University-hosted tailgate party helps calm Panda Game chaos, organizers say

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Published Oct 01, 2023 • Last updated 6 hours ago • 3 minute read

Ottawa police were out in full force patrolling the area around the University of Ottawa and Sandy Hill, Sunday, October 1, 2023, before the annual Panda Game kicked off. Photo by Ashley Fraser /POSTMEDIA

Students filled the streets of Sandy Hill Sunday morning, wearing University of Ottawa merchandise and chugging White Claw Hard Seltzers and energy drinks.

Many of them were headed for a university-hosted tailgate party, which organizers say has helped reduce the amount of wild partying that has occurred in recent years in surrounding neighbourhoods.

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Panda Game day is typically dreaded by area residents, with seven arrests made due to partying last year.

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However, to curtail some of the shenanigans, the downtown university hosted a pre-game tailgate for the past four years.

The pre-game tailgate was at the 90U residence parking lot beginning at 9 a.m. Through the sea of maroon T-shirts, partygoers could find food trucks, a stage where DJ T-DOT played and games like giant Jenga and “volley pong.”

While the Panda celebrations hosted by the university usually just include a pre-game party, this year, the tailgate was part of a larger initiative called “PandaFest.”

For the first time, the universities are co-hosting a post-game party from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., also held at 90 University, featuring performances by Jakean, Jessia and Felix Cartal. The event is BYOB, open to students from any post-secondary institution so long as they have valid student ID.

Marianne Paredes, a fourth-year student at UOttawa said she enjoyed the pre-game party, especially the drinking games, and is excited to attend the post-game event.

Paredes said she believes the initiative has helped reduce parties in the neighbourhood, though the real success of the event will be seen at night.

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“(The university party) ends at 11 p.m. so I don’t know how much longer people party, so we’ll see,” Paredes said. “But I think everyone will want to come here. And they allow alcohol, which is what people want … so I think it’s a good balance.”

Paul Ausman, event organizer and manager of business operations for recreation and varsity sports at the University of Ottawa, said that from conversations with police, it seems there have been fewer parties in Sandy Hill.

“They said it’s quieter than in past years, which is good news for us,” Ausman said. “The true test is tonight to see if that actually can replicate here.”

As of 12:30 p.m., Ottawa police said they had nothing to report in regards to the day’s events or in terms of arrests. A police spokesperson, in an update just after 6:30 p.m. said there were still no incidents or arrests to report.

Ausman said the university saw between 6,000 to 7,000 people through the morning tailgate event. He said the event’s capacity for both the morning and evening was 3,800 at any one point, which he hoped to see reached Sunday night.

He added that the tailgate strategy has “really worked” over the past few years, adding that offering free transportation to the game encourages students to do their partying on campus.

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“When it all started, we had the game itself, but then there were so many pre-parties in Sandy Hill so this idea of a tailgate came out as a mitigation strategy to try to draw the students into an organized event,” Ausman said. “Every year we’ve built on it and it’s created more of a tradition with the students.”

Ricky Landry, chief communications officer at the university, said the community has been asking for the university to host a post-game party to draw the crowds away from the streets.

“There’s a lot of students from both schools in Sandy Hill so the two schools combined to work tonight to run a co-hosted event,” Ausman said.

This year is the Panda Game’s 54th year. The Ottawa University Gee-Gees have won the game for four years in a row, with a 37-7 win last year.

By 11:40 a.m., most students were lined up to take free school bus rides over to TD Place, with the annual game kicking off at noon.

Ausman said moving the game up to 12 p.m. was also a mitigation strategy.

“It’s one less hour of pre-drinking, one less hour of students getting drunk at the game,” Ausman said. “It’s done a dual effect to help with the parties in Sandy Hill and to help control the amount of intoxication once they reach the stadium.”

Free shuttles took students from the campus residence parking lot to TD Place. Photo by Catherine Morrison /Postmedia A Panda Game tailgate party took place on the University of Ottawa campus Sunday morning, beginning at 9 a.m. Photo by Catherine Morrison /jpg University of Ottawa students Marianne Paredes, Mauricio Garcoa, Sergio Villaseñor, Juan Roque, Patricio Flores and Adamari Paredes. Photo by Catherine Morrison /jpg The University of Ottawa Gee-Gees won the annual Panda Game against the Carleton Ravens on Sunday afternoon, marking the team’s fifth win in a row. Photo by Postmedia /jpg The University of Ottawa Gee-Gees won the annual Panda Game against the Carleton Ravens on Sunday afternoon, marking the team’s fifth win in a row. Photo by Postmedia /jpg University of Ottawa Gee-Gees claimed a last-second win over the Carleton Ravens in 2023 Panda Game held Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023, at TD Place. Photo by Ashley Fraser /POSTMEDIA The University of Ottawa Gee-Gees won the annual Panda Game against the Carleton Ravens on Sunday afternoon, marking the team’s fifth win in a row. Photo by Postmedia /jpg Spectators at the 2023 Panda Game held Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023, at TD Place. Photo by Ashley Fraser /POSTMEDIA Spectators at the 2023 Panda Game held Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023, at TD Place. Photo by Ashley Fraser /POSTMEDIA Spectators at the 2023 Panda Game held Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023, at TD Place. Photo by Ashley Fraser /POSTMEDIA An estimated 23,000 fans were on hand as University of Ottawa Gee-Gees claimed a last-second win over the Carleton Ravens in 2023 Panda Game held Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023, at TD Place. Photo by Ashley Fraser /POSTMEDIA University of Ottawa Gee-Gees claimed a last-second win over the Carleton Ravens in 2023 Panda Game held Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023, at TD Place. Photo by Ashley Fraser /POSTMEDIA The stands were packed with football fans watching 2023 Panda Game at TD Place, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023. Photo by Ashley Fraser /POSTMEDIA Raven’s players watch in the last minutes of the nail-bitter of a game as the Gee-Gees kicked a field goal to win the game. Photo by Ashley Fraser /POSTMEDIA University of Ottawa Gee-Gees claimed a last-second win over the Carleton Ravens in 2023 Panda Game held Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023, at TD Place. Photo by Ashley Fraser /POSTMEDIA Gee-Gees Aymane El Aasri celebrate the huge win on the field Sunday afternoon. Photo by Ashley Fraser /POSTMEDIA University of Ottawa Gee-Gees cheerleaders. Photo by Ashley Fraser /POSTMEDIA The University of Ottawa Gee-Gees claimed a last-second win over the Carleton Ravens in 2023 Panda Game held Sunday, October 1, 2023, at TD Place. A small group of fans ran onto the field before the end of the game, causing the coaches to run out and send them back to the stands to finish the last crucial moments of play. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia The University of Ottawa Gee-Gees claimed a last-second win over the Carleton Ravens in 2023 Panda Game held Sunday, October 1, 2023, at TD Place. After the game, Sandy Hill was filled with a high police presence of Ottawa police as well as OPP in marked and unmarked vehicles. Revellers were well behaved early into the evening. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia The University of Ottawa Gee-Gees claimed a last-second win over the Carleton Ravens in 2023 Panda Game held Sunday, October 1, 2023, at TD Place. After the game, Sandy Hill had a high police presence of Ottawa police as well as OPP in marked and unmarked vehicles. Revellers were well behaved early into the evening. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia