Boston College Eagles · College · ACC

Tailgating at Alumni Stadium

This week FSU at BC · Sat, Nov 7 · 12 PM ET

Lots open
4 hrs before Sat kickoff
Grills
Gas only · no charcoal

Checked Oct 14, 2026

Aerial view of Alumni Stadium on the Boston College campus in Chestnut Hill
Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped

BC's tailgate is small, with season lots, a students-only Mod Lot and no bar strip close by; the trip that works is a Boston weekend. Virginia Tech's alumni club did it that way in 2017, with a party near Fenway and buses to the stadium. Cleveland Circle, a 15-minute walk down Commonwealth Avenue, is the nearest pregame, and Eagle's Deli there runs burger challenges. A visiting family recommends lunch at Ziggy's in Brighton and the T in. The Red Bandanna game, for Welles Crowther, is the one to plan around: red bandannas everywhere and an emotional halftime.

The lot answer

Boston College tailgates in the Flynn Fund donor lots around the stadium and in the single-game lots, Upper Brighton, Lower Brighton and Waul House, which are sold ahead only. Upper Brighton is the easy way in: enter at 2121 Commonwealth Ave, and you can buy a game ticket on site. No pass? Free shuttles run from 300 Hammond Pond Parkway and the Newton Campus.

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before kickoff, tailgates end
30 min
postgame, early starts only
1 hr
Get the Pregame for the EaglesEmail me Or get the one-page game-day sheet
Rules checked Oct 14, 2026
Sources

Rules last verified Oct 14, 2026 against bceagles.com and bc.edu.

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Can't miss

  1. The Red Bandanna game One game a year, BC honors Welles Crowther, the alum who saved lives on 9/11 wearing a red bandanna and lost his own, and the team wears it on the uniform. If you're at that game, bring one.

Quick answers

What time do the Boston College lots open?

4 hours before kickoff for Saturday games and 3 hours before for weekday games. BC police start ending tailgates 30 minutes before kickoff and clear the lots by kickoff.

Can you grill at Boston College tailgates?

Gas grills only, and only in the designated Flynn Fund surface lots. Charcoal grills are banned on campus, there's no grilling or open flame in the garages, and propane heaters aren't allowed.

Can you drink at Boston College tailgates?

BC doesn't post a general lot alcohol rule. You can't carry alcohol onto Shea Field, where glass is banned too, and alcohol can't go into Alumni Stadium. Anyone who looks intoxicated is turned away at the gate.

Do you need a ticket to tailgate at Boston College?

In some places, yes. Upper Brighton requires a game ticket to enter, and Shea Field takes a separate Shea Field Access Ticket on top of the game ticket. Fan Fest is free with a game ticket.

How do you buy parking at Boston College?

On-campus parking goes to Flynn Fund donors with season tickets. Single-game passes for select lots, including Upper and Lower Brighton, are sold ahead of time only on BC's parking site. The satellite lots at 300 Hammond Pond Parkway and Newton have free shuttles.

The game-day timeline

  1. 4 hrs beforeLots open for Saturday games (3 hrs for weekday games), and Fan Fest opens
  2. 3 hrs beforeSatellite shuttles start, and the ticket office opens
  3. 2 hrs 30 min beforeThe Eagle Walk heads to Gate E, with the marching band
  4. 90 min beforeGates open
  5. 30 min beforeBC police start ending tailgates, and Fan Fest closes
  6. KickoffLots cleared and Shea Field closed
  7. 1 hr afterPostgame tailgating ends, for games that start before 3 p.m.

Where to park

Campus parking is donor-only, and single-game passes are sold in advance only. No pass? Take the T or a satellite shuttle.

Flynn Fund lots
On-campus parking for donors with season tickets, assigned by lot. Follow the directions on the back of your permit.
Single game
Select lots, including Upper Brighton, Lower Brighton and Waul House. Bought ahead only: mailed up to 5 days out, digital after that.
Upper Brighton
Enter at the main entrance, 2121 Commonwealth Ave. Everyone needs a game ticket, and you can buy one on site.
Satellite lots
300 Hammond Pond Parkway and the Newton Campus. Free shuttles from 3 hours before kickoff to 2 hours after, dropping off on Beacon St.
Garages
Comm Ave Garage clearance is 6 feet, Beacon St Garage is 7 feet. No grills or open flame in either.
RV / buses
RVs aren't allowed on campus or in the satellite lots. Charter bus permits are limited and must be requested ahead.
Accessible
Single-game ADA parking is free at 300 Hammond Pond Parkway with a state placard, with a shuttle to Gate A. There's none on campus for single games.
Alumni Stadium game-day parking, simplified
Alumni Stadium game-day parking, simplified
 See the official Alumni Stadium parking map

There's no drop-off or pick-up on campus. Rideshare and taxis use Campion Gate on Beacon St.
Parking in the neighborhoods around BC is prohibited, and cars get towed.
No car? The Green Line works: the B branch's Boston College station is a 4-minute walk, Chestnut Hill on the D is about 8 minutes, and Cleveland Circle (C) and Reservoir (D) are about 15.

The rules

Rules last verified Oct 14, 2026 against bceagles.com and bc.edu.

BC's rules are specific, and the clock is the one that bites.

Grills
Gas only, in designated Flynn Fund surface lots. Charcoal is banned on campus. No grills or open flame in the garages.
Heat
Propane heaters and other temporary heat sources are prohibited.
Tents
Pop-up canopies are allowed. Tents aren't, anywhere on campus.
Alcohol
None carried onto Shea Field, and no glass there. None into the stadium.
Where not
No tailgating in front of the Merkert Chemistry Building.
When it ends
Police end tailgates 30 minutes before kickoff. 1 hour postgame for starts before 3 p.m., none for later or weekday games.
Smoking
Prohibited in and around Alumni Stadium.
Bags at the gate
Clear bag up to 12 x 12 x 6 inches, a clear 1-gallon bag, or a clutch up to 8 x 5 x 2 inches.
Gates open
90 minutes before kickoff. No re-entry.
Compare the rules in all 173 guides →

Before you go

BC football gameday A-Z guideBC football parking informationFlynn Fund seating and parkingBC athletic event parking (2026)BC football parking map

Official pages. Rules change; check them the week of the game.

Pack for Chestnut Hill

What we'd bring.

  • Ultralight Tall-Back Camp Chair

    $45

    Ships free

  • Sampler, 8 Rubs

    $47.99

    Ships free

    Eight rubs in one box, so the grill gets a new one every Saturday. It's the seasoning we use.

More for this lot

Shipping and returns

Get the Pregame for the Eagles. Your lot, your game and what to cook, every week. Free.Get the Pregame for the Eagles

Where the party is

BC packs its tailgate into the donor lots ringing Alumni Stadium and the grass of Shea Field, with Fan Fest by the rec center. The clock is strict, so the good tailgates start the minute the lots open.

The parade route

The Robsham lot

The big lot in front of the Comm Ave Garage, and the Eagle Walk goes right through it about 2 hours 30 minutes before kickoff. Donor-only.

The open door

Upper Brighton

Single-game passes, several full tailgating lots and grass in front of the Cadigan Alumni Center, about a 10 to 12 minute walk to the stadium.

The ticketed lawn

Shea Field

Grass spots around Fish Field House, right next to the stadium. Guests need a Shea Field Access Ticket, and the spot holder brings the drinks.

Know a setup worth showing off? Nominate your tailgate.

What to eat

Food trucks run from when the lots open until kickoff.

Getting out

Campus has no drop-off zone and the neighborhoods are tow-away. Your options, best first:

  1. Take the Green Line. Boston College station on the B branch is a 4-minute walk, and Chestnut Hill on the D is about 8.
  2. Ride the satellite shuttle. Shuttles run back to 300 Hammond Pond Parkway and the Newton Campus until 2 hours after the game.
  3. Stay for the postgame hour. For games that start before 3 p.m., you can tailgate for 1 hour after the game while the roads clear.

  4. Skip this

    Have a ride meet you on a side street. Neighborhood parking near BC is tow-away. Use Campion Gate on Beacon St.

First time here?

  • Line the route for the Eagle Walk, 2 hours 30 minutes before kickoff.

Visiting? How to join a tailgate

Upper Brighton is the easiest way in: single-game passes, a game ticket at the gate, and full tailgating lots.

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