Bustling with booths and crowds, the first annual Winter Tailgate took place on Friday, Jan. 16 before the boy’s basketball game. Students could browse unique merchandise, and buy snacks at the various club offerings scattered throughout the Q-quad. Inspired by the success of Pigskin year after year, Winter Tailgate took on a new and distinctive flair. Structured like a street fair, the gathering featured a variety of activities for students before the game.
“We wanted to focus on quality over quantity. Compared to Pigskin, there is less of an emphasis on publicity for clubs. It’s almost like a street fair vibe where you can look through the booths and there’s even the junior prom tickets. There is just a really good variety,” said ASB Teacher Hannah Davies.
However, one of the most anticipated highlights was the chance to win a free prom ticket, marked by a handwritten note tucked inside a candy bar, and all proceeds from the fundraiser went to prom.
“We were trying to think of good fundraisers for prom and then we were allowed to actually give out one free prom ticket for someone. Leadership decided the best way to go about that was through this event. So we’re trying, especially if we can, to reduce the prom ticket prices for everyone,” said Junior Class Officer Vinh Epstein (‘27).
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Lucie Apard (’26) spreads Nutella on a freshly made crepe at the French Honors Society booth.
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A student rushes to draw as time ticks away in Art Club’s blind drawing game.
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When it comes to spiritwear, ASB’s thrift pop-up has it all. From hats to t-shirts, students have a wide variety of Amador-themed items to choose from.
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Inspired by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, one of the chocolate bars sold at the Class of 2027 booth discloses a hidden golden ticket.
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Students gather around the English for Change booth to watch Australian cartoon dogs in the show Bluey.
Behind the Scenes
What began as a logistical compromise blossomed into an event that both fundraised for the upcoming prom and celebrated school spirit before one of Amador’s home basketball games, bringing together students and clubs alike.
“One of the difficulties that our school had was that we couldn’t host a Winter Carnival just because of conflicting events from the city. We decided to compromise and come back from break and host this event before one of our own home basketball games. We wanted to create that spirit and community that we love to see before football games at Pigskin, but just bring it into the second semester,” said ASB Don Squad Leader Emmy Hoopes (‘26).
Raising School Spirit
Winter Tailgate also presented the chance for the diverse range of clubs at the event to showcase their special, handcrafted merchandise and other goods.
“We’re personally excited to showcase the merchandise that our members have made. So our members made stickers, and we also have other stationeries. So we’re really proud to show off our club’s creativity,” said Art Club Officer Soyeong Jang (‘27).
With a clear focus on school spirit, each booth had its distinctive club characteristics. From every step, the event at the start of the second semester provided a way to revitalize school spirit and kick off the new term.
“I think when it’s the middle of the year, there can be a little bit of a lull. It can be hard for students to remember to be excited and that there’s cool stuff going on at this school all year round. This event is a really good revitalization for the beginning of the year, especially with it being so close to the start of the second semester. It’s a good way to kick things off,” said Davies.