Atmosphere
Tailgating at South Dakota State opens five hours before kickoff giving you plenty of time to set up the grill, tent, table, and chairs and enjoy a fun day of tailgating. Arrive early, if you want to get the most out of your tailgating experience as there is a lot of fun to be had in the parking lots outside the new Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium.
Fans from all over the Dakotas come out to cheer on the Jackrabbits on Saturdays in the fall creating a fun and festive atmosphere at the tailgate. The fans here are quite friendly, and you’ll have no trouble making friends as long as you aren’t rooting for one of the Jackrabbits biggest rivals. Although, even NDSU and South Dakota fans will still receive a relatively friendly welcome.
Those of you taking the kids to the game will without a doubt want to stop by the Fan Fest before the game. The Fan Fest features a variety of family activities and is the perfect place to keep the kids entertained before the game.
If you want to get the full SDSU game day experience, then take advantage of the early tailgating hours and get an early start to your gameday.
Traditions
Fan Fest
Fan Fest at the Sanford-Jackrabbit Athletic Complex opens two and a half hours before the game and is a fun place to hang out. Here you’ll find lots of family-friendly games and activities, so stop by and check it out.
Where to tailgate
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Dark Blue LotsIf you don’t have a reserved spot and want to tailgate, then arrive early to the dark blue lots. The lots open 5 hours before kickoff and are a great place to tailgate with friends and family before the game.
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Pink LotThose of you bringing an oversized vehicle to the game will want to park in the pink lot. The pink lot is the only place RVs and other large vehicles are allowed to park. Even if you aren’t bringing a large vehicle to the game, it's still fun to stop by and see some of the more tricked out tailgate vehicles.
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Orange LotThe orange lot is where you’ll find season ticket holders tailgating on Saturdays and as a result is where many of the more diehard tailgaters can be found. Spots in the lot are also open to the public starting one hour before kickoff, so if you arrive late, then make sure to check the orange lot for a spot.
