Can't miss
- The Grove Ten acres of oak trees and tents, and everything shows up cooked: real platters, tablecloths and, under some tents, a chandelier.
- The Walk of Champions The team walks through the Grove to the stadium under the brick arch, through a crowd ten deep.
- Hotty Toddy Strangers will start the cheer at you. Know your half of it.
- Square Books on the Square Oxford's town square is a short walk from campus, and Square Books is the stop the night before.
Quick answers
When can you set up a tent in the Grove?
6 p.m. on the Friday before a home game. The Grove and the Circle close at 5:30 p.m. for vendor and student group setups, then reopen to everyone at 6.
Can you grill in the Grove?
No. Grills of any kind, electric, gas, charcoal or wood, aren't allowed anywhere on the Ole Miss campus, and neither are heaters. Bring food that's already cooked.
Can you drink at Ole Miss tailgates?
The Grove rules say to know and obey the alcohol regulations, and groups that don't can be removed or arrested. Drinking under 21 is illegal. Alcohol isn't allowed on the shuttles or into the stadium.
Do you need a ticket to tailgate in the Grove?
No ticket rule is posted for the Grove, and Ole Miss describes Grove tailgating as open to all. You do need a ticket to get into the stadium, for everyone 12 months and older.
How do you buy parking?
On-campus parking takes an Ole Miss Athletics Foundation pass, and for 2026 it's sold out except limited spots at the Jackson Avenue Center. Everyone else buys an off-campus lot in the Clutch parking app and rides the free shuttle.
The game-day timeline
- Fri 2 to 3 PMRegistered student organizations set up
- Fri 3 to 4:30 PMGrove vendors set up their customers' tents
- Fri 5:30 PMThe Grove and the Circle close
- Fri 6 PMThe Grove opens for everyone's tents
- 5 hrs beforeOff-campus shuttles start running, at the latest
- 4 hrs beforeSorority Row and University Avenue close to cars
- 3 hrs beforeFanFest opens
- About 2 hrs beforeGates open and the team takes the Walk of Champions
- 1 hr 30 min beforeThe band's Grove show
Getting in
Nobody drives into the Grove. You park on campus with a pass or ride a shuttle in, and the gear comes in on foot.
- On campus
- Athletics Foundation pass only, in the lot printed on it. Sold out for 2026 except limited spots at the Jackson Avenue Center.
- Shuttle lots
- Northwest Mississippi Community College, South Oxford Center and Oxford High School, bought in the Clutch parking app. Free shuttle, no shuttle from Insight Park.
- Shuttle hours
- From at least 5 hours before kickoff to 2 hours after the game.
- Drop-off
- In on Jackson Avenue, down Sorority Row, left into the Grove Loop zone. Brief stops, no waiting, no unattended cars.
- RV
- Season RV parking is sold out for 2026. RV lots open to pass holders after 5 p.m. Thursday.
- Accessible
- An ADA pass plus a state credential on campus, or park at South Oxford Center for the ADA shuttle. Golf carts run from 7 a.m. to 1 hour after.
University Avenue works as a drop-off until it closes about 4 hours before kickoff. Loading there is limited to 15 minutes.
Unloading Friday night? University Avenue is open for drop-off and pick-up after 6 p.m.
No pass? Buy an off-campus lot in the Clutch parking app ahead of time and take the free shuttle. Alcohol isn't allowed on board, and the school asks riders to be considerate with coolers.
The rules
Rules last verified Oct 14, 2026 against olemissgameday.com and olemisssports.com.
The Grove has more rules than most lots. Learn these and you'll fit right in.
- Grills
- None. Electric, gas, charcoal and wood grills are all banned on campus, and so are heaters.
- Alcohol
- Know the rules. Under-21 drinking is illegal, and groups that break the alcohol rules can be removed or arrested. None on the shuttles.
- Tents
- 10 x 20 feet or smaller, fully extended to count as set. No stakes or fasteners of any kind.
- Your space
- No artificial turf: hay, wheat straw or pine straw only. No cords across sidewalks and no power from buildings.
- Noise
- No amplified sound. Generators rated 60 dB or louder are banned.
- Who's allowed
- Ole Miss calls Grove tailgating open to all. Selling or handing out promos needs a university contract.
- When it ends
- Campus, the Grove and the Circle close 3 hours after the game or at midnight, whichever is first.
- Bags at the gate
- Clear, up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches, or a 1-gallon freezer bag, plus a clutch about 4.5 x 6.5 inches.
- Gates open
- 2 hours before kickoff.
Before you go
Ole Miss football gameday info2026 gameday enhancementsOle Miss Athletics alcohol policies2026 gameday campus mapOfficial pages. Rules change; check them the week of the game.
Pack for Oxford
What we'd bring.
-
Ultralight Tall-Back Camp Chair
$45
Ships free
-
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
-
Tailgate Trekker 20L Soft Backpack Cooler$149 · Free over $50 (our gear)
Gear for Ole Miss fans
In stock now.
Where the party is
There are no cars and no grills in the Grove. It's a field of tents under the trees in the middle of campus, claimed the night before, and the team walks straight through it on the way to the stadium.
The main event
The Grove
Tents go up at 6 p.m. Friday on any open space. The eastern part of the Grove is held for fans setting up their own.
The overflow
The Circle
The lawn west of the Grove runs on the same rules and the same Friday clock.
The moment
The Walk of Champions
About 2 hours before kickoff, the team walks from the arch near the Student Union on the north side of the Grove to the stadium's north plaza.
What to eat
Cook thisPimento cheese tea sandwichesGetting out
Oxford empties slowly, and the school plans for it. Your options, best first:
- Take the shuttle back. Shuttles to the off-campus lots run until 2 hours after the game.
- Hang in the Grove. Campus stays open until 3 hours after the game or midnight, whichever is first. Let the roads clear.
- Ride the one-way flow. From the second half on, most campus streets turn one-way outbound so every lane heads off campus.
Skip this
Bolt at the final whistle. You and the whole stadium, on the same streets. Pack up the tent first.
First time here?
- Buy a shuttle lot in the Clutch parking app before game day.
- Line the Walk of Champions about 2 hours before kickoff.
What to wear
Ole Miss posts a color for each home game on its gameday site, from red to powder blue to Stripe the Vaught, so check it before you pack. The Grove is known for dressing up.
Visiting? How to join a tailgate
Ole Miss calls the Grove open to all, whoever you root for. Walk it Friday night or Saturday morning, bring something to share, and wait for a wave before you step under a tent.
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