Ole Miss will reopen The Grove for tailgating

Published 3:56 pm Tuesday, June 1, 2021

OXFORD — The Grove will be open for business this fall.

Ole Miss announced Tuesday that it will allow tailgating to resume in The Grove, a 10-acre area in the center of campus, for the 2021 season. Specific details were not announced, but in a release the university said, “The Grove is expected to operate as it did prior to the pandemic.”

“We’ve always said gamedays at Ole Miss are family reunions, and we can’t wait to have our family back together again this fall,” said Keith Carter, Ole Miss Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics.

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Ole Miss’ season opener is Sept. 6, against Louisville in Atlanta. Its home opener is the following week, Sept. 11 against Austin Peay, and there are a total of seven home games on the 2021 schedule.

The Grove is one of college football’s most popular tailgating destinations. Many fans block out areas the night before home games, and families and organizations have hosted pregame parties in the same spots in The Grove for generations.

The Grove was closed for tailgating during the 2020 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and when it returns this fall it will have some new features. Ole Miss is adding a shopping location, Dyehard Fan Supply, as well as several exclusive tailgating areas.

The new areas include:

• North Plaza Walk of Champions: Turnkey, white glove tailgating services lining the bell tower bundled with pre-game experiences, premium food and beverage amenities and parking passes.

• Pre-Game Pavilion: Indoor and outdoor experience between Vaught-Hemingway Stadium and The Pavilion that includes select food and beverage menu offerings, a beer garden and live entertainment.

• Field Level Pre-Game and In-Game Experience: Accessible and premium viewing experiences in the northeast corner of Vaught-Hemingway Stadium offering top-class hospitality with food and beverage opportunities for groups of 30 or more.