Here are a few of the events scheduled for this year’s celebration!
Events throughout the year will be posted here. If you have a Women in Baseball event to share, contact us at info@womeninbaseballweek.org
2026
Champaign County History Museum: Dorothy Schroeder and the All-American Girls’ Professional Baseball League (Champaign, IL, USA) Through 2027
The IWBC is teaming up with Old Fort Baseball Co. in launching the Support Women’s Baseball campaign. From the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League to today’s rising stars, women have always had a place in the game. It’s time more people knew it. A portion of proceeds from every shirt sold goes directly to the IWBC and our mission to preserve the history and advance the future of women’s baseball. Find the right shirt for you and your baseball family at Old Fort Baseball Co.
In this cinematic episode of Unstoppable Podcast, we tell the remarkable story of Alta Weiss—the pitcher who captured headlines across Ohio and inspired generations of women who would follow.
Lori is joined by Dr. Leslie Heaphy, president of the board of the International Women’s Baseball Center, vice president of SABR, chair of SABR’s Women in Baseball Committee, and associate professor of history at Kent State University. Together, they explore Alta’s baseball career, her life beyond the game, and why her story still resonates more than a century later.
Listen at Unstoppable.
A special exhibit has been added to the Rockford Peaches exhibit at Midway Village Museum for the months of July and August.
Joyce Hill Westerman (1925-2021) grew up in Kenosha playing in the county softball league and in an industrial league. In 1945, Hill joined the All American Girls Professional Baseball League Players Association as catcher for the Grand Rapids Chicks. Upon her death in 2021, Westerman left the mementoes of her baseball career with her granddaughter, Tracy Sunday. We are ever grateful to Sunday for loaning the collection to Midway Village Museum for display from July 1 to Aug. 31, 2026. On display will be Westerman’s warm-up jacket, cap and glove, patches, signed baseballs, league programs, and many photos of her years in the League. Plan your visit here.
The International Women’s Baseball Center (IWBC) invites you to celebrate the Grand Re-Opening of Beyer Stadium at Maybelle Blair Park. This milestone event showcases the historic Stadium’s restoration and reaffirms IWBC’s commitment to expanding opportunities for girls and women in baseball. The occasion also honors the legacy of Maybelle Blair, a pioneering athlete and advocate whose impact continues to inspire generations of players. IWBC welcomes partners, fans and community members to join for a day of baseball, connection and celebration. Admission is free and all ages are welcome.
Presented by IWBC, the Grand Re-Opening of Beyer Stadium at Maybelle Blair Park is Saturday, July 18, 2026. Festivities begin at 1 p.m. and feature special guest speakers — including IWBC co-founder, women’s baseball pioneer, and sports trailblazer Maybelle Blair — an official ribbon-cutting ceremony, ceremonial first pitch, photo opportunities, food and beverages, and the first game ever played at the restored Stadium. Special thanks to the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation and the Amazin’ Mets Foundation, lead partners in the restoration project. Visit www.IWBC.org to learn more about IWBC.
More Than A Game: A Community History of Baseball & Softball presented by Beer Nuts Brand Snacks & the Shirk Family explores 150 years of history.
Changes in racial and gender equality, leisure time, and technology played out on local diamonds across the country. McLean County is no exception.
Admission to the exhibit is included with general museum admission. The McLean County Museum of History is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Tuesdays, admission is FREE and we’re open late until 8 p.m. On Saturdays, we offer free admission during the Downtown Bloomington Farmers Market until Noon. Click here to plan your visit.
Charlotee Museum of History: ¡Pleibol! In the Barrios and the Big Leagues (Charlotte, NC, USA) July 18, 2026 – October 18, 2026
We are proud to be hosting the 11th annual BFA Nationals, the largest girls’ baseball tournament in the United States, in Rockford, IL: home of the Rockford Peaches and the All-American Girls’ Professional Baseball League.
All players and coaches will also get the extraordinary opportunity to watch the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup Qualifiers, hosted by the International Women’s Baseball Conference, which will also be held in Rockford, IL during the same week. For updates, stay tuned to BFA Nationals.
Use promo code ROCKFORD26 for 25% off anything in Ellen Lindner’s Etsy store, including the popular Lost Diamonds comic book series, the Cranklet’s Chronicles, and additional comics, trading cards, and art. Visit littlewhitebird and celebrate Women in Baseball Week!
The IWBC is partnering with Bucciferro Family McDonald’s to celebrate the power of women’s baseball during the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup Group Stage 2026! Together, we’re honoring the legacy of Maybelle Blair, supporting families in need, and creating memorable experiences for fans all week long. Check out the details:
Maybelle Blair Meal (July 21–26): Enjoy the Maybelle Blair Meal at participating Rockford-area Bucciferro Family McDonald’s restaurants. A portion of every meal sold benefits the International Women’s Baseball Center, and fans can redeem exclusive Maybelle Blair-inspired red sunglasses at the July 25 evening Women’s Baseball World Cup game (while supplies last).
Ronald McDonald House Charities Donation Drive (July 22–26): Help support Ronald McDonald House Charities of Madison by bringing the following requested household essentials to Rivets Stadium throughout the tournament: paper towels, disinfectant wipes, unscented laundry detergent pods, dryer sheets, dishwasher detergent pods, 13-gallon trash bags, and toilet paper.
Mascot & Superhero Night (July 25): Ronald McDonald returns to Rockford for the first time in nearly a decade! Join Ronald, Grimace, Hamburglar, Birdie, and other local mascots for an unforgettable evening of family fun, including the ceremonial first pitch and photo opportunities with Ronald McDonald. Attending kids are encouraged to dress as their favorite superhero!
The WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup is an international tournament for women’s national baseball teams, sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC). The 2026 group stage will be hosted right here in Rockford, Illinois, by the IWBC. Stay tuned to iwbc.org/worldcup/ for updates on schedules, hotels, and tickets.
Our 2026 AAGPBL Reunion will be held in Rockford, IL. Save the date! July 22nd – 26th! More information to follow! First step, register as an associate member on our website to receive VIP emails and updates. We can’t wait for you to join us!
Join us for a special Player & Cast Meet & Greet with Q&A featuring real AAGPBL players along with cast members from the beloved film A League of Their Own at Rockford’s Midway Village Museum. Hear incredible behind-the-scenes stories, learn what it was really like to play in the historic league and bring the story to the big screen, and ask your burning questions during this fun and interactive session. Tickets and more information at Girls of Summer.
📅 Tuesday, July 28
🕡 6:30 p.m.
📍 Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum
The event is FREE and open to the public. Autographs and merchandise will be available following the discussion. For more details, click here.
Dirt in the Skirt started in 2024 as a women-focused slo-pitch charity tournament and community event rooted in respect for the women who came before us and the women playing today. Inspired by the trailblazing athletes of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League of the 1940s, Giving back is a core part of every Dirt in the Skirt tournament. In each city, a local charity or organization is chosen annually as the donation recipient, allowing every event to make a meaningful local impact while bringing people together around a shared cause, and of course, our love for the game!
For information on the Barrie Tournament at Barrie Sports Complex, visit Dirt in the Skirt.
This summer, four teams—Boston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco—will go head-to-head across a six-week regular season to fight for position in the first-ever WPBL Playoffs, culminating in September’s WPBL Championship. For schedule details and ticket information, visit WPBL.
Baraboo Parks, Recreation & Forestry Department: Girls Baseball Camp (Baraboo, WI, USA) August 4 – 27, 2026
We are gearing up for summer, so we thought it would be a great time to give you a sneak peek at something new. Champs on the Diamond is our brand new girls baseball camp that helps young athletes build skills, confidence, and a love for the game. Stay tuned for registration details because you will not want to miss the fun on the field. Registration will open April 20. More information can be found at Champs on the Diamond.
This summer, four teams—Boston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco—will go head-to-head across a six-week regular season to fight for position in the first-ever WPBL Playoffs, culminating in September’s WPBL Championship. For schedule details and ticket information, visit WPBL.
This summer, four teams—Boston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco—will go head-to-head across a six-week regular season to fight for position in the first-ever WPBL Playoffs, culminating in September’s WPBL Championship. For schedule details and ticket information, visit WPBL.
This summer, four teams—Boston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco—will go head-to-head across a six-week regular season to fight for position in the first-ever WPBL Playoffs, culminating in September’s WPBL Championship. For schedule details and ticket information, visit WPBL.
In honor of Women in Sports Night, the first 1,000 fans to enter the ballpark will receive a talking bobblehead of Sea Dogs broadcaster Emma Tiedemann, who has made history as part of the first all female team to call a Boston Red Sox game. The bobblehead features one of Tiedemann’s historic Sea Dogs radio calls. | Presented By Planet Fitness Tickets at Sea Dogs.
Please welcome Megan Cavanagh to #CSCC2026 at the Broadmoor World Arena! Megan is best known for her role as Marla Hooch in A League of Their Own, one of the most unforgettable members of the Rockford Peaches. Don’t miss your chance to meet her during our A League of Their Own Theme Week! Buy tickets now at www.cscomiccon.com!
The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) awarded hosting rights for the second group of the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup Group Stage 2026 to the Chinese Taipei Baseball Association (CTBA), which will host the tournament in Tainan from August 23 to 27.
CTBA will host the event at the Asia-Pacific International Baseball Stadiums and Training Centres (ASPAC) in Annan. The complex, which CTBA designated as the home of the Chinese Taipei National Teams, consists of two standard stadiums, two youth stadiums, two infield training fields, six outdoor pitching/batting training lanes and an indoor training facility.
For more information, visit WBSC.
This summer, four teams—Boston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco—will go head-to-head across a six-week regular season to fight for position in the first-ever WPBL Playoffs, culminating in September’s WPBL Championship. For schedule details and ticket information, visit WPBL.
This summer, four teams—Boston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco—will go head-to-head across a six-week regular season to fight for position in the first-ever WPBL Playoffs, culminating in September’s WPBL Championship. For schedule details and ticket information, visit WPBL.
This summer, four teams—Boston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco—will go head-to-head across a six-week regular season to fight for position in the first-ever WPBL Playoffs, culminating in September’s WPBL Championship. For schedule details and ticket information, visit WPBL.
Join us for the Second Annual Steel City Showcase in Pittsburgh, September 18-20, 2026. All the details are on our website. Maximum of four teams to guarantee multiple games per team. More info at Greenfield Girls Baseball.
Visitors to World War II Days engage in elaborate 1940s displays in historical buildings on the museum’s 148-acre campus, which becomes the back drop of a European village during World War II. This military re-enactment is known to be the largest in the Midwest and draws thousands of visitors yearly to the Rockford region and the museum grounds.. Rockford Peaches team reenactors (Sunday only), women’s baseball merchandise, and more are always part of the schedule. More info at World War II Days.
Baseball Victoria is excited to host the 2026 Barclay Cup from Sunday 27 September to Saturday 3 October, while also introducing a new tournament which will be played at the same time: the Under 21 Women’s Invitational.
Springvale Lions Baseball Club – Barclay Cup
Upwey Ferntree Gully Baseball Club – Under 21 Women’s Invitational
The Barclay Cup will feature seven to ten teams of 13-to-16-year-old girls from across the country coming together to participate in an action-packed week at this beloved junior girls tournament, now in its fifth year.
The new women’s tournament will be open to 17–21-year-old women, offering participants the opportunity to play against peers from around the country and potentially internationally for the first time in Australia for this age group. This event will run from Sunday 27 September to Wednesday 30 September, alongside the first few days of the Barclay Cup, and we hope to have at least six teams in the invitational. Details at Baseball Victoria.
Dirt in the Skirt started in 2024 as a women-focused slo-pitch charity tournament and community event rooted in respect for the women who came before us and the women playing today. Inspired by the trailblazing athletes of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League of the 1940s, Giving back is a core part of every Dirt in the Skirt tournament. In each city, a local charity or organization is chosen annually as the donation recipient, allowing every event to make a meaningful local impact while bringing people together around a shared cause, and of course, our love for the game!
For information on the Niagara Falls Tournament at Patrick Cummings Memorial Sports Complex, visit Dirt in the Skirt.
Have questions about the Breakthrough Series? Please email mlbdevelopsinfo@mlb.com.
