General Policies

In addition to the rules below, all tailgate participants are expected to abide by all state, city, NCAA, Lamar University, and Texas State University System laws and policies.

• Individuals are responsible for securing their belongings and other valuables.
• There is minimal to no electricity available in the tailgate area. Generators are recommended.
• Tailgaters must be respectful of the rights of others in the area when playing music. The volume of your music should be at a reasonable level to allow others in the area full enjoyment of the tailgating and other event activities.
• Tailgate setups must be contained and walking paths should always be kept clear.
• All tents and signage must be weighed, staked, or otherwise secured to the ground.
• Individuals may not stand in or on vehicles or be transported in the back of pickup trucks.
• No overnight parking in any tailgate area or parking lot designated as a football game day parking lot.
• No pets are allowed in the tailgating area, except for ADA service animals.

Timeline: Oct. 12, Nov. 2 and 16

9:00 AM - Tailgate Lots Open
11:00 AM - Tailgate Begins
12:15 PM - Cardinal Walk: Football Team Enters Stadium
2:00 PM - Boomtown Tailgate Concert: Showcase of Southeast Texas, Cheer, and Dance Performance
2:15 PM - Tailgate Ends
3:00 PM - Kickoff
4:30 PM - Tailgate Lots Closed

Parking and Tailgating Locations

Parking

Lots A-2, A-3, A-4, A-5, CL (E-3), and E-5: You must show your parking pass to enter.
Lots A-5 and A-7: These are cash-only lots.
All Other Lots: Are free entry.

Alumni & Community Tailgate:

Call the LU Ticket Office at (409) 880-7168.

LU Student Orgs & Departments Tailgate:

Food/Beverage Policies

Individuals handling food must thoroughly wash hands, use gloves, and apply good sanitation practices. Servers must wear effective hair restraints, and loose hair must be tied back.

Cooking and Fire Safety

• Only charcoal, propane grills, or wood-fired pits/smokers are approved cooking appliances. Fires may not be built on the ground or in open fire pits.
• Hot coals must be doused, cool to the touch, and properly disposed of in the specifically designated Coal Container.

Hygiene and Cleanliness

• Ensure there are enough gloves, hand sanitizer, and hair restraints for all individuals handling food at your event.
• Individuals must maintain a high degree of personal cleanliness and adhere to good hygienic practices. Anyone with known infections that could transmit foodborne illnesses should be excluded from food preparation. Additionally, individuals who feel ill may not participate in food preparation.
• Utensils, including ice scoops, should be provided to minimize direct handling of foods.
• Provide only single-use utensils (e.g., plastic knives, forks, and spoons) to consumers.
• Do not eat, drink, or smoke inside the food preparation area.
• Dispose of all trash in the proper receptacles.

Food and Beverage Safety

• Non-alcoholic beverages and food must be available and featured more prominently if alcoholic beverages are present.
• Glass containers, kegs, or other common source containers (such as pitchers or dispensers) are prohibited for the use of alcoholic beverages.
• Ice used for human consumption must come from an approved source, be stored in bags until use, and be properly dispensed. Do not store food in water or ice intended for human consumption. Use an ice scoop or disposable gloves to handle ice; do not use bare hands.
• Potentially hazardous foods must be maintained at 135°F or above for hot foods, or 41°F or below for cold foods. Insulated carriers should be used to maintain proper temperatures.
• All food must be properly covered at all times to prevent contamination. 

Food Preparation Risk

Low Risk Items

• These items do not include any food requiring refrigeration or hot hold.
• Include prepackaged individual servings of items such as candy, soda, chips, cake, cookies, and brownies.
• Beverages must be served from original, unopened containers.
• If any items are homemade, they must be individually wrapped at the point of preparation and a sign stating “Homemade” must be posted.

Medium Risk Items

• Require special handling such as refrigeration or heating (e.g., hot dogs, sandwiches, nachos without chili, pizza).
• These items must be discarded 4 hours from the time of preparation.

High Risk Items

• Include items such as milk and milk products, shell eggs, baked or boiled potatoes, poultry, fish, cooked rice, tofu, raw meats, soy-protein foods, shellfish, garlic and oil mixtures, raw sprouts, cut melons, and cooked beans.
• These items require special handling such as refrigeration or heating and some must be cooked on-site to specific internal temperatures (Poultry = 165°F, Ground meats and pork = 155°F, Other meats = 145°F).
• Food must be discarded 4 hours from the time of preparation.