David Cline of Auburn’s School of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences serves up free samples of fried catfish at the 2014 Ag Roundup. This year’s event is Oct. 3, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Auburn University’s 2015 homecoming celebration and football game are set for Saturday, Oct. 3, and so is the 36th annual Fall Roundup and Taste of Alabama Agriculture. The latter will take place at Ag Heritage Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Auburn–San Jose State game football game will kick off at Jordan-Hare Stadium at 3 p.m.
Ag Roundup—co-sponsored by Auburn’s College of Agriculture and the Auburn Agricultural Alumni Association—is a super-sized tailgate party where, for $5, you can sample a wide variety of foods grown and/or processed in Alabama. Typical fare runs the gamut from fried chicken, fried catfish and smoked sausage to edamame, satsumas and collard greens with sweet potato fries.
In addition to the food, Ag Roundup features children’s activities, informative exhibits and live and silent auctions that raise money for College of Agriculture scholarships. Musical entertainment at this year’s event will be provided by Jessie Lynn Nichols, an agricultural communications major from Prattville.
All activities will be set up on the South Donahue Drive side of Ag Heritage Park, with the main entrance located between the Ham Wilson Livestock Arena and the Alabama Farmers Pavilion. The $5-per-person admission fee is payable at the gate; children 6 and under are admitted free. Ag Roundup will close an hour prior to kickoff.
Ag Roundup began as a way to increase public awareness of agriculture and the major impact it has on Alabama’s economy, and through the years, the event has become a favorite homecoming tradition for hundreds of Tiger fans.
“Last year’s Roundup drew a record crowd of just over 3,000 and, gate receipts and auction proceeds generated more than $21,000 to be used for student scholarships in the College of Agriculture,” said Amanda Martin, student recruitment and alumni relations coordinator in the college. “Our hope is that 2015 will be even bigger.”
