Tailgating an art and a passion

East Campus (KXAN) - The TexMex Tailgaters have been set up for Saturday's game since Friday at 6 a.m.  They staked their claim under a large shade tree and have pretty much camped out.  They were counting on a Mariachi Band to show up but they unfortunately they had to cancel.  Luckily the DJ still showed up just before kickoff.

"We usually reserve the Mariachi Band and they come. They will show up all sweaty because of the costumes, but they still show up for us,"  Rubben Rodriguez laughed as he flipped over dozens of chicken leg quarters in his smoker. 

Danny Rubio, also of the TexMex Tailgaters, says all are welcome at their UT pride fiesta on the street corner, and he said they don't discriminate. Rubio said he met a few people from UCLA on 6th Street Friday night and they are stopping by for the fun.

The TexMex Tailgater's neighbors to the south, The 18th and Congress Tailgate Crew, have a 3-D television set up facing the sidewalk. Behind that television screen are two large flatscreens side-by-side in front of numerous rows of chairs in case both your right eye and left eye individually need to look at something. They have a large felt-covered card table, and this week's beach theme-- there's a new theme every week-- ready to greet their guests.  Elsewhere there are satellite dishes, comfortable chairs, and more meat than a packing house seasoned for grilling. In addition they have fajita making with a variety of beverages for the taking.

Rain has been a concern but there is a chance it may not appear until after the game.