The last Saturday morning of November dawned as any other beautiful fall day with a blue sky and just enough crispness in the air to put pep in the step. If you were a college football fan, it was the biggest day of the year, the day the Carolina Gamecocks played their archrival, the Clemson Tigers. The two schools are 132 miles apart and have been bitter rivals since the 1880s, and Saturday was no different.

The town was buzzing and people started showing up to tailgate before dawn, newscasters said.

But at the State Farmers’ Market, the day was really special because, win or lose, this would be the last tailgating party to ever happen there.

The university has bought the space, and the produce companies are moving in the spring to a new site located on U.S. Hwy. 321 within 1.5 miles of both I–77 and I–26. The 174–acre site will include everything from an amphitheater to an RV parking lot, developers said. Just no game day parking.

With traffic backed up for miles and long lines everywhere in a sea of garnet and black and orange and purple, greetings to Tigers and Gamecocks alike were heard over the din.

“This is our year,” one Gamecock fan with a painted face screamed.

“Not now, not ever,” a Clemson fan in purple overalls and an orange sweater yelled back.

As it turned out, this game did go to Carolina with a 34–17 win over Clemson, but at the tailgating party at the State Farmers’ Market, Tigers and Gamecocks alike were cooking out everything from hot dogs to beef briskets.

With the smell of charcoal and meat permeating the air, good natured banter was everywhere.

“Get used to losing to us,” one Gamecock told a Clemson fan.

“Awww…you just got lucky,” the Clemson fan cracked a smile as he handed the Gamecock a cold beer from his Clemson cooler.

Astrida Thomas, whose family owns a business at the market has been parking there with her family and friends for years. She said the Carolina win was sweet, but knowing this was the last time everyone could tailgate together was sad.

“I found it to be surreal,” she said. “Of course the icing on the cake was the Gamecock win, but when you look around and you see all of the friends and family around you having such a good time, to know it’s over is bittersweet.”

Thomas said that she couldn’t remember parking anywhere else.

“It’s like losing part of your heritage,” she said. “My husband’s grandfather started the business and then moved it here over 50 years ago. Not parking here and being with our family will definitely change the dynamics of the football games.”

“It’s going to take a while to get used to pulling up and parking some place else where you don’t know anyone,” Timmy Thomas said.

Astrida Thomas said she hoped everyone could find parking in the same place so they could still be together.

“But no matter what, at least this game, Gamecocks didn’t have to say ‘wait till next year!’ It’s sad to see it end, but it’s great to go out on a win.”