This Year’s tailgate and pep rally
- Saturday, Oct. 19 at noon
- Southwest corner of Franklin and Patterson streets
History of tailgates at Truman
Stacy Tucker-Potter, director of engagement in the Office of Advancement, said tailgating at Truman State University has not always been part of Homecoming celebrations.
For many years, Truman would host class reunion lunches around Homecoming time, Tucker-Potter said, but after noticing low attendance at the lunches, the Office of Advancement decided to do something different and began hosting a pre-game tailgate for Homecoming.
Tucker-Potter said when many people think of a tailgate they imagine it having drinks, particularly alcoholic beverages, but that posed a conflict with Truman’s dry-campus policy, so the wet tailgate had to be approved by the President’s office.
The first wet tailgate at Truman occurred only five years ago and even still, the Department of Public Safety monitors the event each year.
“We had some test events to see how that would work in terms of security and other kinds of things,” Tucker-Potter said. “Then we made it official with the Homecoming tailgate.”
The tailgate was designed to allow Truman students and alumni to gather as a large group while also connecting and reconnecting with the personal groups and organizations with which they affiliate.
Groups can register for the event on the Homecoming website and secure a specific spot at the tailgate. Some of the groups have included alumni organizations, ROTC and current student organizations.
Tucker-Potter said the Office of Advancement’s tent served food, via Sodexo, to about 350 people last year, but she said that is probably a minority of the people who were actually there because many people bring their own food.
“Everyone’s Truman experience is unique and they find different things to connect with, and I think we’ve created a mechanism where people can identify with their group, have their connections on that level and also be connected with something that’s bigger,” Tucker-Potter said.
General Policies
- Couches, coffee tables and other indoor furniture must stay indoors and not on the tailgating grounds
- The only open flames allowed are charcoal grills. If you use a charcoal grill, please do not dispose of the ashes on University property, including University dumpsters.
- Parking spaces for tailgaters will be available on a first come, first serve basis and the designated lots will be marked.
Rules about Alcohol
- The law prohibits people under 21 having alcohol and that extends to Truman’s tailgate. If you plan on drinking, bring a valid photo ID to let security know you are 21 or older.
- Truman only permits alcoholic drinks at the tailgate, so do not take them outside of the designated tailgating area.
- Only beer and wine are allowed at the tailgate and all drinks must be in cans or cups. Glass containers and kegs are not welcome at this event.
- To help promote safe celebration, drinking games and other activities that encourage excess drinking are prohibited.
For a full list of tailgating rules, regulations and policies visit the Truman Homecoming website.