The New Orleans Saints arrived at the Greenbrier Valley Airport late Wednesday afternoon to a rousing rendition of When The Saints Come Marching In played by Greenbrier East High School’s drum line with principal Jeff Bryant on trumpet. Traveling in four buses, the team toured Lewisburg and White Sulphur Springs as locals gathered and waved along the balloon festooned roadways.
Fans will have the chance this Saturday to share in the excitement of meeting the New Orleans Saints at a Picnic at the Greenbrier’s new AdvoCare Sports Performance Center. The day will include a tour of the Saints training facility, with live music and more. Tickets are for the day are $10 and are limited. They are available at greenbrier.com/picnic. Fans are advised to travel to the facility by first going to the WV state fair grounds where buses will transport them to the event at a cost of $5 each. The buses will run until 8 p.m. Wristbands are required to get on the grounds at the facility and will be available at the will-call window at the merchandise tent on the fair grounds.
The picnic event will begin with a grand opening ceremony at 3:30 p.m. Saturday with AdvoCare CEO Richard Wright, Greenbrier owner Jim Justice and political leaders making presentations. The Saints practice will begin at 4:30 p.m. followed by the picnic from 6 to 8 p.m. Fans can eat with the whole team, enjoying hamburgers, hot dogs, watermelon, potato chips and chocolate chip cookies. There will be ample opportunities at that time for autographs and photographs.
The Saints will begin a three week stay in Greenbrier Valley and put in 15 days of intense summer practices at the new 55,000 square foot AdvoCare Sports Performance Center on The Greenbrier resort’s grounds. Practice begins on Friday, July 25, from 8:50 to 11:40 a.m., and a walk-through will take place from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. All practices and walk-throughs are open to the public.
