| With a great ballpark and a large population base, it's remarkable that Quebec was without professional baseball for over 20 years. Finally the Northern League returned a team here for the 1999 season. Before the '99 season, Stade Municipal went under $1 million worth of renovations. And the outcome is beautiful. While it is somewhat similar to old ballparks in the United States, there are a couple differences that really make it unique. The first is the exterior. It is light yellow in color and is made to look like a high school, not a baseball park. The second difference is the multiple concourses it has. There is a main concourse on the ground level which is quite spacious and features the concession stands, the gift store, and the team offices. The second concourse runs above the main concourse and is more narrow. But is has not been neglected by the the team. They have lined the walls with numerous photos and other information showing the history of baseball in Canada. The main concourse is also nicely decorated with many murals, paintings, and pictures making for a very colorful appearance. There are three types of seating at Stade Municipal. The box seats are located below the walkway which leads to the main concourse. The mezzanine seats are located directly above this walkway. And the general admission seats look like wooden pews you'd find in a church. These are located towards the top of the covered grandstand and have easy access to the second concourse. The scoreboard is in right center field and is manually operated. Stade Municipal is located in downtown Quebec, though the city skyline is not really visible as it is blocked by trees directly behind the fence. The atmosphere is also different from what most parks in the U.S. offer. They have some on field contests, but the fans here seem to more interested in dancing. And they have a dance crew (called The Funky Zone) which lead many of these dances. The team also has a mascot named Capi who is much more active and entertaining than most you'll find in America. It does get a bit loud at times, and would probably get sickening after a while, but the fans do seem to be into the game as well. Overall, I really enjoyed my visit to Stade Municpal. The classic ballpark combined with the lively atmosphere made for a great night out. While it's a bit far to travel for most baseball fans in the U.S, its well worth the trip and highly recommended.
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