Atmosphere
Hawaii fans love to tailgate before football games and can be found filing into the parking lots around Aloha Stadium at 2:30 pm each Saturday throughout the fall. Tailgating is a sport in itself here as you’ll find a lot of people don’t even bother to go into the stadium to watch the game. The tailgating experience here is more about getting together for one big party rather than cheering on the football team.
The cuisine at Rainbow Warriors games has a Hawaiian feel meaning you’ll find slightly different fair here than you would throughout the Mountain West. The most popular foods at a Hawaii tailgate include barbecue chicken, steak, shish kebabs, and fish.
While food is a fairly important part of a tailgate, alcohol is what is the main draw of tailgating before a Hawaii game. Here you’ll find that students and fans party hard before entering the stadium. The main event around here isn’t the game, but rather the tailgating and the drinking games that take place there. There is a lot of drinking to be done, so make sure to take part in the beer bongs as well as the games of flip cup and beer pong.
Come prepared to party when attending a Hawaii tailgate, as there will be plenty to drink and plenty of friends to make.
Traditions
Warrior Walk
The team walk through the parking lot, which was started in 2012 by Rainbow Warriors head coach Norm Chow, provides fans an excellent opportunity to get up close to the players before they take the field.
Swap Meet
The Swap Meet at Aloha Stadium takes place on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays and features over 700 merchants. If you’re looking for something to do before the game starts then stop by and check it out as you’ll never know what you’ll find.
Aloha Shrubs
Outside of the front entrance to the stadium you’ll find a group of shrubs that say “Aloha” welcoming you to the stadium. Stop by and snap a picture so you can remember your trip to Hawaii and Aloha Stadium.
Where to tailgate
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Parking Lots around Aloha StadiumThe parking lots around Aloha Stadium offer a great place to set up a tailgate party. The spots are first come first serve, so show up early with your tents, chairs, grills, and coolers for an excellent tailgating experience.
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Warrior WalkThe team walk through the parking lot, which was started in 2012 by Rainbow Warriors head coach Norm Chow, provides fans an excellent opportunity to get up close to the players before they take the field.