“Entourage” star Kevin Connolly to appear at ECHL All-Star Classic, Jan. 26

Bakersfield, Calif. – The Bakersfield Condors, host of the 2011 ECHL All-Star Classic, presented by CCM and brought to you by Mercy & Memorial Hospitals, will welcome Kevin Connolly, star of the hit HBO series “Entourage”, to the All-Star Game on Wednesday, Jan. 26. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., the Skills Competition starts just after 6 p.m. and the game starts at 7 p.m.

Connolly, best known for his six-year stint in the role of “E” on the show, will appear at the All-Star Game and Skills Competition. He will be raffling off prizes including a chance to visit the “Entourage” set and autographed memorabilia. Connolly will also engage in a shootout competition on the ice during the second intermission with Bakersfield native and Texas Rangers World Series pitcher Colby Lewis to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

The Long Island, NY, native grew up as a hockey fan and famously attended the NHL Draft in Los Angeles last summer, going on stage with New York Islanders front office personnel and even announcing one of the Islanders first round draft picks. (See an interview with Connolly from the NHL Draft, courtesy of Yahoo! Sports Blog, ‘Puck Daddy’ here: http://vimeo.com/12875079.)

All fans in attendance at the All-Star Game can enter to win a chance to meet-and-greet with the actor at the game. Sign up tables will be positioned on the concourse with a drawing during the game.

All-Star Classic Promotional Events:

The first 2,000 children 12 and under at the All-Star Game will receive a free All-Star cereal bowl, courtesy of Mercy & Memorial Hospitals. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the players take the ice just after 6 p.m. for the Skills Competition. Game time is 7 p.m. For more information on the All-Star Classic, visit www.ECHLAllStarClassic.com.

The Fan Fest, presented by Bank of the Sierra, takes place Tuesday, Jan. 25 from 6 – 9 p.m. at the Bakersfield Marriott at the Convention Center, located at 801 Truxtun Ave. This event is SOLD OUT!

The Hall of Fame Luncheon, presented by the Bakersfield Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and BFL Canada, features keynote speaker Dave Poulin, who is a former NHL All-Star and the Vice President of Hockey Operations for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and inducts the fourth class of players, officials and builders into the ECHL Hall of Fame. Tickets are $40 for an individual, and $250 for a table of seven, and every table will be joined by an All-Star participant. The HOF Luncheon is from Noon – 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 26. This event is expected to sell out, only a few tables remain at press time. Call (661) 324-PUCK (7825) for tickets.

Get Tickets

Tickets for the 2011 ECHL All-Star Classic, to be held in Bakersfield on Jan. 26, 2011, are on sale now. Visit www.echlallstarclassic.com for further details on the event. The Hall of Fame luncheon will also be held on Jan. 26, from 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. Call the Condors office at 324-PUCK(7825) or go online to www.bakersfieldcondors.com for more information.

Individual tickets are on sale now through Ticketmaster and the Rabobank Arena Box Office. Box Office hours are 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday – Friday, and 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Saturday, with extended hours on game and event days. You can also call Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000 or visit them online at www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket packages start at just $31! Call the Condors office at 324-PUCK (7825) or go online to www.bakersfieldcondors.com for more information.