The Grove is all you need to know when it comes to tailgating and Ole Miss. The Grove is the legendary tailgating area located at the center of the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) campus. It is approximately 10 acres in size and is shaded by oak, elm and magnolia trees hence the grove part of the name.

Described as "the Holy Grail of tailgating sites" by Sporting News, The Grove comes to life for Ole Miss Rebels football home games with as many as 25,000 fans. Fans arrive often around 2:00 PM the day before the game (campus rule is no one allowed to "stake their claim" before 10:00 pm) to grab their spot in The Grove. Despite campus police efforts to keep the crowd at bay, fans "rush" The Grove around 4:30-5:00PM. This usually serene area of campus becomes a sea of red, white and blue tents. Ole Miss freshmen generally dress in their Sunday best: Men wear slacks, button-up shirts, ties, loafers, and coats while women wear cocktail dresses or brightly colored sundresses and high heel shoes. Some older fans also dress in this style.

Many tents are set up with fine kitchen ware. You'll often find lots of lace and designer doilies, fine china, chandeliers, sterling silver or silver plated candelabras and sterling silver or silver plated utensils. Much of the food is laid out on table cloths in sterling silver or silver-plated servers.

The food fare often consists of hors d'oeuvres, but as with most tailgating parties, barbecue still has authority. There's also the traditional Southern food: fried chicken, pork, homemade dressings, mashed potatoes and stuffed eggs.

Every now and then, a loud voice breaks the hum of the crowd present in The Grove with the yell, "Are you READY?". This is the beginning of the Ole Miss cheer, known as "Hotty Toddy"

Directions from Memphis to Oxford (via I-55)

Follow I-55 south for 55 miles until you reach Batesville, Miss. (exit 234A). Take Highway 6 east for 26 miles to Oxford.

Directions from Memphis to Oxford (via Hwy 78)

Follow US-78 east for 52 miles until you reach Holly Springs, Miss. Take Highway 7 south for 31 miles to Oxford. Once in Oxford, take the fourth exit onto Highway 6 and proceed west.

Directions from Tupelo to Oxford

Follow Highway 78 west for 16 miles until you reach Sherman, Miss. (exit 76). Take Highway 9 south for 13 miles, and then turn right on Highway 6 west and travel 22 miles to Oxford.

Directions from Jackson, Miss., to Oxford

Follow I-55 north for 150 miles until you reach Batesville, Miss. (exit 234A). Take Highway 6 east for 26 miles to Oxford.

Directions to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field

From Hwy 7: Exit onto Highway 6 and travel west.
From Hwy 6: Take the Coliseum Drive Exit and travel north on Coliseum Drive until you reach a four-way stop. Turn right onto Hill Drive and travel 3/4 mile to see the stadium located on the right.

Directions to The Grove

From Hwy 7: Exit onto Highway 6 and travel west.
From Hwy 6: Take the Old Taylor Road Exit and travel north on Old Taylor Road, straight through the circle, until you reach a four-way stop. Turn left onto University Drive, cross the bridge and come to another four-way stop. The Grove will be in front of you, off to the right. Click here for game day parking and traffic information, and click here for tailgating tips and more info on The Grove.

Traffic Flow

• On Grove Loop, traffic is one way in a Southeast direction. Loading and unloading zones on Grove Loop, the Circle and University Avenue are restricted to 15 minutes.
• No vehicles are admitted on All-American Drive between Poole Drive and University Avenue without a UMAA Foundation parking pass.
• After the game, one-way traffic flows east on University Avenue toward downtown Oxford, west on All-American Drive to Jackson Avenue and south on Old Taylor Road and Coliseum Drive to Highway 6.

Shuttle Service In Oxford

The City of Oxford provides free parking with security at designated sites in the Oxford community, and there is round-trip shuttle service provided to and from Vaught-Hemingway Stadium at $5 per person. Sites include the Oxford Middle School, located at 501 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. (corner of Washington Ave.), and The Oxford Activity Center, located at 400 Price St. (corner of Molly Barr Rd.). Shuttle service begins three hours before kick-off and ends two hours after the game. Drop off is on east side of the stadium at Gates 14, 15 and 16.

UMAA Foundation Parking

Parking is one of the premier benefits of a contribution to the Football Priority Seating Fund. Parking spaces are allocated based on availability and priority. Parking passes are offered to donors who contribute at the $2,500 level (Varsity Club) or higher. All UMAA Foundation lots and barricades will open at 6 a.m. The parking credential must be in clear view on your rear-view mirror or dashboard at all times. For more information on UMAA Foundation parking, click here.

General Parking

General parking is available for all fans without a UMAA Foundation pass. The following areas of the Ole Miss Campus offer general parking on gamedays.

South Lot: exit Highway 6 on Old Taylor Road, located northwest of the intersection, $15 per vehicle.
Kinard Hall: access from Rebel Drive.
Intramural Fields: access from West Jackson Avenue across from the Super 8 Motel.
Oxford Mall: access from West Jackson Avenue.
Guyton Hall: access from Fraternity Row across from the Chancellor's House.
Ford Center for the Performing Arts: access from West Jackson Avenue or University Avenue, $20 per vehicle.
Physical Plant: access from Hathorn Road, $15 per vehicle.
Khayat Law School: access from Coliseum Drive, $15 per vehicle

No Parking Zones

Vehicles will be towed at owner's expense from the following areas: Gertrude Ford Parkway, Highway 6 rights of way, University Avenue and on Grove Loop, from the Circle to the four-way stop.

UMAA Foundation parking passes are only valid for standard size vehicles and must be displayed at all times. Limousines, RV's, U-Hauls, Trailers, and other oversized vehicles are not allowed.

Unauthorized golf carts and ATVs are prohibited from campus. Violators are subject to fine and arrest.

Handicapped Parking

Handicapped parking is located throughout campus and a number of designated spaces are available at the South Parking Lot (near the stadium) off Highway 6 at the Old Taylor Road Exit. To gain access to the South Parking Lot, the state-issued handicapped credential must be presented. The lot opens approximately four hours prior to kickoff, and the exact time will be updated weekly on the front page of olemissfb.com. The shuttle service begins 2½ hours before kick-off, continues throughout the game, and ends 1 1/2 hours after the game has ended. For more information, please call 662-915-7241.

RV Parking

Free Parking: No reservations on LOWER Intramural Drive, access from West Jackson Avenue. Hook-ups are not available.

Reserved, Pay-As-You-Go: Oxford Mall on West Jackson Avenue, $50 per day. No hook-ups are available. For SEC games only, RVs can park at the old Whirlpool site at the south end of Coliseum Drive off of Highway 6, $50 per day. Hook-ups are not available.

Reserved, Season Passes: Reserved season passes are available on Old Taylor Road near the baseball stadium for $1,400, with hookups; at the Tad Smith Coliseum south lot for $1,400, with hookups; and at the National Food Service Management Institute on Jeanette Phillips Drive for $1,200, without hookups.

For more information or to make reservations, call 662-915-2131.

Bus Parking and Service Road Access

Visiting team buses will be parked at the South End Zone and East Side of the Indoor Practice Facility.

Visiting band buses will be parked on Hill Drive.

Visiting team trainers and managers will enter the East Side of the stadium and park in the South End Zone (underneath, when feasible).

No buses (other than visiting team and band) are allowed inside barricades.

Parking for visiting buses is located on the east end of Oxford Mall.

Barricades will be located at the following:

• University Avenue and All-American Drive intersection
• Hill Drive - South of the Track Parking Lot
• All-American Drive - East of Poole Drive and All-American Drive intersection
• North Coliseum Lot - North Entrance (south is gated)
• West Coliseum Lot - North Entrance (south is gated)

• The Grove opens at 9 p.m. on Friday, and closes at midnight following the game.
• Only university-sponsored events are held in "reserved" places. Space is claimed on a first-come basis. Occupy only the space you need - be considerate of others.
• No trailers are allowed to park on Grove Loop or the Circle. There is a 15-minute time limit in unloading zones.
• Know and obey regulations concerning alcohol use. Drinking is illegal for anyone under the age of 21. County law prohibits possession of beer and light wine on most of the campus. Distribution of alcohol without a permit is illegal, and leaving alcohol in plain view or unattended is considered distribution. Thus, unattended tents and coolers are subject to inspection, and alcohol will be confiscated. University policy prohibits abusive drinking, drinking games, and mass or rapid consumption devices (kegs, funnels, shots, etc.). Public intoxication will not be tolerated, and violators are subject to arrest.
• Do not drive stakes into the ground to avoid buried electric and water lines.
• No solicitation is permitted, including commercial or political advertising. Posting campaign material to University property is prohibited.
• Trash bags are available in front of the Triplett Alumni Center and throughout the Grove.
• Portable generators with a decibel rating of 60DB or less are permitted for tailgating use.
• Power to all electrical outlets in The Grove will be turned off on game days. Only electrical outlets on the exterior of buildings may be used by tailgaters. Extension cords may not be run across streets or sidewalks or run through open windows or doors of campus buildings. Unauthorized entry into any building to plug in extension cords will not be tolerated. Electrical circuits must not be overloaded by plugging in multiple extension cords, splitters or power strips. Unauthorized tampering with the university's electrical distribution equipment, including circuit breaker panels, junction boxes or disconnects, will not be tolerated.
• Open flames are strictly prohibited. This includes the use of portable fireplaces and tiki torches. Propane bottles and propane tanks are not allowed.
• Do not leave valuables unattended. University Police officers are on patrol, but they cannot be responsible for hundreds of picnic sites. The University is not responsible for unattended tents and items.
• Do not block designated emergency lanes. Tents are allowed in the Grove, but a safer, more enjoyable environment is created when emergency lanes are observed.

Artificial Noisemakers

Artificial noisemakers (air horns, cowbells, whistles, etc.) are not permitted inside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Please be considerate and allow your neighbor to enjoy the game. Please keep portable radios at a low volume.

ATMs

ATMs are located on the ground (lower level) of Vaught-Hemingway Stadium at the following locations: Behind Sections O, E, and S-5.

Ticket Office

Will-call is located on All-American Drive near the north end of the stadium (video board end of stadium). If individual game tickets are available, those tickets will be on sale on gameday at the box office. Due to limited traffic access to campus on gamedays, fans must use their UMAA gameday parking permits to access designated lots or park in available public parking away from the stadium. Parking will not be available along All-American Drive for will call. A drop-off area is located on Gertrude Ford Parkway near the entrance to Lot A if needed. Please plan accordingly if you need to visit

Cameras & Video Cameras

All still cameras are allowed inside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Video cameras are NOT allowed inside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium without credentials issued by the Athletics Media Relations Office.

Chairback Rentals

Chairback seats may be rented for the entire season. Please visit: rebelcushion.com for more information. Also, chairback seat rental stations are located in the concourses for anyone who needs help on gamedays.

Prohibited Items

• Backpacks, coolers and containers of any kind are prohibited.
• Bags larger than 8 1/2" x 11" are not permitted for security reasons
• Folding chairs, chairback seats with armrests, or stadium cushions larger than a single seat.
• Glass bottles, cans, poles, unauthorized banners and ice chests are prohibited.
• As a courtesy to all spectators, the use of umbrellas is prohibited inside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
• Banners may not be hung in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Handheld signs that block the view of other fans are subject to removal.
• Weapons
• Artificial Noisemakers

*Sticks

Emergency Procedures

In case of emergency, the public address announcer will notify fans of developing situations including inclement weather, fire, power failure and game delays. These announcements are made to let fans make informed decisions concerning their well-being and provide specific instructions about what to do. If possible, please familiarize yourself with the nearest exit points of the stadium.

In case of emergency inside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, please dial 911, contact the nearest usher or police officer or text "REBS""issue & location" to 69050. The security station is located on the ground level in the Southeast corner of the stadium (near gate 23). Please go here to report lost children or for lost and found.

First Aid

If you need first aid or medical assistance while at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, please contact any event staff employee or call 911 for emergencies. Three first aid stations are located inside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in the following locations: East side - lower level, near section K; South - Southeast corner, ground level next to security station, near gate 23; West side - middle concourse, near section J.

Food & Beverages

Patrons may not bring food or beverages, including alcoholic beverages, inside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Centerplate is the official concessionaire for Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Concession stands are located throughout the stadium and offer a variety of food and non-alcoholic beverages.

Game Programs

Gameday programs are available throughout Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Please see vendors located at East Gates 13-16 and West Gates 7-10.

Gates Opening Times

Gates open two hours before kickoff. This includes all general seating areas, suites, Rebel Club and South Club areas.