Tailgate Lots
Equipment, delivery, setup, takedown, and cleanup are included. Bring your own food and drinks or add catering and beverage delivery.
- Parking is normally separate
- Specialty bundles can include parking or food credit
Independent guide to hosted tailgating
Choose your experience. Let Gameday Your Way handle the setup.
Gameday Your WayThe Official Tailgate Service Provider of Notre Dame Athletics
Independent fan guide
Visit the provider’s official site ↗Irish Gameday Guide provides this summary for informational purposes. Package details, pricing, availability, booking, and fulfillment should be confirmed directly with Gameday Your Way.
The short answer
Do you order the tailgate and catering separately?
Usually, yes. The private Tailgate Lots and Tailgate Lawn packages provide the space or equipment setup, but food, alcoholic beverages, and usually parking are separate decisions. The Kick-Off Party is the simplest all-inclusive choice.
Tailgate Lawn
Your private lawn space, tent, furniture, coolers, and shared entertainment are included. Food, drinks, and parking are not.
- Bring your own food and beverages or add them
- Closest parking is generally North Lots or Bulla
Kick-Off Party
The 3.5-hour pregame party includes the buffet, open bar, live entertainment, screens, and games.
- Priced per person
- No outside food or beverages
Game tickets are separate unless a selected specialty booking explicitly says otherwise. Notre Dame Hospitality directs visitors to Gameday Your Way for turnkey tailgate packages. This independent summary was reviewed September 13, 2026; always confirm game-specific prices, availability, and terms on the provider’s official site.
Start with the group
Which option fits your day?
Choose based on whether you want your own gathering place, a ready-made party, or just the gear. The first number shown is the current advertised starting price—not a final quote.
| Experience | Best for | Setup | Food & drinks | Parking | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tailgate Lots | A private classic tailgate at a lot space | Delivered and handled for you | Bring your own or add separately | Usually separate | $800 / package |
| Tailgate Lawn | A private group space without managing a vehicle setup | Private tented lawn setup | Bring your own or add separately | Separate | $775 / group |
| Kick-Off Party | Visitors who want one reservation and a built-in crowd | Complete hosted party | Buffet and open bar included | Separate | $150 / person |
| Equipment Rental | Do-it-yourself hosts who already have a space and food plan | You pick up, set up, and return | Separate | Separate | $270 / package |
Full-service choices
Three ways to tailgate your way.
These options are offered by Gameday Your Way, which identifies itself as the official tailgate service provider of Notre Dame Athletics.
01
Private lot
Tailgate Lots
$800–$1,595 pre-built package range
A classic tailgate at your vehicle space—or, in limited Stadium and Joyce locations, a designated no-vehicle space.
What the base package handles
- Tent, tables, chairs, coolers, and selected equipment
- Delivery to the lot, setup, takedown, and cleanup
- Stadium, Joyce, Bookstore, and select North Lot service
Plan separately: catering, beverages, and a parking pass unless your specialty package says otherwise.
See lot packages & availability ↗02
Private lawn
Tailgate Lawn
$775–$2,680 pre-built package range
A reserved private setup on the lawn east of Hesburgh Library and south of McCourtney Hall, advertised as roughly a nine-minute walk from the stadium.
What the base package handles
- Dedicated tent sized for the group
- Chairs, tables with linens, and coolers
- Access to lawn music, games, and entertainment
Plan separately: food, beverages, and parking. Guests may bring their own food and drinks.
See lawn packages & availability ↗03
All-inclusive
Kick-Off Party
$150 per person; discounts may be available
The cleanest answer for a first-time visitor who wants a lively pregame experience without coordinating a private tailgate.
One reservation includes
- A 3.5-hour tented pregame party
- All-you-can-eat barbecue buffet and open bar
- Live music, big screens, and yard games
Plan separately: parking and game tickets. Outside food and beverages are not permitted.
Get a party wristband ↗2026 specialty packages
Bundles that close some of the gaps.
These featured packages combine a standard setup with valuable extras. Pricing and availability appear after selecting a game.
CJ Carr Lot Package
The clearest private-lot bundle if you also need parking and food.
- Stadium or Joyce parking pass
- 10 × 10 tent, eight chairs, two tables with linens
- Two 48-quart coolers and one 120-quart cooler
- Cornhole set
- $500 catering credit
The provider instructs buyers to contact info@gamedayyourway.com after booking to claim the catering credit.
Check the CJ Carr package ↗Noah Grubbs Lawn Package
A larger lawn setup with entertainment equipment already added.
- Party Lawn access and dedicated 10 × 20 tent
- Ten chairs, two linen-covered tables, and two large coolers
- Cornhole set and 50-inch TV package
- Two cocktail tables with linens
- Shared lawn music, games, and entertainment
Food, beverages, parking, and game tickets remain separate unless the selected booking says otherwise.
Check the Noah Grubbs package ↗Do-it-yourself option
Equipment rental is not full-service setup.
These packages are picked up at the Gameday Your Way warehouse on Friday and returned Sunday. You transport and set up the equipment yourself.
Varsity
$270- 10 × 10 tent
- Four chairs
- One 6-foot table with linen
- One 48-quart cooler
All-Star
$375- 10 × 10 tent
- Six chairs
- Two 6-foot tables with linens
- Two 48-quart coolers
MVP
$540- 10 × 10 tent and eight chairs
- Two tables with linens
- Two 48-quart and one 120-quart cooler
- Cornhole set
Warehouse: 1910 Lincoln Way W, South Bend · Friday pickup 12–6 p.m. ET · Sunday return 9 a.m.–noon ET. Confirm current times directly before travel.
Food & beverages
Add them—or bring your own.
For a Lot or Lawn package, catering can be added during booking or after the equipment order. You may also bring your own food and drinks. The provider currently requires catering orders to be finalized ten days before the event.
Three Leaf · from $400Mission BBQ · from $400Chick-fil-A · from $130Taphouse on the Edge · from $200Nelson’s · from $180Jimmy John’s · from $175Metro Diner · from $200Franky’s Tacos · from $180
A cleaner ordering sequence
Book in this order.
- 1Choose the experience.
Lot, Lawn, Party, or equipment-only rental.
- 2Secure the space or parking.
Most packages do not include parking. Verify the exact lot and pass before treating the plan as finished.
- 3Decide how everyone will eat.
Bring your own food or order catering. Remember the ten-day catering deadline.
- 4Handle beverages separately.
Bring your own where permitted or place the separate delivery order. Valid identification is required for alcohol.
- 5Confirm the handoff.
Know where to meet the setup team, what to text on arrival, and when the group needs to leave for stadium entry.
Other official avenues
Hosted experiences beyond a private package.
This page is built to grow as more 2026 opportunities become available.
Notre Dame Hospitality tailgate experiences
The University’s official hospitality page directs fans to turnkey Gameday Your Way packages and the all-inclusive party, and also maintains current campus tailgating information.
Visit Notre Dame Hospitality ↗Shake Down the Thunder Tailgate
Notre Dame’s Giving Societies list a family-friendly pregame event inside Duncan Student Center with food, beer and wine, entertainment, and large screens. Advance registration and a valid ticket for that day’s game are required.
Matt’s read
Pick the memory you want to make.
If this is your first visit and you do not already have a group or a parking pass, the Kick-Off Party removes the most moving parts. If the group wants its own home base, choose the Lawn. If the parking-lot tradition is the point, choose a Lot package—but finish the parking, food, and beverage decisions before you call the plan complete.