Inside Citizens Bank Park's new food, entertainment options this year

Spring is here, which means that baseball season is upon us.

The Phillies take on the Marlins at Citizens Bank Park on Thursday afternoon at 3:05 p.m., opening the season at home. But if you're more interested in what you can do in between innings, the ballpark has added a handful of new entertainment and food options.

The Yard is a new 13,000-square-foot immersive baseball experience that allows young fans the chance to swing for the fences and run the bases on an AstroTurf Wiffle ball field that stretches 70 feet deep. Designed by Metcalfe, a Philadelphia-based architecture firm, the Yard also features a hot dog launcher that kids can use to test their marksmanship, a radar gun that measures the velocity of guests' throws, and a 30-foot-climbing wall decorated with depictions of Philadelphia's landmark buildings. If kids get hungry, they can fuel up on ice cream at a new Turkey Hill Ice Cream Bar, while parents can enjoy beer, wine, cocktails, and frozen drinks at the Backyard Bar.

In the Left Field Plaza, fans can enjoy hot dogs, burgers and desserts at the new "Boardwalk Eats." Bull's BBQ has also relocated to this area, where there is now patio seating. Other new food additions to the ballpark include P.J. Whelihan's in Ashburn Alley, which serves boneless wings and loaded tater tots, and Aramark's signature smoked brisket taco trio behind sections 120 and 135. Harry the K's has also added a crispy chicken sandwich with tomato bacon jam, roasted shaved brussels sprouts, and Vermont white cheddar cheese, along with a vegan cauliflower cheesesteak. Dessert fans can enjoy small batches of edible cookie dough from Jane Dough Cookie Dough behind sections 110 and 142.

Cashless transactions are also now available to fans in their seats so now you can pay for peanuts on credit.

The Majestic Clubhouse Store is offering a few new items this season, including a 3-D stadium puzzle with 4,800 pieces to create a replica of the ballpark and new player T-shirts and jerseys in the expanded Players' Clubhouse. The store is also selling the powder-blue jerseys from the 1980s that the team will be wearing on "Throwback Thursdays."

There's always dollar dog nights to look forward to — make room in your schedule for April 10 against the Cincinnati Reds, April 25 against the Arizona Diamondbacks, May 8 against the San Francisco Giants. But we're particularly jazzed about the Odubel Herrera Emoji Cap night (April 22 against the Pittsburgh Pirates); the Brad Lidge bobble figure (Aug. 5 against the Miami Marlins; it's the 2008 Phillies 10th Anniversary salute); and the backpack cooler (Sept. 2 against the Chicago Cubs), which is our personal favorite but only goes to those 14 and under.