The Astros 2012 CAREavan will begin Feb. 1 with three full days of visits throughout central and south Texas, a trip to Oklahoma City, Okla. and five days in the Houston area. In addition to numerous private community stops, each day will include free public autograph sessions at Academy Sports and Outdoors stores.

The team will make two-day trips to Austin (Feb. 1-2), Brownsville, Harlingen and McAllen (Feb. 1-2) and San Antonio (Feb. 2-3), travel to Corpus Christi and Victoria (Feb. 3), and head to Oklahoma City (Feb. 6).  The team’s annual winter trek will also visit five different communities in the Houston area (Feb. 6-10).  More than 30 Astros players, alumni, coaches and front office staff will take part in the 2012 CAREavan.  A summary of the team’s activities and the players participating are listed below and a list of stops open to the public is posted at www.astros.com/careavan.

The 2012 CAREavan is part of a two-week winter baseball festival that includes the annual Baseball Dinner and the Astros In Action Foundation’s FanFest.  On Feb. 10, the Astros In Action Foundation and Minute Maid will host the 27^th Annual Baseball Dinner benefiting the Grand Slam For Youth Baseball scholarship program.  This year’s dinner will highlight 50 years of Houston baseball.  Past Astros MVPs will be honored and the evening will feature awards given to current Astros and other area baseball standouts.

FanFest will be Feb. 11 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at Minute Maid Park.  The one-day fundraising event will feature autograph sessions, a garage sale of Astros merchandise, mystery grab bags and new experiences including the opportunity to run the bases.  Fans will be able to meet the new ownership group and hear from Astros General Manager Jeff Luhnow at Talkin’ Baseball sessions.  Proceeds from FanFest benefit the Astros Urban Youth Academy.  Information about CAREavan, the Baseball Dinner and FanFest is available at www.astros.com/community.

 Here’s a list of CAREavan public appearances:

Feb. 1 – Austin

Jordan Lyles, J.B. Shuck, Kyle Weiland, Doug Brocail, Dave Raymond

Academy Sports + Outdoors, 5400 Brodie Lane, Austin.

• 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
• Open to fans

Feb. 1 – Brownsville

Jose Altuve, Jimmy Paredes, Fernando Rodriguez, Alex Trevino

Academy Sports + Outdoors, 4305 Old Hwy. 77, Brownsville.

• 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
• Open to fans

Feb. 2 – Harlingen and McAllen

Jose Altuve, Jimmy Paredes, Fernando Rodriguez, Alex Trevino

Academy Sports + Outdoors, 3901 Expressway 83, McAllen.

• 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
• Open to fans

 Feb. 2 – San Antonio

Jarred Cosart, J.A. Happ, Humberto Quintero, Angel Sanchez, Larry Dierker, Brett Dolan

Academy Sports + Outdoors, 7523 Northwest Loop 410, San Antonio.

• 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
• Open to fans

Feb. 3 – Corpus Christi and Victoria

Brian Bogusevic, Chris Johnson, J.B. Shuck, Shane Reynolds, Milo Hamilton

Academy Sports + Outdoors, 8903 Navarro, Victoria.

• 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
• Open to fans

Feb. 6 – Oklahoma City, Okla.

Oklahoma City RedHawks Season Ticket Holder Reception

• 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
• Open to RedHawks season ticket holders

Academy Sports + Outdoors, 7700 South Walker, Oklahoma City, Okla.

• 7:15 p.m. – 8:15 p.m.
• Open to fans

HOUSTON AREA STOPS

Feb. 6 – Houston

Jason Bourgeois, Bud Norris, Bobby Meacham, Brad Mills, Bob Watson, Jimmy Wynn, Jim Deshaies

 Chick-fil-A, 2715 Southwest Fwy., Houston.

• 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
• Lunch service for fans
• Open to fans

Academy Sports + Outdoors, 2404 Southwest Fwy., Houston.

• 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
• Open to fans

Feb. 7 – Sugar Land

Chris Johnson, Bud Norris, Brett Wallace, Doug Brocail, Brett Dolan

Academy Sports + Outdoors, 23801 Brazos Town Crossing, Rosenberg.

• 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
• Open to all fans

Feb. 8 – Spring/The Woodlands

Brian Bogusevic, Jason Bourgeois, J.D. Martinez, Brad Mills, Jose Cruz, Jim Deshaies

Academy Sports + Outdoors, 1360 Lake Woodlands Dr., The Woodlands.

• 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
• Open to all fans

Feb. 9 – Cypress

Jed Lowrie, J.D. Martinez, Brad Mills, Alex Trevino, Jeff Luhnow, Bill Brown

 Academy Sports + Outdoors, 19720 Northwest Fwy., Cypress.

• 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
• Open to all fans

Feb.  10 – Katy

Jason Castro, Jed Lowrie, Brett Wallace, Bill Brown

Academy Sports + Outdoors, 23155 I-10 West, Katy.

• 3:15 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
• Open to fans