Can't miss
- Ay Ziggy Zoomba BGSU's chant, sung arm in arm, swaying, after Falcon wins.
Quick answers
What time do the BGSU lots open?
For Saturday games, BGSU opens its football lots at 8 a.m. For weekday games, they open 4 hours before kickoff. Falcon Tailgate Park opens 3 hours before every game.
Can you grill at BGSU tailgates?
BGSU's A to Z guide covers grilling without banning it: you're responsible for putting out your charcoal, and the university isn't liable for misused grilling materials. No other 2026 grill or propane rules are posted.
Can you drink at BGSU tailgates?
University rules and state law on alcohol are strictly enforced, so it's 21 and over. No kegs or party balls in the parking areas, and alcohol can't be carried into or out of the stadium.
Do you need a ticket to tailgate at BGSU?
Not for Falcon Fan Fest, which BGSU says is free and open to everyone. You do need a parking pass for your lot, and a ticket for the stadium.
How do you buy parking at BGSU?
Buy ahead online, since the game day price goes up. Passes are for a specific lot, not a specific space, and the stadium is cashless. Have the pass on your phone ready to scan at the lot.
The game-day timeline
- 8 a.m.Lots open for Saturday games (4 hrs before for weekday games)
- 3 hrs beforeFalcon Tailgate Park opens. Falcon Fan Fest runs there before every home game
- 2.5 hrs beforeGate 1 opens, with the BG Warrior Walk
- 2 hrs beforeTicket booths open
- 90 min beforeAll remaining gates open
- 75 min beforePre-Flight with the Falcon Marching Band in Tailgate Park
- 20 min beforeThe band plays until the team takes the field
Where to park
New for 2026: every lot has its own route in. Find your lot on the pass, then follow its line on the map.
- Wooster St lots
- BB, CC, Gold, Teal, Seafoam and the student lot. Take Mercer Rd from Wooster St, then Alumni Dr. Left lane for BB, CC, Gold and students; right lane for Teal and Seafoam.
- Poe Rd lots
- The ADA lot (Lot 10) and the AA lot (Lot L). Take Mercer Rd from Poe Rd to Stadium Dr. Purple (Lot 18) is off Mercer Rd.
- Gold Lot
- The big grass lot along I-75, east of the stadium. Two entrances off Alumni Dr and Stadium Dr.
- Students
- Free in the student lot south of the practice fields, with a student ID.
- Accessible
- Lot 10, north of Slater Family Ice Arena, for placard holders. Golf carts run to the stadium and back.
Have the parking pass downloaded before you leave. Scanners sit at each lot entrance, and hang tags go on the mirror or dashboard.
From I-75, take exit 181 and head west on Wooster St. The stadium is on the right.
No car? BGSU doesn't post a game day shuttle or rideshare zone.
The rules
Rules last verified Oct 15, 2026 against bgsufalcons.com and bgsu.edu.
BGSU's posted tailgating rules are short. Most of what matters is the parking setup.
- Alcohol
- University rules and state law strictly enforced. Not into or out of the stadium.
- Not allowed
- Kegs and party balls in the parking areas.
- Grills
- You're responsible for putting out your charcoal. No other grill rules posted for 2026.
- Your space
- Passes are for a lot, not a space. Want room to tailgate beside the car? Buy another pass.
- Payment
- Cashless for parking, tickets and concessions.
- Sound
- Amplified sound on stadium grounds, Tailgate Park included, needs advance approval from BGSU Athletics.
- Towing
- Cars without the right pass, or in restricted areas, get towed.
- Bags at the gate
- Clear, up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches, or a 1-gallon clear bag, plus a small clutch. No bag check.
- Gates open
- Gate 1 opens about 2.5 hours before kickoff; the rest 90 minutes before. Only Gates 2 and 7 allow re-entry after halftime.
Before you go
New parking process at Doyt Perry Stadium (2026)BGSU football single-game tickets and parking (2026)At the Game: Sacramento State (Oct. 10, 2026)Falcon Fan Fest 2026BGSU 2026 football parking mapOfficial pages. Rules change; check them the week of the game.
Pack for Bowling Green
What we'd bring.
-
Ultralight Tall-Back Camp Chair
$45
Ships free
-
55 qt Hard Cooler, 60 Cans
$299
Ships free
One cooler for the whole crew parked at the car: about 60 cans on ice.
More for this lot
-
Scorezit Cornhole Scorekeeper Set$140 · +$15 shipping
Northwest Ohio is flat and open, and the wind off the fields gets cold by November. Bring layers.
Where the party is
The Doyt sits on the east edge of campus with I-75 right next door, and the lots fan out around it from the Stroh Center to the grass along the interstate. South of the stadium, Tailgate Park is the hub: Falcon Fan Fest, the band's Pre-Flight and a merch cart in one spot.
The hub
Falcon Tailgate Park
South of the stadium, open 3 hours before every game. Falcon Fan Fest runs here: free, open to everyone, no ticket needed, with food, games and activities that change by game.
The big lot
Gold Lot
The grass lot along I-75 east of the stadium, reached from Wooster St by Mercer Rd and Alumni Dr.
The march in
BG Warrior Walk
The team arrives when Gate 1 opens, about 2.5 hours before kickoff.
What to eat
BGSU puts out charcoal disposal guidance and nothing against grilling, and food trucks work the concession stands inside.
Getting out
I-75 is right there, which is the good news and the bad news. Your options, best first:
- Leave the way you came. Each lot has its own route. Head back out to Wooster St and exit 181.
- Stay for the fireworks. Some games end with a show, like Homecoming in 2026. Let the lots thin out while you watch.
- Race everyone to exit 181. Every car in the Gold Lot has the same plan, and the same on-ramp.
First time here?
- Saturday games: lots open at 8 a.m. Weekday games: 4 hours before kickoff.
- Cashless everywhere. Buy parking ahead, the game day price goes up.
- Your pass is for a lot, not a space. Extra room means another pass.
- No kegs or party balls.
- Falcon Fan Fest is free and open to everyone, no ticket needed.
- Clear bag only, and no bag check at the gates.
Visiting? How to join a tailgate
Falcon Fan Fest in Tailgate Park is free and open to everyone, so start there. Then walk the lots in your colors with something to share and say hello before you step into a setup.
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Your Doyt L. Perry Stadium game-day sheet, by email
One page for the lot: where to park, when it opens, what you can bring.
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