It’s half family reunion, half crazy keg party. It’s cooking burgers, dogs and anything else that’ll fit on a grill. It’s college kids working off hangovers, and it’s many more fans working on one.

Thousands of people all united under one cause – ISU football. Yes, the tradition that is tailgating at Iowa State.

Fans arrive by cars, buses and even fire engines. Thousands of people congregate around and across from Jack Trice Stadium six or seven times a year to grill some food, down some beverages, swap some stories and cheer on the Cyclones.

Some forget about the game that day, but tailgating has varied meanings for everyone who shows up.

“I’ve been coming here to tailgate since I was 15,” said Brian Hoyt, a 2001 ISU graduate in marketing.

“My brother went to school here, so we’d come down with my family or my friends, and my brother would take us down to the stadium to grill some burgers and drink a beverage or two. It’s like a tradition to me.”

Hoyt, who now lives in suburban Chicago, still makes three or four home games every year, and can usually be found in the S1 or S2 lots south of the stadium.

“I brought friends back for the Iowa game last year – kids that didn’t even go to ISU – and they didn’t want to leave,” Hoyt said. “I’ve been to four or five different college stadiums and I think our tailgating is the best, honestly. We aren’t spread out all over backyards and alleys; we’re in a nice big circle around the stadium. It shows a kind of solidarity about our fans.”

Thom Jackson, senior in mechanical engineering, uses the Saturday afternoon tailgates as a release from his hectic week.

“All I want to do is relax with my friends, drink some cold beers with my friends and act like a kid again, screaming and jumping around. It’s a release of sorts,” Jackson said. “Everyone out in the parking lots has their different reasons for being there; mine is to just carry on the party from the night before.”

Tailgating is often perceived as a drunken outdoor party, with reckless students bent on drinking their weight in beer. However, for many tailgaters, it’s about getting together with friends and family and spending the day at their favorite hang-out, Jack Trice Stadium.

“I just like being around the fans, the camaraderie involved with the rest of the fans,” said Nick Williams, junior in construction engineering.

“It’s cool to meet and greet so many strangers, even get a free burger, just because you’re a Cyclone fan.”

The students and fans aren’t the only ones enjoy the tailgating tradition.

“We love the fact that people show up in the numbers they do for the pregame, game and postgame activities,” said Laird Veatch, senior associate athletic director at Iowa State.

“It says a lot about us as a school, and where we are as a program. Of course, we work with DPS to promote a safe environment for all fans, but we try not to inhibit their enthusiasm.”