Lambeau Field is set to welcome fans to Sunday's Packers-Vikings home opener, with a variety of festivities planned throughout the weekend, including a free Kickoff Weekend concert featuring Big & Rich Saturday evening and the annual Packers alumni celebration and a special ceremony in honor of the late Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr on Sunday.
Kickoff Weekend will get underway on Saturday, with the Johnsonville Tailgate Village open at 3 p.m., and live music beginning at 5 p.m. Parking for concert-goers is free in the Lambeau Field lots, and parking is first-come, first-served. Attendees are welcome to bring blankets and chairs to use during the show. The event is presented by SiriusXM and Ticketmaster.
This weekend is the Packers' traditional alumni weekend celebration, with more than 60 alumni returning to Lambeau Field. This year, a special celebration will be held in honor of the life and legacy of the late Starr. A program and ceremony featuring the Starr family and dozens of Packers alumni will take place at halftime, and fans will each receive a No. 15 button upon entering the stadium, which matches the decal on the Packers players' helmets.
The Lambeau Field parking lots will open Sunday at 8 a.m., with stadium gates opening at 10 a.m. The Lambeau Field Atrium, including 1919 Kitchen & Tap, the Packers Hall of Fame and Packers Pro Shop will be open to ticketed guests only via the American Family Insurance Gate beginning at 8 a.m., with no exit/re-entry ticket scanning.
Fans on Sunday can enjoy the Johnsonville Tailgate Village, the permanent tailgating and event space in Lambeau Field's east side parking lot. The JTV, along with the parking lots, will open at 8 a.m. for ticketed and non-ticketed guests alike and will feature live music, food, beverages and a festive tailgating atmosphere.
Fans entering the game will receive a kickoff weekend rally towel, compliments of SiriusXM and Ticketmaster.
Two featured alumni are scheduled to make appearances Sunday; Hannibal Navies and Mark Brunell will be taking part in fan activities at surprise locations around Lambeau Field and the Legends Club, respectively, leading up to kickoff. Lynn Dickey will also be appearing in the U.S. Cellular Loft to greet fans prior to the game.
During pregame, the Packers and WPS Health Solutions will recognize U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel John Riester, and his father, retired U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Scott Riester on the field.
A flyover will be performed by four A-10C jets from the 122nd Fighter Wing (Indiana Air National Guard) based out of Fort Wayne, Indiana, prior to Sunday's game, and the national anthem will be performed by Wisconsin-based singers and songwriters, Whiskey Belles.
Also during halftime, the High School Quarterback Challenge, presented by HPE and Camera Corner will take place on the field. The competition will feature players from Green Bay West High School and Kaukauna High School; the two schools were the winners of the Packers +1 Challenge, which awards $1,000 to the high schools with the highest increase in the amount of students participating in football since last year.
The Packers are reminding fans of the NFL's stadium safety policy. No bags or purses will be allowed inside Lambeau Field unless they are clear plastic, vinyl or PVC and are no larger than 12" by 6" by 12". Stadium cushions are also not allowed as a part of the policy, however, stadium seats and stadium pads that contain no pockets or zippers and are 18" wide or smaller are allowed. All fans entering Lambeau Field on gamedays will use walk-through metal detectors. For more information, visit packers.com/carryin.
Game attendees are also reminded that while printed season tickets are still an accepted form of entry, PDF or 'Print at Home' tickets have been eliminated; those who purchased tickets online through the secondary market or have received forwarded tickets must use mobile tickets on their device to enter the game. Instructions and tutorials on how to use mobile tickets are available at packers.com/tickets/mobile-ticketing. Those using mobile tickets are encouraged to download their tickets to their device prior to the game.
For more information about gameday, visit packers.com/lambeau-field/gameday.
