Baseball fans in Western Pennsylvania can remember All-Star FanFest in 1994.

Apparently, they liked what they saw.

FanFest returns to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center July 7-11 as part of Major League Baseball's All-Star Game festivities. More than 40,000 FanFest tickets were sold by the end of April — twice as many as were sold by that same time in Detroit last year.

"This is the first time All-Star FanFest has returned to a city,"said Morgan Littlefield, Director of Special Events for MLB. "It will be interesting to follow the turnout.

"The overall event is much bigger and better developed than it was in 1994."

FanFest in 1994 covered 300,000 square feet at the Convention Center. This year's event will cover 400,000 square feet.

A mapping guide and daily events schedule is given to fans as they enter the facility.

"There's something different happening every day,"Littlefield said.

A mascot home run derby will be held at 10 a.m. July 8. Every team mascot in the major leagues has been invited to participate.

A live auction of baseball memorabilia, including a home run ball hit by Babe Ruth in the 1933 All-Star Game and the bat Ruth used to hit his 59th home run in 1921, takes place at 10 a.m. July 11. Both of those items are expected to be sold for well over $100,000.

Other items to be auctioned off include a 1952 Mickey Mantle baseball card, a 1968 Bill Mazeroski road Pittsburgh Pirates jersey, a Roberto Clemente-autographed bat and 1960 Pirates World Series championship trophy.

Hall of Famers will be on hand signing autographs throughout FanFest.

"You never know what players are going to show up,"Littlefield said. "Last year, (New York Yankees closer)Mariano Rivera was walking through FanFest with his kids.

"When we were in Denver, Roger Clemens was in a batting cage seeing what it was like to hit against himself."

Video batting cages are one of the annual features at FanFest as fans can swing away at pitches thrown by life-size images of Clemens, Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, Curt Schilling and others.

Other features include a collector's showcase where fans can buy and sell baseball merchandise, Cyber Ballpark, which includes the latest baseball video and computer games, a National Baseball Hall of Fame exhibit, and the world's largest baseball, 12 feet in diameter and signed by Hank Aaron and Ted Williams, among others.

Fans can make their own personalized baseball card and do their own play—by-play and commentary of some of baseball's great moments.

Steeltown Heroes, providing stories and images of Pittsburgh's baseball history and legends, will also be featured.

"This is Pittsburgh's game and there will be a Pittsburgh flavor to all of this,"Littlefield said.

A recent addition to FanFest is The Diamond, where daily baseball clinics will be given and major league players and managers make appearances. Clemens, Cal Ripken, Billy Ripken, Alex Rodriguez and Ivan Rodriguez are among players appearing in recent years.

"Alex Rodriguez has already committed to being there again,"Littlefield said. "He does this every year."

FanFest consists of more than 40 interactive exhibits and attractions. Tickets are available at the PNCPark box office or by calling 1-888-326-3378.

Fans typically spend three to four hours at the event.