Fun for kids at YSU tailgate lot

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown State University Athletic Department will host the first of two Kids Tailgate Fun Days from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday in the M-7 parking lot on Fifth Avenue, near Stambaugh Stadium. The Penguins football team plays Morehead State University at 4 p.m. that day.

A second Kids Tailgate Fun Day will be during the same hours Sept. 21, before the Penguins play Duquesne University.

Both events are sponsored by State Farm Insurance.

Kids Tailgate Fun Days are free and open to children and adults.

Tailgate activities will include bounce-a-round games, inflatables and skill games, clowns, face painting, Pete & Penny Penguin photo ops and game-ticket giveaways.

The first 500 children age 12 and under will receive a YSU season-ticket T-Shirt, courtesy of Armstrong Cable and Coca-Cola. This special shirt will allow kids to gain entrance to all YSU football and men’s and women’s basketball home games throughout the 2013-14 school year at no charge.

At both events this year, the Youngstown City Police, the Youngstown Fire Department, the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office and YSU Campus Police will participate with safety vehicles. The safety-service units will have a firetruck, the Youngstown Bomb Squad truck, the K-9 unit and other safety-related displays to interact with the children and adults.

In addition, the John Zidian Company will have its annual “Taste of Italy” Tailgate Day on Sept. 21, starting at 1 p.m. in the M-24 lot across from Stambaugh Stadium. Fans can enjoy free samples of Gia Russa food products.

Area youth-group leaders may contact the YSU athletics marketing office at 330-941-7227 for complimentary game tickets for either game. In addition, select single-game tailgate passes remain for both events — which can be purchased through the YSU ticket office.

Tickets for all seven home games are available by calling 330-941-1YSU. Go to YSUsports.com and click on the Gameday tab for current promotions and individual game information.