'Railgating' Kicks Off Before Sunday's Vikings Game

Football fans, you are familiar with tailgating; well Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak is promoting a different type of pre-game party.

It's one big 'railgating' party and it starts this Sunday.

Two blocks along 5th Street will be blocked off right next to the light rail tracks.

Sixteen food trucks will be parked on the sidewalks some serving gourmet breakfast foods, others typical grill-out options.

The only issue is beer isn't allowed just yet.

Minneapolis Mayor Rybak is encouraging fans to get to downtown early before the game, or even in lieu of watching it on your couch at home.

'Railgating' gets started at 7am and runs until an hour after kick-off. 'Railgating' starts this Sunday before the Vikings take on the 49ers, but it's in the works for every home game and could expand if there's interest.

Also to increase fan presence downtown the Mayor's also introducing what he calls 'The Purple Path.'

'The Purple Path' is the new name for 5th Street on game day. "The Purple Path is a continuous exciting walk from the Warehouse district to the corridor downtown through the Armory district to the stadium," said Mayor R.T. Rybak.

The food trucks are all chipping in to help pay for clean-up as well as Port-A-Potties.
In addition to 'railgating,' for the first time ever the city is letting folks tailgate at their parking meters.