Virginia Cavaliers · College · ACC

Tailgating at Scott Stadium

Aerial view of Scott Stadium on the University of Virginia Grounds in Charlottesville
Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0, cropped

One graduate student's family started tailgating with strangers just because they shared section 120, and those strangers became some of the family's closest friends. Tailgates spread across Grounds in small clusters, with no single big field to find. At Scott Stadium the Cavalier Marching Band plays the pregame and the Cavalier leads the team out on horseback, with a sword, which Stadium Journey calls "a can't miss."

The lot answer

Virginia's tailgate is spread across Grounds: the Virginia Athletics Foundation lots ringing Scott Stadium for donors and, for everyone else, Fontaine Research Park, the John Paul Jones Arena lots and North Grounds, each on its own shuttle line (Red, Purple and Blue). Central Grounds Garage sells same-day, and Hospital South on Crispell Dr is the other paid garage.

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grills only, no charcoal
Propane
free shuttles start pre-kick
3 hrs
Fontaine, JPJ, North Grounds
Free
stadium gates open pre-kick
90 min
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Rules checked Oct 14, 2026
Sources

Rules last verified Oct 14, 2026 against virginiasports.com and virginiaathleticsfoundation.com.

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Can't miss

  1. Ties and pearls Guys in ties and girls in pearls is a long-running UVA tradition. Dress for it.
  2. Singing the Good Old Song The stadium sings it after every score, arms around each other.
  3. Jefferson's Lawn and Rotunda Jefferson's original university is a short walk from the stadium, and the walk is the best part of a UVA Saturday.

Quick answers

When can you start tailgating at Virginia?

UVA's 2026 gameday page doesn't post one opening time for every lot. Free shuttles from the free lots start 3 hours before kickoff, and Fan Fest opens 2.5 hours out.

Can you grill at Virginia tailgates?

Propane grills, yes. Charcoal grills, no. Grilling of any kind isn't allowed in or on the parking garages.

Can you drink at Virginia tailgates?

UVA's gameday page doesn't set a lot alcohol rule; Virginia's drinking age is 21. Outside alcohol can't go into Scott Stadium, and intoxicated guests can be removed.

Do you need a ticket to tailgate at Virginia?

Not to park in the free lots at Fontaine, JPJ and North Grounds. The VAF lots by the stadium take a digital parking pass, and everyone 2 and older needs a ticket to get in, unless they're on a lap.

How do you buy parking at Virginia?

The lots next to the stadium are Virginia Athletics Foundation permits for donors, now digital. Everyone else parks free and rides the shuttle, or buys a spot in the Central Grounds, Hospital South or Culbreth garages.

The game-day timeline

  1. 3 hrs beforeFree fan shuttles start from Fontaine, JPJ and North Grounds
  2. 3 hrs beforeHOOSHELP text assistance opens
  3. 2.5 hrs beforeFan Fest opens on the O'Hill field
  4. 2 hrs beforeWill Call opens at the East Gate
  5. 90 min beforeStadium gates open
  6. 30 min beforeFan Fest wraps up
  7. 1 hr afterLast shuttles back to the free lots

Where to park

The lots around Scott Stadium are Virginia Athletics Foundation permits. Without one, park free farther out and ride in.

Free: Fontaine
Fontaine Research Park, off the 250 bypass. Red shuttle, or walk the lighted pedestrian path and Stadium Rd.
Free: JPJ
The lots around John Paul Jones Arena, off Massie Rd. Purple shuttle. No pass needed.
Free: North Grounds
The Park and the D3 lot on Massie Rd. Blue shuttle.
Paid garages
Central Grounds Garage (same day only), Hospital South on Crispell Dr, and Culbreth (prepaid only, closed for Friday games).
VAF lots
North, East, South and West lots by the stadium, for donors. Passes are digital in 2026, and screenshots won't scan.
Accessible
Every free lot has ADA parking for the shuttle stops; level 1 of the Fontaine Parking Garage has the most. All shuttles are wheelchair accessible.
Scott Stadium game-day parking, simplified
Scott Stadium game-day parking, simplified
 See the official Scott Stadium parking map

In the free lots, one car, one space. Construction has cut the number of free spaces, so don't spread a setup across several.
VAF lots scan your pass at the entrance, and there's no re-entry after scanning.
No car? Rideshare drops off on McCormick Rd, which is closed to through traffic on game day. Every shuttle drops off and picks up at the stadium's east and west gates.

The rules

Rules last verified Oct 14, 2026 against virginiasports.com and virginiaathleticsfoundation.com.

UVA keeps its tailgate rules short. The grill rule is the one that surprises visitors.

Grills
Propane only. No charcoal grills, and no grilling of any kind in or on a parking garage.
Your space
Stay in the grass, pavement or mulch area, or in your car's footprint. The middle lane stays open for emergency vehicles.
Free lots
One space per car. Don't spread a setup across several spaces.
Alcohol
No outside alcohol into the stadium. Inside: 21 and over, 2 drinks per transaction.
Smoking
Not in UVA facilities. Scott Stadium has designated smoking areas at the Southwest and East gates.
Not allowed
Selling or soliciting by outside vendors on Grounds. Drones, coolers and folding chairs at the gates.
Bags at the gate
Clear, up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches, or a 1-gallon freezer bag, plus a clutch up to 4.5 x 6.5 inches. Empty clear reusable bottles under 40 oz are new in 2026.
Gates open
90 minutes before kickoff. No re-entry.
Compare the rules in all 173 guides →

Before you go

Virginia football gameday (2026)Digital parking for 20262026 football parking map2026 pregame shuttle map

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

Pack for Charlottesville

What we'd bring.

More for this lot

Shipping and returns

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Where the party is

There's no single tailgate field at Virginia. The scene is spread across Grounds, from the donor lots ringing Scott Stadium to the free lots at Fontaine, JPJ and North Grounds, tied together by shuttles and a free Fan Fest on the O'Hill field.

The free play

Fontaine Research Park

Free, south of the stadium off Fontaine Ave, with the primary accessible parking and a lighted walking path in.

The big lot

John Paul Jones Arena

Free lots wrapped around the arena on Massie Rd, with the Purple shuttle to the stadium.

The family stop

Fan Fest on the O'Hill field

Free, next to Observatory Hill Dining Hall, from 2.5 hours before kickoff: live music, yard games, inflatables and Cavman.

Know a setup worth showing off? Nominate your tailgate.

What to eat

Before a noon game, Charlottesville's breakfast is a Bodo's bagel.

Getting out

Charlottesville's roads fill up all at once. Your options, best first:

  1. Ride the shuttle back. Postgame shuttles pick up at the east and west gates. Red goes to Fontaine; one Blue and Purple loop covers JPJ, Darden, D3 and The Park.
  2. Hang at the car. Shuttles run until an hour after the game, so there's no rush to beat them.
  3. Rideshare from McCormick Rd. It's the designated rideshare zone and is closed to through traffic.

  4. Skip this

    Pull out of a garage at the final whistle. You and the rest of the garage.

First time here?

  • No pass? Park free at Fontaine, JPJ or North Grounds and ride the shuttle.

Visiting? How to join a tailgate

Fan Fest is free and a good first stop.

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