‘It’s Christmas’: Diehard Red Sox fans gather outside Fenway Park hours ahead of home opener

BOSTON — Some Boston Red Sox fans arrived at Fenway Park before 5 a.m. Friday for the 2026 home opener.

For one group of friends, Opening Day is a tradition they’ll never miss.

“We don’t see each other for 364 days a year but the 365th - it’s family and it’s Christmas,” fan Mike Columbare said.

Columbare said he’s been one of the first fans outside of Fenway Park for the last 25 years.

Opening Day is a day to celebrate the start of the Red Sox season, but this year, it’s also a time to look ahead after a rough 1-5 start on the road.

“Obviously, we all want to make the playoffs,” Drew Sutherland said. “We’re a pretty young team; hopefully, the pitching we spent on can solidify a little better.”

While it’s a chilly kickoff to what fans hope will be a lengthy baseball season, Columbare came prepared.

“25 years later, I finally figured this out for the cold weather,” Columbare said. “Battery pack, heating pad, insulated blankets, mom knitted me a throw to bring with me every year.”

Home-opener decor, such as blue, red, and white balloons, could be seen down Landsdowne Street well ahead of the 2:10 first pitch.

Bars like Game On said they’re prepared to serve thousands of customers throughout the day.

“It’s the kickoff to everything, and then as the season plays out and hopefully we make it to the playoffs, keep going that way, then we’ll see a really busy October as well,” Tyler Hall with the Lyons Group said outside of Game On.

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