Can't miss
- Nick's English Hut It opened on Kirkwood Avenue as a sandwich shop in 1927 and became Kirkwood's first bar after Prohibition. IU fans go before or after the game.
- The Sample Gates The limestone gates where Kirkwood meets campus, and the walk from Nick's to the game goes right through them.
- Playing for a bucket When Purdue comes to Bloomington, the two schools play for an actual oak bucket, a rivalry trophy since 1925.
Quick answers
What time do the Indiana lots open?
At least 5 hours before kickoff, grass and surface lots alike. Overnight RV lots open at 6 p.m. the night before, and IU asks RVs not to line up before 5 p.m. Arrive less than 2 hours out and IU says to expect jammed roads and slow lot entry.
Can you grill at Indiana tailgates?
Yes. IU's 2026 rules list grills among what has to fit inside your stall. Fire pits must be UL-listed and raised off the ground, and fire remnants can't be dumped on the ground.
Can you drink at Indiana tailgates?
IU's 2026 parking and tailgating rules don't post a lot alcohol rule, and drinking under 21 is illegal. Alcohol isn't allowed into the stadium, and sales inside end after the third quarter.
Do you need a ticket to tailgate at Indiana?
IU's lot rules don't say so. You need a parking pass to park, and the AAA Championship Tailgate on the south lawn is free and open to the public. Every game in 2026 is sold out, so you need a ticket to get into the stadium.
How do you buy parking at Indiana?
Prepaid and season parking for 2026 are sold out. On game day, the Union Street and Union Court grass lots and the Fee Lane Garage sell spaces first come, first served, the Bell Tower lot sells RV spaces, and the Atwater Garage is free with a shuttle. Lots are cashless.
The game-day timeline
- Night before, 6 PMOvernight RV lots open. No hookups.
- 5 hrs beforeEvery IU Athletics lot is open by now
- 3 hrs beforeThe AAA Championship Tailgate opens, and the free shuttles start
- About 2.5 hrs beforeThe Walk and the rally at Assembly Hall
- After the gameShuttles run for 2 more hours
- Sun noonRVs out of the lots
Where to park
Season and prepaid parking are sold out for 2026, so most visitors land in a game-day lot or on the shuttle.
- Game-day lots
- Union Street Grass Lot (1105 N Union St), Union Court Grass Lot (1130 N Union Ct) and the Fee Lane Garage. First come, first served.
- Free
- The Atwater Garage, limited spaces, with a free shuttle 3 hours before kickoff and 2 hours after the game.
- Grass lots
- Park Avenue and Forrest Avenue grass, prepaid only. Attendants park cars front to back, so groups arrive together.
- RV
- Bell Tower RV Lot sells game-day RV spaces. Overnight lots open 6 p.m. the night before and clear by noon Sunday.
- Accessible
- Gate 12 in the Green Lot, north of Assembly Hall, with a placard or plate. Golf-cart shuttles run to the gates.
- Rideshare
- Set the app to Briscoe Quadrangle, the Christian Student Fellowship building or 913 N Woodlawn Ave.
Every parking pass has a QR code that opens Waze and routes you to the gate printed on it.
Add your pass and tickets to your phone wallet before you leave home. Screenshots won't scan.
No pass? Park free at the Atwater Garage or catch the shuttle at E. Lingelbach Lane and N. Union Street. Shuttles run for 3 hours before kickoff and start again for 2 hours after the game.
The rules
Rules last verified Oct 14, 2026 against iuhoosiers.com.
IU rewrote the tailgate footprint for 2026. Learn the stall rule before you unpack.
- Your space
- Tailgate on grass or right behind or in front of your car, inside the width of your stall. A second pass can't claim the next space.
- Grills
- Allowed inside your stall. Fire pits must be UL-listed and raised off the ground, and remnants never go on the ground.
- Tents
- 10 x 10 feet or smaller, inside your stall width.
- Not allowed
- Saving spaces, blocking drive aisles, weapons, littering, box trucks, trailers and outside tailgate or catering services.
- Alcohol
- No lot rule posted. None into the stadium, and sales inside end after the third quarter.
- Smoking
- No tobacco or vaping anywhere on IU Bloomington property.
- Re-entry
- Pass-outs are available at every gate.
- Bags at the gate
- 1 clear bag up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches or a 1-gallon freezer bag, plus a small clutch. No coolers.
- Water
- 1 empty clear bottle up to 64 oz, to fill at the stations inside.
Before you go
IU football game day parkingIU 2026 gameday enhancements and tailgating rulesAAA Championship TailgateMemorial Stadium policies2026 gameday parking map (PDF)Official pages. Rules change; check them the week of the game.
Pack for Bloomington
What we'd bring.
-
Indiana Hoosiers Flex Cooler, 24 Cans
$55
Ships free
A soft-sided Hoosiers cooler that holds 24 cans, for the drinks.
-
Opener & Shotgun Tool
$7.99
Free over $50 (our gear)
Our opener pops caps and clips to your keys, so it's never the thing nobody packed.
More for this lot
-
Daylodge AirHaven 30 Inflatable Vehicle Awning, 30 sq ft$799 · Ships free
The game-day lots on Union Street and Union Court are grass, so a wet November Saturday in Bloomington means boots, not sneakers.
Gear for Indiana fans
In stock now.
Where the party is
Bloomington runs a tight lot: in 2026 every grill, cooler and tent stays inside the width of your stall. The room to spread out is on the south lawn, where IU throws its own free tailgate 3 hours before kickoff.
The open door
The AAA Championship Tailgate
On the south lawn of the stadium from 3 hours before kickoff. Free and open to the public, with an outdoor bar, live music, food trucks, a kids zone and a big trophy photo spot.
The moment
The Walk and Hep's Rock
About 2.5 hours before kickoff, the Marching Hundred, cheerleaders and RedSteppers lead a rally on the west steps of Assembly Hall, and the team walks in past Hep's Rock outside the east entrance.
The grass
Park and Forrest Avenue grass lots
The grass lots right south of the stadium. Prepaid only, and attendants fill them front to back.
What to eat
Cook thisSmoked chicken quartersGetting out
Every lot opens early, and IU asks you to beat the rush going in. Getting out, best first:
- Take the shuttle back. Free shuttles to the Atwater Garage and E. Lingelbach Lane run for 2 hours after the game.
- Use the pass in your pocket. The QR code on your parking pass opens Waze with IU's traffic pattern loaded.
- Rideshare from the right corner. Briscoe Quadrangle, the Christian Student Fellowship building or 913 N Woodlawn Ave.
Skip this
Leave with everyone at the final whistle. IU sold out every game this year. Do the math.
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Your Merchants Bank Field at Memorial 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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