On Saturday, Oct. 17, the parking lot outside of Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium was transformed into Wolfstock Village, a massive tailgating event and tradition held before the Seawolves faced the Towson Tigers later that day.

The tailgate marked the end of Wolfstock, an annual week of Homecoming festivities held by the school.

The tailgate allowed current students and alumni to raise school spirit and have fun before the game.

Wolfstock Village included a mini golf course, inflatable amusement rides, a live DJ and food vendors throughout the parking lot.

“It is very American, like in the movies,” junior Zoe Veith said. Veith is a biosciences major and exchange student from Scotland. This was the first Homecoming she had ever attended.

The parking lot was separated into two distinct sides. One side was made up of older alumni grilling with their families and friends. The other side was made up of current students letting loose after a long week of projects and midterms.

Red solo cups littered the floor and vapor smoke filled the air. Students opened up the back of their cars and trucks to blast their impressive car stereos.

One fraternity even performed to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and danced in the middle of the parking lot. This was not your average day at Stony Brook.

“I don’t really see school spirit around here. This is the one time that everyone can get together, make new friends, and just have fun,” Mohammed Azam, a pre-med senior, said.

Although most of the students grilled their own food and enjoyed barbeques galore, food vendors like Buffalo Wild Wings and Hamza and Madina Halal were serving students.

In fact, Buffalo Wild Wings completely sold out of wings about an hour after the tailgate festivities kicked off.

The Spirit of Stony Brook Marching Band and the Cheerleading squad were also parading through the lot.

The two groups performed for alumni waiting by the gates of the stadium. Some alumni came to support their fellow Spirit of Stony Brook Marching Band members.

Band alumni, such as flute players Jake Holderman, Samara Kravitz and Fatima Daoud, joined the band on the field during halftime.

Every year, the alumni band members are welcomed to come back and play with band members on the field during halftime.

“I live in DC now, but I only come back to Long Island for Stony Brook,” Daoud said, “This is my home.”

While the football team suffered a tragic loss to the Towson Tigers, Seawolves fans were able to make the best of their Homecoming experience.

The loss made for Stony Brook Football’s second Homecoming loss in a row.

School spirit and tradition continues to grow as Athletic’s new initiative to transform the sports programs encourages student and fan participation.

The next home football game is on Halloween. Stony Brook Athletics is hosting “Wolfie’s Haunted Tailgate.”

From 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., the parking lot will be transformed into a Halloween party, with fans encouraged to come dressed in their Halloween costume.

The day will be full of Halloween-themed activities.

It will include an inflatable Halloween obstacle course, pumpkin painting, face painting, carnival games and music provided by the radio station 94.3 “The Shark.”

At 10:30 a.m. the Stony Brook Football team will be delivering candy to all fans in the parking lot celebrating game day in their Halloween costumes.

Wolfstock is only the beginning of an exciting and school-spirited football season.