Fountain City Classic welcomes thousands of tailgaters to Columbus

COLUMBUS, GA (WTVM) - People travel from all around to take part in the annual Fountain City Classic event.

A tradition some say is bigger than the game itself. Some say the special ingredient that keeps people coming back is in the food.

"I come here for the ribs, chicken, baked beans, potato salad," said one tailgater.

"I've had chicken, macaroni and cheese, baked beans," said another.

From the fried food to grilled food, the FCC tailgate providing another year and ongoing tradition of what some say is the best experience in the valley.

"We been here all day, a matter of fact we got here yesterday afternoon around 6 o' clock," said one tailgater.

"I have actually been out here since 8 a.m., I came here to set up, and haven't left since," said another.

A days-worth of fun, FCC weekend is also said to be one of the biggest weekends in the Valley.

The weekend bringing in more than 40,000 people.

"Just to see how we can come together without any confusion, without any animosity, without any friction, just having a lot of fun," said one tailgater.

The two teams have been meeting for this rivalry for over 65 years. The Classic has been held in Columbus for 28 years.