KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — When fans usually head out for tailgates, they take barbecue, nachos, drinks and other kinds of savory dishes. Most of the time, Knoxville tailgates are on football gamedays. But things were different on Saturday.
Fans filled in near Lindsey Nelson Stadium as LSU and Tennessee Baseball prepared for a historic Super Region showdown. Smells of cajun spices mixed with Tennessee barbecue and the sounds of hollering fans.
Saturday's game is the first-ever Knoxville Super Regional, and organizers were not holding anything back to celebrate.
The University of Tennessee organized a Big Orange Block Party starting at 4:30 p.m., two and a half hours before the first pitch. There, fans mingled with other fans and hyped themselves up for the historic game. Many expected more grand slams, cheers and good times.
Many others also planned their own tailgates, bringing along homecooked meals and friends to cheer with.
Some LSU fans also brought a cajun classic — jambalaya. They brought white beans, which they said was a quintessential side item for their meal. They traveled all the way from Gonzalez, Louisiana to cheer on their team in Knoxville.
"We have a true jambalaya, Gonzalez is the jambalaya capital of the world," one of the fans said.
The wasn't just for them, though. They offered bowls of the cajun classic to anyone who wanted a taste. It did not include tomatoes or seafood, they said.
They also said everyone gets a bowl if they want one.
"There are three of us, and that's a 5-gallon pot," the fans said.