Cincinnati Bearcats · College · Big 12

Tailgating at Nippert Stadium

Lots open
5 hrs before, not pre-8 a.m.
Grills
Yes · on The Grid

Checked Oct 14, 2026

The concrete stands of Nippert Stadium and the patterned Lindner Center wall behind them, with old brick gate pillars in front
Photo: Warren LeMay, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped

Near the edge of the Grid, a dozen tailgaters gathered around an old bar-shuttle bus its owner had bought at a salvage yard for $500, chopped El Camino-style and reclassified as an RV. A Road to CFB writer found it at a 2022 sellout, with magnets inside from every game, each marked with the date, the score and who was there. On the Commons, the fan-run Den tailgate announced for the 2025 homecoming a bell every hour for a community toast, live music, pizza and a $2 split-the-pot raffle. Two and a half hours out, the band plays a pregame concert behind the crowd.

The lot answer

Cincinnati's tailgate is The Grid: more than 125 zones on Campus Green in the middle of campus, with a DJ stage and food trucks, and the team walks right through it. Cars and trailers tailgate only in the Alley east of the Grid, with a season pass, and single-game parking is prepaid at Eden Garage or the Clifton Lots.

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

earliest any tailgate opens
8 AM
before kickoff, areas open
5 hrs
max pop-up tent on The Grid
10 x 10
Catwalk through The Grid
2.5 hrs
Get the Pregame for the BearcatsEmail me Or get the one-page game-day sheet
Rules checked Oct 14, 2026
Sources

Rules last verified Oct 14, 2026 against gobearcats.com and uc.edu.

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Can't miss

  1. A stadium in the middle of campus Nippert is wedged between campus buildings, and from the upper rows you look over the dorms toward downtown.

Quick answers

What time does tailgating open at Cincinnati?

All UC tailgating locations open 5 hours before kickoff, but no earlier than 8 a.m. The Grid and the Rooftop Tailgate close 30 minutes before kickoff, and parking lots open 6 hours before.

Can you grill at Cincinnati tailgates?

Yes, on The Grid. Zone holders can bring their own grills, and coals go in one of the four coal dumpsters around The Grid. UC asks you to review the fire and safety rules before you grill.

Can you drink at Cincinnati tailgates?

UC says tailgaters are responsible for following local and state alcohol laws, and you have to be 21. No alcohol can be brought into Nippert Stadium. Inside, it's 2 per purchase until the end of the 3rd quarter.

Do you need a ticket to tailgate at Cincinnati?

Grid, Commons and Rooftop spaces are reserved through UC's tailgate partner. The Bearcats Family Fun Zone on Sheakley Lawn is inside the stadium perimeter, so it needs a game ticket.

How do you buy parking at Cincinnati?

Most campus garages are season passes. Single-game parking is prepaid at Eden Garage, the Clifton Lots or Woodside Garage (accessible only), and Eden also sells game-day parking by credit or debit card.

The game-day timeline

  1. 6 hrs beforeParking lots open
  2. 5 hrs beforeTailgating areas open, never before 8 a.m.
  3. 3 hrs beforeBearcats Family Fun Zone opens on Sheakley Lawn (ticket needed)
  4. 2.5 hrs beforeThe Catwalk through The Grid
  5. 2 hrs beforeGates open
  6. 30 min beforeThe Grid and the Rooftop close
  7. 30 min afterStart breaking down your tailgate
  8. 1 hr afterLast Eden Garage shuttle

Where to park

UC parks fans in garages, most of them season passes. Here's what's open if you don't have one.

Season garages
CCM, Calhoun, Campus Green, Clifton Court, Corry, University and Varsity Village. Grid zone holders get a Campus Green Garage pass.
Single game
Prepaid at Eden Garage or the Clifton Lots. Eden also sells game-day parking, credit or debit only. The Eden ticket is good until 4 a.m.
Shuttle
Eden Garage buses drop off at Commons Way and Daniels Street and run until 1 hour after the game. ADA accessible.
Accessible
Prepaid accessible passes at Woodside Garage with a state placard or plate. A golf cart shuttle runs from the garage to the gate.
The Alley
The only place cars and trailers can tailgate by the Grid, east of it, and it takes a season pass.
Rideshare
West Charlton Street and Champions Avenue, by the Bearcat statue.
Nippert Stadium game-day parking, simplified
Nippert Stadium game-day parking, simplified
 See the official Nippert Stadium parking map

Unloading for The Grid is at the West University Avenue Circle, off Jefferson Avenue: one drop-off zone, 10 minutes max, with student volunteers to help.
Cars can't move or park on any unpaved part of campus.
No car? Use rideshare at West Charlton Street and Champions Avenue, by the Bearcat statue. From the Eden Garage shuttle stop, walk through Sigma Sigma Commons to Gate J.

The rules

Rules last verified Oct 14, 2026 against gobearcats.com and uc.edu.

The Grid has a short rule list. Know it before you unload.

Grills
Allowed on The Grid. Coals go in one of the 4 coal dumpsters around it. Check UC's fire and safety rules first.
Tents
Small pop-ups only, 10 x 10 feet max.
Vehicles
No cars or trailers on The Grid, ever. They're only allowed in the Alley, with a season pass.
Alcohol
Follow local and state law. None can be brought into Nippert Stadium.
Not allowed
Commercial signs and displays, selling food or drinks without UC's OK, and tobacco anywhere on campus.
When it ends
The Grid and the Rooftop close 30 minutes before kickoff; gear can stay at your risk. Break down within 30 minutes after the game.
Your space
Don't block sidewalks, damage landscaping or crowd the next tailgate. Leave bagged trash at your spot for pickup.
Bags at the gate
Clear bags only, plus up to 2 unopened water bottles. Free lockers at Gates B and J.
Gates open
2 hours before kickoff. Cashless, and no re-entry.
Compare the rules in all 173 guides →

Before you go

Nippert Stadium A-Z guideUC football tailgating (Tickets Hub)Football season parking map (PDF)Football single-game parking map (PDF)

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

Pack for Cincinnati

What we'd bring.

Early-season games in Cincinnati run warm, and late-season night games get cold. Umbrellas aren't allowed inside, so bring a rain layer.

Shipping and returns

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

Where the party is

Cincinnati tailgates on a lawn in the middle of campus. The Grid fills Campus Green with more than 125 zones, a DJ stage and food trucks, no cars allowed, and the team walks right through it on the way in.

The main event

The Grid

More than 125 tailgate zones on Campus Green, with a DJ stage and food trucks. Zones are reserved through UC's tailgate partner.

The moment

The Catwalk

2.5 hours before kickoff the team buses arrive and the band leads the team right through the heart of The Grid.

The car crowd

The Rooftop Tailgate

On top of the University Avenue Garage: a space for your car and another for the tailgate, sold by the season.

Know a setup worth showing off? Nominate your tailgate.

What to eat

Grills are welcome on The Grid, and food trucks set up there too.

Getting out

UC posts egress patterns for each garage. Your options, best first:

  1. Take the Eden shuttle back. Buses run from Commons Way and Daniels Street until 1 hour after the game.
  2. Break down slowly. You have until 30 minutes after the game to start packing up. Let the garages clear.
  3. Rideshare from the Bearcat statue. West Charlton Street and Champions Avenue.

  4. Skip this

    Leave the garage at the final whistle. With everyone else. Follow the posted exit route for your garage.

First time here?

  • Tailgating opens 5 hours before kickoff, never before 8 a.m.
  • Unload at the West University Avenue Circle, 10 minutes max.
  • No cars on The Grid. Grills and 10 x 10 tents are fine.
  • Catch the Catwalk on The Grid, 2.5 hours before kickoff.
  • Gates open 2 hours out. Cashless, no re-entry.
  • Clear bag only, plus up to 2 unopened water bottles.

Visiting? How to join a tailgate

UC's code of conduct bars mistreating visiting fans. The Catwalk is the easy way in: walk The Grid before it, bring something to share and ask before you step into someone's zone.

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