SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Augustana Football and Viking fans are looking forward to a great season ahead with new-look turf and a continually upgraded fan experience adding to the gameday atmosphere inside Kirkeby-Over Stadium. 
 
Beginning with a digital first ticketing system, fans who purchase tickets ahead of the game at GoAugie.com/Tickets will receive their tickets digitally. From there, fans have the opportunity to present their tickets on their smartphones or print their tickets at home. Single game game tickets purchased at the ticket window can have their tickets printed, texted or emailed at the time of purchase. 
 
The new GoAugie mobile app, presented by CellOnly, will provide the easiest and most convenient way for fans to purchase their tickets. The app also features quick access to event schedules, rosters and team information, customizable push notifications, live and archived video, and more. The free app is available for download on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
 
On game days, parking lots open at 8 a.m., including the First PREMIER Tailgate (west) parking lot. Parking is free to A-Club members with their passes (if applicable), and only $5 per spot for the public. 
 
Augieville, the site for all pregame festivities, gets underway at 11 a.m., with music, inflatable & lawn games, appearances by the Viking Marching Band and Augustana Spirit Squads as well as the A-Club Tailgate. A-Club members will receive a free meal with their Viking Pass at the A-Club Tailgate and fans who are not A-Club members can purchase that same meal for $10. 
 
In addition, Augustana students have a space in Augieville designated specifically for them to create their own tailgate, led by student support organization SKOL. Augieville is located north and west of Kirkeby-Over Stadium on the practice football field.
 
As mentioned above, 2021 marks the return of the Viking Marching Band, and their first appearance in Kirkeby-Over Stadium. Fans will be treated to both a pregame and halftime performances each game, alongside adding to the collegiate atmosphere in the stadium. Already over 75 members, the Viking Marching Band will only add to the tradition of Augustana Football gamedays. 
 
Learn more about the marching band at : https://www.augie.edu/vikingmarchingband.
 
A beer garden will be added to the in-stadium experience, all season, after a positive response from the community of a similar trial run at Viking Days in 2019. The new season-long fan amenity will be guided by a policy designed to promote responsible consumption and a safe and enjoyable environment for all fans. With a setup similar to that of the Levitt Pavilion in downtown Sioux Falls, JJ's Wine, Spirits and Cigars will serve the alcohol out of a controlled area on the southeast side of the stadium.
 
Fans will be greeted at the beer garden entrance by an ID and wristband station. Adult beverages must stay within the garden area and only those 21-and-over, with a valid ID, will be allowed in the beer garden. Trained servers from JJ's Wine, Spirits and Cigars will serve the alcohol. The full beer garden policy can be viewed in the A-Z guide.  Gates to the stadium open at 11:30 a.m. with beer and wine sales at noon. The serving area will close at the conclusion of the third quarter.
 
The promotion schedule is full of great events in 2021, and it all gets underway on Saturday, Sept. 4 as the Vikings host Minot State in the first game in Kirkeby-Over Stadium since 2019. The new turf on Jim Heinitz Field will be broken in on the Be Bold, Wear Gold contest to support Cure Kids Cancer in partnership with Augiethon and the Sanford Health Foundation. 
 
The Hall of Fame Game is slated for Saturday, Sept. 18. At halftime of the Vikings' contest with MSU Moorhead the Hall of Fame class from 2020 will be recognized. Tickets for the Hall of Fame banquet on Friday, Sept. 17, can be purchased at www.AugieLink.com/HallofFame. In addition, the entire weekend is also Family Weekend on the Augustana campus. A full schedule of family weekend information and activities can be found at Augie.edu/Family-Weekend.
 
The Sept. 18 contest will also have a recognition of donors for those who contributed to the replacement of the turf at K-O Stadium. 
 
Viking Days arrives on Saturday, Oct. 9, as AU hosts Upper Iowa. The homecoming Parade starts at 10:30 a.m. and runs from University Place to 33rd street on Grange Ave. Viking Days Royalty will be introduced at halftime. Additional information on Viking Days and a full schedule can be found at Augie.edu/Viking-Days.
 
The final Saturday of October serves as the 49th Annual Shrine Game at Augustana. The Vikings host Winona State on Oct. 30. Information on the events surrounding the Shrine game can be found at ElRiad.org/shrine-football-game.
 
The final game of the regular season is Nov. 13 as the Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State make the trek to Kirkeby-Over Stadium. Several activities are planned in addition to Senior Day. Augustana will highlight the senior class along with a military appreciation. 
 
All home games kick off at 1 p.m., with parking lots opening at 8 a.m. each Saturday and Augieville activities underway at 11 a.m. For more information on Augustana Football and 2021 events and promotions, stay tuned to GoAugie.com and follow @GoAugie on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.