Coming to your first Pitt State game this weekend for Family Day? Here are our Top Tips to help you have fun!
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GorillaFest
- This “community tailgate” begins at 1 p.m. in Gorilla Village east of Carnie Smith Stadium. Admission is free. Expect bounce houses, balloon twisting, and face painting for youngsters; food vendors including 2 Buds BBQ, Tacos El Gordo, Mojo’s Shaved Ice, Soul Lounge Caribbean Taste, and L&N-ade; and Pitt State merch for sale. Inside the stadium, choose from standard concession items like hotdogs, popcorn, Powerade, etc. Ticket holders are allowed to bring in one unopened bottle of water.
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Gorilla Walk
- This is a don’t-miss activity! It always begins one hour and 15 minutes before kick-off, so this Saturday that will be 2:45 p.m. The Pitt State Pride of the Plains Marching Band will lead the football team on the paved hike-bike path from the Weede Building past the University Lake, through Gorilla Village to Carnie Smith Stadium. When the band gets to the stadium, they’ll line both sides of the walk and will play “War” as the team passes by. The crowd will line both sides of the walk, too.
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Pep Rally
- Another don’t-miss activity: the pep rally immediately after Gorilla Walk. The band, cheer team, dance team, and Gus will head south to a nearby grassy area; the drumline will head that way in cadence. There, the band will play several of their "greatest hits" pep tunes and the cheer team will do stunts. The pep rally will wrap up with the drumline running through their most popular cadences.
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Pre-game
- This will begin about 20 minutes before kick-off. If you have a cheer team member, dance team member, or band member in your family, you’ll definitely want to be inside the stadium and seated by that point — allow time to get through the gate (including a very quick peek inside your bag by security) and find your seat. Pre-game includes on-field tunes (school song, national anthem) as well as a hype video, cheer team coming across the field with huge flags, and of course, the unofficial school anthem: “Welcome to the Jungle” — it's quite a spectacle!
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The cannon
- Heads up to those who startle easily: The game will officially kick off with a shot fired from the ROTC cannon, which also will be fired whenever the Gorillas score! Keep your eyes on the ROTC cadets — they’ll do a pushup for each point the Gorillas score, and at times you’ll see them holding the Gorilla board above their heads on which kids line up to perform push-ups — it’s a fan-favorite tradition!
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Halftime
- Festivities will face the east stands for this game and will include recognition of the 2025 Honorary Pitt State Family and a performance by the Crimson & Gold Dance Team and Pride of the Plains Marching Band.
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Tickets
If you haven't purchased tickets yet, do so soon! The game is expected to be standing-room only.
Buy now
Game Day policies
Find helpful details about parking, tailgating, and more here.
Above all — enjoy your time with your student and have fun!
