Texas Tech Taus to host First Annual “GatorFest”

A number of major recording artists are headed to Lubbock on Sept. 17, taking advantage of the excitement preceding the Texas Tech vs. UT football game on Sept. 18. And we’ve talked about them.

But after Tech accepted the check and moved its season-opening, home football game against SMU from a Saturday night to a Sunday afternoon, at least one fraternity pulled out all the stops and planned a unique event the night before near campus.

The SMU-Red Raider football game kicks off at 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

Texas Tech leadership fraternity Alpha Tau Omega is sponsoring a fundraiser called “Gator Fest” — taking the form of a block party — on Saturday night on Main Street, between University Avenue and Avenue X.

Live music will be provided by The Casey Donahew Band, The Hogg Maulies, The Seth Savage Band, Levi Smith and Brandon Adams and The Sad *terds. (No, there’s no * in the latter band’s name, but there’s no telling who’s reading.)

Vendors will sell cold beverages and fried gator.

ATO member (and publicist) Riley Branch assures me that it is real fried alligator, saying, “Actually, it will be fried gator strips. We are working with River Smith’s (Restaurant) here in town. They are going to order the tail meat from gators, cut it into strips and fry it.”

Gates open at 5 p.m. General admission tickets are $18 in advance (includes $3 service charge) and $20 at the gate.

Proceeds benefit the Lubbock YWCA.

Advance tickets are on sale at the Select-A-Seat outlets at Amigo’s Supermarket, Dollar Western Wear, Lubbock Memorial Civic Center, Market Street, Ralph’s Records & Tapes, Texas Tech Student Union’s ticket booth and United Supermarkets.

Call Select-A-Seat at 770-2000 or (800) 735-1288 for more details.

(*Visit texastechato.com or atogatorfest.com and find the event posted onto the National Fraternity’s Facebook Fanpage for more information and links to purchase tickets or shirts to support the cause.)