Kaysey Price/Winonan

It’s homecoming week at Winona State University and nothing says homecoming like a good old-fashioned tailgate party.

On Saturday, Sept. 26, Winona State will host its second annual tailgate party in the courtyard. The tailgate will be tailored to amp up Warrior spirit before the team takes on the St. Cloud Huskies. Tailgating will take place from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

There has been a lot of word around campus about the drink container regulations during the homecoming parade, which is just one way the school is aiming to keep Winona State’s homecoming a dry event. At the very least, many campus organizations are working to create dry activities for students during homecoming. The tailgate is one such event.

Annie Pendl, the president of RHA and the coordinator of the Winona State tailgate, commented on the event.

“It’s a way to tie up the time between the parade and the game,” Pendl said.

Students looking for fun, sober activities after the parade may take part in the tailgate, which will ignite the Winona State spirit with lawn games, music and BBQ-type food.

The event will be catered by Chartwells. During the event, the dining hall will be closed and the food will be moved outside in true tailgate fashion.

The tailgate will be open to all community members, whether they are affiliated with the school or not. The cost will be $8 for adults and $5 for children six and under, or a swipe for students with a meal plan.

Along with the food, the tailgate will include a photo booth—similar to the one Winona State held last year. However, this year the event organizers decided to take it up a notch, as Pendl said, “It’s a bigger set up.”

This year Winona State will pair with Joyous Events to create the photo booth, which will allow groups of ten to take photos with different props.

Going bigger and better seems to be the aim for this year’s tailgate.

“Last year was our first year, so we had a whole bunch of kinks to work out,” Pendl said.

RHA is also including a spirit station where tailgaters can get their faces painted or receive temporary tattoos, so game-goers can further display their spirit.

While all the Warriors are hoping for everything to run smoothly for the homecoming game and the various affiliated events, if the weather is not ideal during the tailgate it will be moved into the Jack Kane Dining Hall and East Hall in Kryzsko.

The tailgate won’t be the only food opportunity during homecoming week. Winona State started the week out right on Monday, Sept. 21 by handing out free root beer floats to the first 500 people that went to the gazebo at 11 a.m.

On Sept. 23 at 8 p.m. there will be a bonfire, s’mores and music near the entrance of the library, as long as there is decent weather.