As the 2008 National Pro Fastpitch season reaches the midway point, don’t miss your chance to be a part of the excitement. From 6 to 8 p.m. July 15, the third annual Chicago Bandits Fest will take place at Drive Performance, 1543 Abbott Dr. in Wheeling.

Get autographs and get your  picture taken with your favorite Bandits’ players. For more information, call Drive Performance at (847) 229-1009 or visit www.drive-performance.com.

Fans will be able to meet their favorite players as well as take part in hitting/iTrac vision training/fielding drills with Drive Performance professional instructors. Softball players are advised to bring their bats and gloves because they will be needed.

Immediately following at 8 p.m. will be speaking sessions with Bill Conroy and Mickey Dean, and a question-and-answer session with the Bandits.

Conroy, principal owner and general manager of the Bandits, will introduce the players and give a team status report. Dean, the head coach of the Chicago Bandits, will be talking about the team outlook for the rest of ’08 and beyond, strengths of the team and the strategy of the Bandits.

After the two speeches, fans can throw out individual or group questions for the Bandits to field in the open Q & A session.

Tickets for the July 15 event start at just $15 for one and $25 for two. If there is a group of three or more, tickets will be just $10 each. Raffle and door prizes will be given out, as well as a free ticket to a Bandits’ home game.

The ticket will be a complimentary ticket voucher to any of the remaining home games this season and will be given to every purchaser of a Bandits Fest 2008 ticket.