Certain things are expected when you visit Falcon Park for an Auburn Doubledays game, starting with good food and a fun atmosphere. Throwing the two together for a competition is just one of several new events Doubledays fans can expect this summer.

On July 3, Falcon Park will be holding a Chef Competition, in which three local participants are given the chance to show off their grilling expertise. Participants will have as long as the day game lasts to concoct a dish and the winner's creation will end up on the Doubledays ball park menu.

“We need three people, no matter what walk of life they come from,” Doubledays General Manager Carl Gutelius said. “Much like those chef competitions you see on TV, those people will face off. We'll give them ball park ingredients to work with, maybe one or two special ingredients that they want to bring from home as well. We'll give them a grill, some tongs and utensils and they'll have nine innings to create something. At the end of the game, the dishes will be judged by a panel of qualified judges.”

Not only will the winner receive the fame that comes with creating Falcon Park's newest offering, they will get season tickets and Doubledays merchandise. Interested parties can sign up by calling the Doubledays office at 255-2489 or by stopping by the office at the park.

Also new this season is $1,000 Giveaway Sundays, where fans 18 and older are entered to win $1,000 just by coming to Doubledays Sunday home games.

“You don't have to buy anything but a game ticket,” Gutelius said. “The odds are pretty good.”

On July 7, the first Doubledays Useless Skills Olympics will be held. Fans of all ages are encouraged to bring their useless skills - such as lengthy cherry pit spitting, bubble blowing or a strong rock, paper, scissors game - to the park for this competition. The winner will win a variation of special prizes.

While all of the competitions and promotions are fun for fans, some of the new ideas introduced will benefit important organizations as well. The Doubledays are teaming up with the ALS (amytrophic lateral sclerosis) Association to help fight the disease, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Every Saturday throughout the season, auctions - held on auburndoubledays.com - will be held for the chance to be in the WAUB radio booth for the fourth, fifth and sixth innings at Falcon Park or a road game. The winning bidder can choose to be the play-by-play or the color announcer for those innings, which are broadcast on 1590 AM in Auburn as well as worldwide on milb.com. The Doubledays will provide a CD of the game that day so that the winning bidder can have a recording to take home. Half of the winning bid will go directly to the ALS Association. Programs run by the ALS Association include research, patient and community services for the more than 25,000 people in the United States with Lou Gehrig's disease.

There are 11 games currently up for auction on auburndoubledays.com, and bids will also be accepted by phone. Auctions will close the Sunday prior to the game up for auction at 7 p.m.

The Doubledays will also be hosting Make-A-Wish Wednesdays, where fans throw tennis balls on the field into circles to try and win prizes. Those throws will also be raising money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Returning promotions this year include the always popular Dollar Thursdays, where tickets, hot dogs and select drinks cost $1 at all Thursday home games.