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This summer, a slice of Hollywood becomes a high school ballpark: a newly built stadium at the Field of Dreams movie site in Dyersville, Iowa, will host a 12‑team series of Iowa high school baseball games. The event turns an iconic film location into a competitive showcase — a rare opportunity with local and cultural ripple effects for players, families and the town’s tourism economy.
The inaugural If You Build It High School Series runs through June and will feature a mix of single games and a doubleheader, staged on the same ground made famous by the 1989 film.
- June 17: Clinton High School vs. Western Dubuque High School
- June 18: Cascade High School vs. Dyersville Beckman Catholic (doubleheader)
- June 19: Dubuque Hempstead High School vs. Dubuque Senior High School
- June 22: Bellevue High School vs. North Linn High School
- June 24: Dubuque Wahlert Catholic High School vs. West Delaware High School
- June 26: Maquoketa Valley High School vs. Anamosa High School
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Tickets go on sale via the official Field of Dreams website; game start times will be posted the morning of each contest. Expect higher demand for weekend dates and the doubleheader.
Why organizers built the series
The project was designed to give student-athletes a chance to play on a ballpark that carries symbolic weight for American baseball. Tyler Daughtery, general manager of the new Field of Dreams Ballpark, said the series is intended to celebrate community and competitive youth sports while inaugurating the facility.
The short-term payoff is obvious for players: an unforgettable game-day experience. The broader impact reaches the local economy — from lodging and dining to increased visibility for Dyersville as a destination — and helps sustain year-round programming at the site.
The Field of Dreams location has already hosted major-league matchups: plans to stage an MLB game in 2020 were postponed by the pandemic, but temporary facilities were put in place for contests played in 2021 and 2022. The 2021 regular-season game featured the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees; the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs played the following year.
The site is open to visitors daily from sunrise to sunset, weather permitting, and will also host the Northwoods League All‑Star Game this season. Youth, senior and amateur tournaments use the complex throughout the year, expanding its calendar well beyond these high school dates.
From movie set to functioning ballpark
The diamond at the heart of the Field of Dreams was originally created by Universal Pictures in 1988 across two farms for the film. The 1989 release — starring Kevin Costner as Ray Kinsella, with performances by James Earl Jones, Amy Madigan, Ray Liotta and Burt Lancaster — turned the site into a cultural landmark and helped sustain its appeal. The movie grossed roughly $85 million at the box office.
Now, with a permanent professional-level ballpark in place, the site is shifting from a cinematic backdrop to a regular venue for competitive baseball while preserving its symbolic identity.
What to watch next: how the series affects local attendance patterns and whether the Field of Dreams continues to expand its slate of amateur and professional events in coming seasons.
