CAMPAIGN – When the gates to Grange Grove open at 7 a.m. Saturday before the Illinois football team’s 3 p.m. season opener against Wyoming, fans will begin trickling into the large grassy area under the shade on the west side of Memorial Stadium. Some will have set up their tents and staked out their sites early Friday evening, some will have used the university’s Tailgater concierge service, while others will have brought their tents in the morning.
As the beer flows and the grills burn, fans will be treated to live music from country music singer Clayton Shay and the Marching Illini, cheering on the Illini as they board their bus at 1:00 PM and walk to the stadium. , and kids will play on bounce houses among other attractions.
“You see a lot of schools creating this entertainment zone,” said Senior Associate Director of Athletics Cassie Arner, “but I think what makes us unique is how close it is to the stadium.”
When Arner left the athletic department in 2010 after her initial stint as sports information director, the pregame experience wasn’t what it is today. Prior to Grange Grove’s debut in 2016, the grassy lot next to the stadium was a reserved parking lot for some of the athletic departments with the most donations.
“Because it was reserved space, you’d get people there right before game time,” said Arner, who returned in 2018. “There was no incentive to make that area something like big as it is now. We gave it back to the people.”
Fans can expect some changes this year. In an effort to keep the main event activity centered toward the middle of the lot, the Family Fun Zone, featuring inflatable bounce houses and games, face painting and balloon artists, will be moved to the middle of the lot. Previously, the bounce houses were located in the corner of the lot. Arner said a cartoonist will also be on board.
“I think we’ve always had a lot of things downtown, face painting, poster giveaways, some of the sponsor activations, giveaways there,” Arner said. “Then the kids just want to run to the corner of the bounce houses. So I think that puts it all in one place. It’s where people start to gather, where they take pictures with the big Block I on the center and come together listening to the drum line when they all come out. So it just keeps everything centered where you don’t want to lose kids when they all run to the bounce house.”
Tailgaters can drop off their belongings from 5-7pm before each game day. Although Arner said fans leave items at their own risk, security guards will be on site overnight.
Doors will open at 7 a.m. on game day, with the Kids Zone at noon, the Illini Walk and live concert starting at 1 p.m., and the Marching Illini playing at 2:30 p.m., providing an afternoon of entertainment that, seven years ago, did not exist.
“It’s the kind of place where you feel very comfortable coming on a game day, relaxing and enjoying yourself, not worrying if your kids are going to be busy or have something to do,” Arner said. “I think it really adds to making it feel more like you’re there for the day, not just the game. There’s something that can really make it worth your trip. If you’re coming from three hours away, if you come from Chicago, you know there’s going to be something to do. I just think the energy of it gets people ready to get into the stadium.”
