With No. 4 Alabama coming to play the Wisconsin Badgers this Saturday, all eyes in college football will be on Madison. And in addition to seeing a great matchup, they’ll get a chance to see how Badger fans throw some of the best tailgate parties in the country.
Tailgating before a Wisconsin Badgers football game is a wildly popular tradition in Madison. It’s also a bit of a misnomer – with scant parking around Camp Randall, there isn’t much tailgating in the traditional, grill-your-brat-in-the-parking-lot sense.
Instead, Badger fans turn the entire neighborhood around the stadium into one giant tailgate, with an official Badger Bash at Union South, throngs of people on Regent Street, and informal neighborhood get-togethers everywhere else.
So strap on your red-and-white bib and check out what you need to know before venturing into the heart of Badger Nation:
Badger Bash Tailgate Party
For over half a century, Union South (1206 W. Dayton St.) has hosted the Badger Bash Tailgate Party that’s ideal for newcomers and veterans alike. Starting two and a half hours before kickoff, the union offers beer and brats both indoors and outdoors for thousands of fans, along with live music, games and performances from the school’s Spirit Squad.
And 90 minutes before kickoff, the storied UW Marching Band gets the crowd’s adrenaline pumping, and at 30 minutes before kickoff leads the throngs of Badgers across the street into Camp Randall.
Could Badgers quarterback Tyler Van Dyke hear all the tailgaters outside Camp Randall last Saturday? Maybe. (John Fisher/Getty Images)
Regent Street
This street east of the stadium becomes a sea of red on game day, as bars and restaurants like Jordan’s Big 10 Pub, The Red Zone and Fabiola’s Italian Restaurant host tailgate parties in their parking lots. The entire street becomes like a giant community festival, as revelers bop from party to party.
On the podcast, DJ Nick Nice says the party he spins tune at at Fabiola’s is relatively “civilized,” and you’ll even find parents with very young children enjoying the pre-game experience. It’s worth wandering the street and finding the vibe that fits your mood.
House Parties
The neighborhoods around Camp Randall are crammed with house parties hosted by UW students. If you’re not invited, note that a lot of those houses sell valuable real estate on their driveway and lawns for parking.
Or Not
If you’re not interested in tailgating, game day is a great time to do literally anything else in Madison. The bike trails have light traffic, the grocery store aisles are empty. Just keep a wide berth around the downtown and university areas and enjoy some peace and quiet!
