The Tri-City Chili Peppers give baseball a glow-up and keep fans in the dark with their luminescent take on America's pastime.
When the Tri-City Chili Peppers visit Columbus in 2026, sports fans will see an age-old pastime in a whole new light.
A collegiate summer baseball team out of Colonial Heights, Virginia, the Chili Peppers have earned glowing reviews for putting a novel spin on the Great American Game.
Move over, Banana Ball, and make room for Cosmic Baseball.
It’s played just like the Great American Game, but instead of traditional floodlights at dusk, illumination comes from glow-in-the-dark baseballs, bats, bases and uniforms.
After a sold-out tour this year, the Chili Peppers will strike out on a coast-to-coast trek in 2026. The tour will include a short stop in central Ohio, where they’ll turn Huntington Park into a field of beams.
“It’s a non-traditional take on America’s pastime and baseball as a whole. UV-reactive technology under blacklights is a whole new entertaining experience,” said Columbus Clippers General Manager Tyler Parsons.
Parsons has history with Chili Peppers owner and founder, Chris Martin, so he was excited about Martin’s vision for family-friendly sports entertainment.
“It felt like a natural fit to bring Cosmic Baseball to Columbus,” Parsons said.
An exact date hasn’t been set, but the game most likely will take place in the summer, Parsons said.
Those hoping to see the Chili Peppers in action must enter the Cosmic Lottery, which will select names at random. Those chosen will be notified by text and email and they can purchase tickets until the game is sold out.
“It’s first-come, first-served, based on the capacity of the stadium,” Parsons said, adding that Huntington Park has a capacity of 10,100.
To sign up for the lottery, visit chilipeppersbaseball.com.
Who are the Tri-City Chili Peppers?
Founded in 2020, the Chili Peppers belong to the Coastal Plain League, the same league that spawned the Savannah Bananas before they became an exhibition barnstorming team.
Like the Bananas, the Chili Peppers are seen by some as a novelty team but make no mistake – they are legit baseball players, Parsons emphasized.
“You’re not going to see casual fans strut out in baseball uniforms,” he said. “It’s still a competitive baseball game with a high amount of skill involved.”
Contact features, entertainment and things to do reporter Belinda M. Paschal at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Cosmic Baseball coming to Huntington Park in Columbus in summer 2026
Category: General Sports
