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Tailgating at Ryan Field

Tailgater Supply ยท Game-day sheet

Rules last verified Oct 28, 2026 against newryanfield.com, nusports.com, northwestern.edu, cityofevanston.org and the Chicago Sun-Times (Oct. 2, 2026). Rules change; check the official pages the week of the game.

3 hrsfree shuttles start running
2 hrsgates and food festival open
Seasonon-site stadium parking
No carson nearby streets, game day

Getting in

Stadium lots
Purple, Gold, Platinum, Isabella and East Stadium Parking, reserved for season ticket holders.
Campus lots
Single-game parking on Northwestern's campus on JustPark. The Campus Shuttle runs from Sheridan Rd and the South Campus garage.
Downtown lots
Downtown Evanston garages on JustPark. The Downtown Shuttle stops at Chicago & Church, Orrington & Davis and Maple Ave.
Shuttles
Free, from 3 hours before kickoff, dropping off and picking up along Ashland Ave. One ADA-accessible shuttle per route.
Rideshare
Haven Middle School, 2417 Prairie Ave, is the only spot the city allows. A free shuttle runs there after the game.
Accessible
ADA drop-off on Ashland at Gate 2, loading only. The whole site is at grade, with no separate accessible route needed.

Official parking map: cdn.prod.website-files.com/69b9531b5174de0e68e50047/6abbf0dbf0de0c8ffbc297f9_Temp_Parking.png

Getting out

  1. Take the train. Metra's Central Street station is about 5 minutes from the gates, and Northwestern has asked Metra and the CTA for special trains with a free ride home.
  2. Ride the shuttle back. Campus and Downtown shuttles pick up along Ashland Ave after the game.
  3. Shuttle to rideshare. A free postgame shuttle runs to Haven Middle School, the only rideshare pickup the city allows.

Skip this: Walk to your car at the final whistle. Then wait out the street restrictions, which last an hour after the game.

The rules

Grills
No grill rule posted for the stadium lots. The Grillout on the festival grounds does the grilling for everyone else.
Alcohol
Inside: 21 and over with ID, 2 per transaction, last call at the start of the 4th quarter. No outside alcohol in.
Parking
Stadium lots for season ticket holders only. Annual Ryan Field permits don't count on game days, and violators can be towed.
Streets
No event-day parking in the surrounding neighborhoods, from 2 hours before to 1 hour after.
Not allowed
Drones over the stadium, lots and roads. Smoking or vaping anywhere on the grounds.
Your ticket
New Ryan Field app only. Screenshots don't scan, and the venue is cashless, parking included.
Bags at the gate
One bag up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches, no clear bag needed. No backpacks of any size, no hard cases.
Gates open
2 hours before kickoff. No re-entry.

Official pages

The full guide: tailgatersupply.com/blogs/stadium-guides/tailgating-at-ryan-field-evanston