The schedule Thursday is a little tough. I'd like to draw somethings to your attention. First, the schedule verbatim.
Schedule of Events
Thursday, October 20 - Game Day
9:00 AM: Ticket Office Opens
3:00 PM: Public Will Call Opens (Gate 4)
3:30 PM: Hokie Village Opens (Skipper blast will occur)
Beamer Way Closes To All Traffic
Women's Soccer vs. Notre Dame - Thompson Field - Free Admission
4:00 PM: English Field at Union Park Ground Breaking Ceremony
4:30 PM: The Hokie Walk - Center of Lane Stadium West Side on Beamer Way to Cassell Coliseum/Merryman Center (Skipper blast will occur)
5:00 PM: Parking Lots Open for Pass Holders
Gates Open
6:00 PM: Skipper blast will occur to signify tailgates should start wrapping up and fans encouraged to enter the stadium
6:15 PM: Hokie Village Closes
6:47 PM: Pregame Show: The Marching Virginians
6:55 PM: Enter Sandman
7:00 PM: Kickoff
Halftime: The Highty Tighties
3rd/4th Qtr Break: The Hokie Pokie
Parking lots will open to those with parking passes at 5:00 PM.
This is 1.5 hours AFTER Beamer Way closes. Please note this for those with parking passes in Lot 2.
I tweeted @VT_Football to ask about lot 18. Lot 18 is not a regular daily use parking lot. In the past they've let us slip. I'll post an update if I get a reply.
IMPORTANT PARKING INFORMATION FOR THE GAME
University offices open and classes are in session. President Sands has authorized offices to close at 2pm and cars must be removed from parking lots and roadways used for football parking by 3pm. Classes are not cancelled. Football parking lots will open for pass holders at 5pm.
Kickoff for this event is 7PM. This is an early time for Thursday night kickoffs.
In addition they are stating that there will be no leeway on the clear plastic bag policy. Apparently it's now fully implemented.
Comments
Did not know this was a thing, but very cool. Personally, my preferred tailgate spot (for day trips) of a stool at the Cellar should be plenty available.
So I responded to a recent survey that Skipper should fire before the game to tell anyone within earshot that it's time to move towards Lane. I'm glad they listened.
Call it the Turkey Call.
Last call before the game
*step into UA*
LASTCALLTOSANDMANLASTCALLTOSANDMANLASTCALLTOSANDMANLASTCALLTOSANDMANLASTCALLTOSANDMANLASTCALLTOSANDMAN
*doorslam*
Carolina Panthers do this with a big cat roar that you can hear across the city if you're within a clear line of the stadium. Pretty cool that we're doing something similar.
Went to the MNF game, and if I remember correctly, they also did air raid sirens and alarms 30 mins prior to kickoff
Am I reading this right and they're only allotting 1-2 hours for tailgating before this game?
That's correct.
I'm concerned about the volume of traffic and being able to walk from a far lot and actually making it to the game before kickoff. It takes some time to walk from lot 16 and 18.
There's not really any time to setup if you take into account traffic volume all trying to get into the lot if it opens starting at 5:00. Certainly not time to cook and eat.
Thanks for catching and posting this info! This doesn't affect us, but I'm sure it will put a damper on many tailgates and those with long drives into Blacksburg.
That is the official word, but my experience in the past has always shown that they know they can't catch a swarm of bees with a net. People will be out and tailgating early.
I'm just going to drive in and if any of us are there as we expect to me, I'll be joining.
There will be people there, as I am still sitting at work planning the quickest path out
All classes are still meeting, its a regular school day, so students will still be driving to campus for class until 5pm when it opens to tailgating with a pass. I have 2 classes tomorrow
That's going to be a small Hokie Walk and sparsely attended Hokie Village since most people won't even have been able to park yet.
Does anybody know what the rate is to park in the Kent Street parking garage is on game days? I was planning on hitting Blacksburg around noon and hanging out downtown but I don't know where the best place is to park.
It's $25/game or $40 for the reserved rooftop spaces:
http://www.hokiesports.com/football/gameday/2016/game4.html you can scroll down to the bottom of the page and see everywhere to park in B-Burg and the cost.
Sounds like I am finding the most empty parking lot I can find in Foxridge and riding the BT to campus.
nah, try to find street parking around progress street. You'll be just across the metered lot from sharkey's and the cellar. Not much more of a walk than the parking garage would have been.
If you want close to downtown, you can park at the Blacksburg Baptist Church for $10. It is right beside PKs. However, it is an alcohol free zone. Easy in and out to Prices Fork. You don't have to be out til well after game ends.
This is where we park every game. We eat/shop downtown or go tailgate with friends closer to stadium.
When do they start that? I'm thinking I might do that for the first part, I've even got a PK's gift card to spend.
Not sure. For noon games they open like 8 or so. May want to give them a call. Definitely would be open by 3pm from memory of going to previous Thurs night games.
Funny story there. I took my dad to his first Hokie game against Northeastern about 12 years ago or so and he was balking over the parking prices (he drove). Well we see the Baptist church sign with 10 dollars on it and pulls in. When they ask for his money he asks what the money is benefiting. The girl explains it goes to youth outreach and ministry and Dad gives them thirty and tells them to keep the change. I told him that I appreciated his philanthropy but for thirty dollars we could've parked somewhere that wasn't halfway to Roanoke.
There's a great path from foxridge to Lane through a couple farms that only takes about 10-15 minutes to walk. Not nearly as sketchy as it sounds either.
I stumbled my way back from many a football game/night downtown on this trail in my year in Foxridge. It's peaceful AF
Always enjoyed that walk back to the apartment after a night downtown. Sometimes grabbed a slice of Benny's for the trip.
Sometimes grabbed a
slice of Benny'sBIG-ASS POKIE STIX for the trip.RIP Gumby's. Get off my lawn with your giant, delicious slice of Benny's
God I loved everything about Gumby's and that Crack Cocaine they put on top of the Pokey Sticks
That path between FR and campus was my jam. It was part of my running trail, and my stumble home trail after the bars close.
Not that it affects me in any way, but why do they just cancel classes after 12pm on Thursday? I cannot imagine that it is going to be a pleasant experience around Blacksburg as people are waiting for the parking lots to open at 5pm. Everyone, for the most part, would already be in town for the game by then - 66,000 fans with a large majority trying to park in a window of 1 hour before being suggested to walk to the stadium is not going to go very well.
I have a test
tomorrowthursday at noon, they won't cancel classes.Well, I mean, it *is* a school.
NO DIAPER BAGS????
JK JK
Per personal at VT diaper bags will NOT be turned away.
Only allowing 2 hours to tailgate? Well.....there goes my plan for tailgating starting at 10am. Looks like I'll be drinking rails instead.
The lots have "opened" at basically the same time for years now. There wont even be anyone at the entrance to the lots until around 4-5. Once the masses commence, all they can do is wait it out. Better to ask forgiveness than ask for permission. We have always just tried not to draw that much attention to ourselves until the official lot open time. Believe me, people will be out.
Looks like you already
Ha. Whoops. I botched that post, didn't I?
Haha I had to call you out. It was too perfect in the context of early tailgating
I'll be rolling into Lot 18 around 10am (by myself until Nick arrives, so swing by). In my years of doing this, I haven't had an issue (knock on wood). Even when we were back in the Prices Fork lot and started at 6am, nobody batted an eye. Just keep your drinks in cups until 5, be friendly with everyone, and you shoudn't have an issue.
I thought the Thursday night tailgate started in Boyer's class.
They usually close classes in the afternoon for Thursday night games. This year, classes are not cancelled.
We are considering going to lot 18 early in the day to see if we get kicked out. We play dumb about not knowing it's not open.
I don't remember getting out of class on the Thursday afternoons while I was there. I remember mixing drinks to take to class with me in order to stay on pace with everyone skipping/already tailgating.
but
Maybe those were morning classes. Maybe I don't have a clear recollection of any of those 4 years. Maybe that's because of those morning class mixed drinks...
Classes were never canceled when I was there. Administrative offices routinely closed by 2:00 or 3:00 PM to alleviate some of the traffic burden. Individual class cancelations were at the discretion of the professor. But university policy was that all classes would be held as scheduled.
This is true
This is also why there was a massive spike in overly large 7-Up fountain drink containers showing up in class those days
Went to class with mimosas in my two nalgene bottles. It was a small class and you could smell the vodka throughout the class. Professor made multiple jokes about it and directed every question to me and my friend. He later said that it was really funny and that he had been jealous that we were able to start drinking before he was.
I confirm this policy when I was a student and made sure to
skip all my classesclear my schedule for those Thursdays.Most professors have always been really good about not having class on game days. There is always one though, usually mid afternoon. So we would start tailgating early, throw on the backpack, have a nice loaded coke or something to listen to lecture with, and then sashay back to the tailgate afterwards.
My engineering professors never gave two flips and we always had classes on Thursday night games. I always skipped them but classes were held.
Yep, never once did I have a Thursday class canceled. I once had a professor realize he had scheduled an exam for the Friday after a Thursday night game, and he moved it to the following Monday, but that was the coolest thing that ever happened.
I remember a statistics professor giving an attendance quiz Friday morning after a Thursday night game. She wasn't there long.
F*cking Glanville gave an attendance quiz after the Texas A&M hurricane game.
I was not there. First class I ever skipped.
There's a name that brings back horrible memories. Now I'm having flashbacks...thanks.
There was a thread from a year or so ago where we aired out all of his shady dealings. Simultaneously the coolest guy that you just want to throat punch.
I went to his class shirtless and painted up before a Thursday night Clemson game because we thought he would give an attendance quiz. He did not give one.
I had an o-Chem test moved to the Monday after the last time Miami came to the burg. Good foresight by dr. Berg
Dr. Berg is a real bro.
Also, don't drink alcohol until you're 25.
You shouldn't get kicked out. I'll be in the lot with you, so if they send muscle down there, they'd have to kick us both out. Safety in numbers.
I approve of the increase in Rick and Morty gifs.
I don't remember ever having classes cancelled for a Thursday game when I was a student, however I couldn't drink before games anyway so it wouldn't have done me any good. Being in the Corps lets you go to all the games for free, but you have to do it sober (well, you don't HAVE to, but the risk isn't really worth the reward). I feel bad for cadets from the last few seasons having to get through some of those stinkers without a drink...
My takeaway from this is that Hokie Nation understands that fanny packs are PROHIBITED
Sneaky devil... You ninja inserted the Rock pic before I could reply
Lol!
You could always post that fanny pack pic of Matthew McConnohaaaaaaaaaaaaayy...
This one? /s
So where can I park from 2/3 till my lot opens at 5? Wanted to get some food in downtown Blacksburg this trip.
You could park in downtown Blacksburg
Well if you want to know what I used to do before I had a lot 18 pass with the rest of my group, was to park in lot 18. Nobody is monitoring especially that lot until the lot officially opens. Then at 5 they come around and check everyones pass, make you leave if you aren't supposed to be there. Then you could drive over to your lot and park it for the game. Definitely not close to downtown, though.
you can park at Foxridge or along South main and take BT during the day. Buses will run every 15 minutes so you'll be able to get back to your car and make your tailgate
metered lots downtown or on one of the side streets (beware "permit parking only" signs), parking garage. You could also stop by the visitor's center and get a temporary visitor parking pass and then park in either squires (good luck) or the architecture annex lot (across from the farmers' market).
Can you tell me more about the visitors center? Whose Tech's or Blacksburg's?
Tech, but apparently not on game day. My bad
Last I knew, VT Visitor Center did not issue visitor's passes on game days.
Ok never mind then. I just remember getting a 7day pass there when I visited once, but it wasn't on game day
2 or 3 years ago, my dad got a visitor's pass that allowed him to park in Lot 1, day of the game. Fortunately his spot was free, so we just parked, put up the visitor pass and the FB parking placard and went about our day.
Don't care to share again, but for $10 you can park at Blacksburg Baptist Church. It is right next to PKs. You are right at downtown, except now RIP Mike's.
Not promoting a church or religion, because this is second time in thread I have mentioned it. This is simply where we park on gamedays. Also, no alcohol permitted there fyi.
The poor Tech administrators -- they've had to deal with logistics of setting up for the Diplo concert tonight and then getting all that torn down and out before the onslaught of traffic on Thursday.
And my poor Wednesday and Friday classes. Those will be interesting.
I'm pretty sure it was policy that Friday classes were optional after Thursday night games.
All Friday classes were optional.
Gameday on a Thursday night or not, Friday classes were always optional and often cancelled all together dependent on the number of rails at TOTS consumed.
Wednesday classes as well.
These three comments perfectly represent my 5th year. Except replace "rails from TOTS" with "rails from TOTS + whiskey gingers".
I managed to arrange my schedule for my 5th year to have all my classes on Tuesday/Thursday. Sure, those two days sucked, but I had a 4 day weekend every week for a year.
Wish I was able to do that for my 5th year but EE loves their MWF classes.
I was never lucky enough to have no classes on Mondays, but I was able to work it so that after first semester Sophomore year, I never had another Friday class. Ever.
Nice. I did that my last semester when I just had senior design and three pass/fail mop up electives. I don't think I got less done or learned less any other semester. It was glorious.
Less tailgating = more drinking in class
passing around a paper soda cup and sipping beer through a straw is always an interesting experience
I had a 5pm test in an engineering class and one guy stumbled in having already started tailgating beforehand. I remember thinking, "I hope I never drive across a bridge this guy designs..."
I would think the opposite. If he's passing this class drunk he must be a damn good engineer.
If you want to get into town early and start tailgating, go park across from the Price's Fork lot at Luther Memorial Lutheran Church. I believe parking is only $10 and tailgating is welcome (just don't get too rowdy/wasted). They probably "officially" start parking cars at 3 or 4pm, but they won't turn you away if you get there earlier.
Tailgating at a church...interesting
I typically like to park at the Kroger by the Emporium and walk..... it's free and no one's going to tow you. Also allows for a quick exit down Prices Fork to get on 460.
As far as I'm aware it's been largely the same story since I graduated (and thus began my tailgating career) in 2012. On the outer lots (18 included) they're pretty lax with that 5:00 rule. This is one reason why I prefer my lot 9 pass over something closer. I think we got in really early last time this was the case.
YMMV and I take no responsibility if you get turned away, but I've gotten the impression that if your lot isn't heavily used by students/faculty/staff when you roll up, they're not going to fight you too much.
We have always been able to set up around Lunch in Lot 9. Same goes for Lot 18 too. I'm pretty sure you are fine at any time unless you are in LOT 1 or 2.
I'm with you, I will walk further to get the freedom on Lot 9......
We've been right beside you the past couple of games I think. Been setting our boards up under the big trees in the corner of the lot.
We have always gotten to Lot1/2 around Noon every year to start tailgating and no one says anything to us. 5pm is stated because that's when the lots open up and parking services stops ticketing people on normal school days. Unless something has changed this year, just show up to your tailgating spot whenever you want to. I heard a few RVs started tailgating last Thursday in the RV lot.
I didn't wade into the bag policy before, but seeing that graphic...seems a bit excessive. Binocular bags?
I got beat hard with baseball bats because I thought the rule too excessive.
I'd just leave it be and just go with the borg.
Resistance is futile.
Also, come to the borg side, we have seven of nine.
EDIT: From the lack of responses, I'm gonna guess that way too many people don't know who seven of nine is, so: link
There's no win here. Back in my college days, I took binoculars, without case, to a game and the deputy waved me over to inspect them (by shaking). Never bothered with them since at a game.
I'm leaving my dick in town.
I think he's trying to deny his own pussy touchdowns...
So how likely am I to get a ticket parking in my lot 13A when I get to town about 2/3?
Quite extremely unlikely in my experience. But I don't want to tell you its impossible. It would be very surprising, though. Just make sure your pass is nice and visible.
I'm guessing it will depend on how empty the lot is when I get there?
If you aren't going to get there till 2-3, the university offices will be closed and parking services will be deployed elsewhere helping to close the roads they need to and get traffic under control. The lot monitors will be heading out sometime shortly after that. My guess is around 4-5 to check passes as cars enter. And they will do a quick sweep to look at the passes on the cars already parked. But those who watch the lot can't write you a ticket. Most of the time they are someone from the Corp. Usually they just tell you that you can't stay there. I know it all sounds pretty grey, but on these Thursday games if you park in your assigned lot with your pass out, they usually leave you alone.
This tweet also just came out. FYI everyone
[ mod embed for convenience ]
Thanks. I was having trouble getting that to work from my phone.
Good.
I tweeted to them yesterday that their schedule made no sense, the activities occurring before we could park.
My fianc can't leave work til 4.....
What am I going to do....
You're going to leave after 4.
Ha ha, yeah might as well start getting used to doing stuff on her schedule now. Good practice for after the wedding.
Seeing all these tailgate posts we need an official TKP tailgate roll call.
Lot 18 around 9:30 am.
Won't have the Jeep there until about 2pm this time. We park over near the road between 18 and 16.
I'll be in Lot 18 around 10am in the usual spot up against the trees.
Dismantling the guardrail for my triumphant entrance later that evening.
I'll probably stop by around 11 or so for a bit before Adam and I go downtown for our breakfast rails. We should be back to lot 18 in time to see Nick funnel 13 beers to try and catch up with everyone.
Don't underestimate me.
I will be there around 12-12:30 but I am going to go downtown to get some food and my booze on. Going to relive my college days before I come back to lot 18.
Lot #9, be there around 2:00-3:00
Women's Soccer vs. Notre Dame - Thompson Field - Free Admission
I kinda want to show up and tailgate the hell out of that women's soccer game.
As is tradition, I've started tailgating 24 hours prior to the Thursday night game.....
How do yall think Lot 19 at the media building will be? I kinda wanna get there around 3 or 3:30 because I have never been to Blacksburg early enough for a Hokie Walk.
This has been my lot for several years and we have always got started 2-3pm for weekday games.
I have a test in Zobel's class tomorrow at 12:30 :( I'll blame it on him being a wahoo. maybe I should go back to studying :'(
I have a class from 3:30 to 4:45...
Only reason I'm going is because I skipped on Tuesday to get ahead on work so I could go to Diplo and there are going to be clicker questions tomorrow
That diplo concert was obnoxious. I live off Giles (mile away from the Wendys off south main, near Mill Mountain) and I could feel the thumping from my place. Apparently there were a ton of noise complaints across Bburg as well.
Then you shouldn't have built your house in a crash zone!
...oh, sorry, flashback to Virginia Beach.
Yeah. I didn't have much sympathy for those people. Bought houses near an airbase and then complained about noise from planes.
Had a similar thing in Chesapeake. People built houses next to horse farms and complained of manure smell. They got the city council to pass an ordinance that you couldn't build an animal shelter within a certain distance of a fence. The farmers then pointed out that most of the farms in Chesapeake would have to close and they repealed it.
I don't understand the noise complaints, and frankly it seems pretty uppity of Blacksburg to be this upset about it.
The noise ordinances for Blacksburg don't kick in until 10 PM and we were done by 9. Was it loud? Sure. Were we having fun? Hell yes. We earned that concert and I'm sorry that Blacksburg had to deal with a little noise for a couple hours, but it's not a huge deal. Let the students have some fun.
If that is such a big deal, why are football games ok for 6 Saturdays of the year? Or how about tonight? It'll be loud on a weekday tonight as well. But it's ok with the fireworks AND traffic that comes with the football game, but if the students want to have a concert, it's not? Come on.
MY HEART HURTS BEING AT WORK RIGHT NOW
Leaving work at noon just because.... I can't leave Roanoke/Salem til 4.... might make the gal drive so I can pound liquor on the ride up.
HERE I COME BLACKSBURG!
So I got an hour and a half away from home and realized I didn't bring a jacket. Because I'm used to it being 80 everyday. Anyone got an extra I could borrow for the game?
I may have something in my truck, however i think its only supposed to get down to 65 tonight before the end of the game. I wasn't even planning on wearing one.
This forecast has it starting out around 71 and going down to mid sixties during the game.
https://www.wunderground.com/q/zmw:24060.1.99999#horizontal-day-293
I think you'll be plenty warm by the end of the game win lose or draw, in my experience. Unless that's just my heart pounding out of my chest.
Keep in mind I can't drink this game.
I don't drink, I think it's just nerves. Was chilly after Syracuse waiting for the shuttle, but was oddly comfortable.