Hundreds of Rouge et Or supporters gathered in front of the PEPS on this sunny Saturday for the classic tailgate awaiting the Dunsmore Cup final against arch-enemy, the University of Montreal Carabins.
Around 10 a.m. this morning, people were already partying as music played throughout the site, all accompanied by a few beers and the smell of burgers on the grill.
“The atmosphere today is super festive, it’s a little cold but we’re warming up because we’re having fun,” says William, who is a regular at the tailgates at PEPS. He is present today to support the Rouge et Or, who, according to him, have a chance of winning if they play more “aggressively”.
Nathan and William are regulars at tailgates.
Photo Sarah-Jeanne Tremblay
People are there
Several hours before the match, the reserved space was already full. We eat, we drink, we talk and we play pockets.
Hundreds of people were on hand for tailgate before the Dunsmore Cup final match.
Photo Sarah-Jeanne Tremblay
Participants in the “tailgate”, Louis-Philippe and Nicolas, play pockets to pass the time.
Photo Sarah-Jeanne Tremblay
“Everyone is full of happiness as usual,” observes Annie, a supporter of Laval University. She and her group, who call themselves “the neighbors above and the neighbors below” have season passes and are there at almost every Rouge et Or game.
“THE tailgates in Quebec are among the best in Canada and even in North America, I would say!” exclaims Stéphane, another member of the “neighbors from above and neighbors from below”.
Make the trip
The majority of fans on site support the Rouge et Or during this lunchtime match. However, many Carabins supporters also made the trip.
Éric, Rino, Richard and Annick traveled from Montreal to support their team and are satisfied with the atmosphere of the tailgatetheir first in Quebec of the season.
Carabins fans, Éric, Richard, Rino and Annick, came from Montreal to watch the game.
Photo Sarah-Jeanne Tremblay
The Rouge et Or and the Carabins will face each other in the Dunsmore Cup final this Saturday noon at TELUS Stadium.