Colorado State University Ag Day Sept. 5: Football, feasting and fun

On the heels of the most successful Colorado State University Ag Day ever, the university is gearing up for the 2015 Ag Day in a big way. Not only will Ag Day take place immediately before CSU season opener on Sept. 5 against Savannah State but the game will also feature the debut of new CSU football coach Mike Bobo.

“Having Ag Day on CSU’s opening game is a wonderful way to celebrate two of America’s great traditions – agriculture and football,” said Ajay Menon, dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences. “It is our hope that there will be an enthusiastic, and hopefully hungry, crowd that will get to enjoy some of Colorado’s best agricultural commodities followed by a convincing Ram victory on the field.”

The 2015 Ag Day will be the 34th year of the event, one that began as a small beef barbeque and has grown into a giant tailgate featuring food from Colorado commodity groups, music, and interactive demonstrations from College of Agricultural Sciences faculty, staff, and students.

Ag Day debuted in 1981 with 10 commodity groups. About 300 Rams fans and aggies perched on straw bales at under the Aggie “A” at Hughes Stadium to enjoy the Colorado-grown fare. The event supplied one scholarship.

The event has grown dramatically through the years and now annually draws some 3,500 people for a football-day feast of Colorado-grown food. In 2014, more than 3600 people attended the event, setting a new CSU record for attendance.

Ag Day showcases many commodities that have blossomed in Colorado with knowledge gained from CSU research. The event, which started with beef as its primary feature, now includes a number of other Colorado commodities such as lamb, pork, beans, potatoes, onions, wheat and dairy products, green salad, and more.

Ag Day proceeds also provide critical funding for scholarships granted to deserving students in the College of Agricultural Sciences. Each year, the event typically funds between 12 and 15 student scholarships amounting to $2,000 each. Since 2000 alone, Ag Day has funded more than 160 scholarships totaling more than $300,000 for agricultural students.

In addition to live music, interactive exhibits will also feature some of the cutting-edge research taking place in the College of Agricultural Sciences. College student organizations will also have booths at the event and a number of farm implements will be on display.

Combo tickets for the football game and BBQ or just the BBQ are available at the Ag Day website or by calling (970) 491-6274.

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