariners FanFest, held in January each year, will not take place in January of 2018. FanFest will return in January of 2019.

The one-year FanFest hiatus is due to the Safeco Field playing surface replacement project, which was completed in November. The new grass will not be mature enough in January to allow fans to enjoy the activities on the field.

“FanFest is predicated on our fans, especially our young fans, being able to take the field, run the bases, hit a home run and play catch in the outfield,” said Kevin Mather, President & CEO. “While disappointing, we felt a one-year break in FanFest was a better option than having an event that didn’t provide the full experience our fans deserve.”

The Mariners will still bring manager Scott Servais and several players to the Northwest in January for a variety of appearances and events.

The annual Mariners Caravan (featuring players, broadcasters and staff) will visit 19 cities in Washington, Oregon and Vancouver, BC, over a three-week stretch from Jan. 8–26.