Macon Magazine

68 maconmagazine.com | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024 ABOVE Millie Jones tailgates with family at Mercer. Photo courtesy of Millie Jones. From inflatables for the kids to the Fall Line Beer Garden, Bear Walk, and Ford Concert Series, Smith said there's a festive spirit across the Mercer campus. Students are encouraged to tailgate on Black Field, and fans of all ages can purchase tailgate packages through the school's athletic department. "Our athletics program has also encouraged tailgating through celebrating a 'Tailgate of the Week,'" Smith said. Most tailgating, however, is very organic, Smith explained, with fans setting up their own tailgates everywhere from the right field area of OrthoGeorgia Park to the areas along the Bear Walk. "I love that tailgating is not just for Mercer alumni," Smith continued. "The Middle Georgia community has embraced Mercer football, and [they] are definitely a significant part of the tailgating scene." Millie Watson Jones (B.A. Special Education, 1988) agreed. "We love seeing friends from back in the 1980s and catching up. We also love meeting many player and cheerleader families, Mercer employees, and even a few fans of our opponents." In 2013, Jones and a small group of old sorority sisters and spouses decided to buy season tickets to Mercer's first football season. "My husband Stephen and I loaded tables, coolers, chairs, and tents to Black Field, which used to be the intramural field when we were in school there," she recalled. "It was a great way to reconnect ... and be wowed by all the changes on campus. There was so much nostalgia." Jones and friends still purchase season tickets a decade later but have relocated their tailgate to the RV lot. "This is such a fun spot as we take our camper and stay all weekend," she said. Over the years, the Joneses have become part of a friendly community of regular campers. As far as food goes, Jones says it changes from game to game, but there's always a theme. Among their favorites: baked potato bar, taco bar, egg rolls and dumplings, grilled cheese, chili and toppings, or appetizers, she said. Of course, a well-stocked bar accompanies any menu, Jones admitted. "We love supporting the Bears," she said. "Mercer is a unique and beloved place, and I think it's true that 'we are not your average bear!'"

• Cover