September 30, 2021 – Premier lifestyle and apparel brand Southern Tide is thrilled to announce its fourth annual Tailgate Tour, which celebrates the collegiate football season by visiting some of the biggest college game days across the country. Having grown steadily each year alongside the brand’s collegiate ambassador program, this year’s Tailgate Tour will unveil a new partnership with Graduate Hotels® – hand-crafted hotels located in the most dynamic university communities across the U.S. and U.K. Southern Tide will kick off the tailgate season at Graduate Athens in Athens, GA, for the University of Georgia Bulldogs vs. University of Arkansas Razorbacks game, and later finish out the semester at Graduate Columbia in Columbia, SC, for the University of South Carolina Gamecocks vs. Clemson University Tigers game.
In addition to celebrating one of the best times of the year, the partnership between Southern Tide and Graduate Hotels brings together two like-minded brands who share a passion for gameday spirit, camaraderie, and the classic American lifestyle. To kick-off the game day weekends for both the Georgia Bulldogs vs. Arkansas Razorbacks game and the South Carolina Gamecocks vs. Clemson Tigers game, Southern Tide will be hosting experiential tailgating events at each corresponding Graduate Hotels property on the evenings of Friday, October 1st and Friday, November 26th, respectively. Playing off the uniqueness of each Graduate Hotels property and friendly team spirit and competition, the Southern Tide tailgating events embrace and honor local traditions and culinary excellence.
“We’re thrilled to get back to the rituals and traditions that bring our Graduate Hotels communities to life,” said Amy Wexler, Graduate Hotels Chief Marketing Officer. “Teaming up with Southern Tide on their Tailgate Tour is the perfect way for us to re-engage with students, locals and travelers for the exciting fall ahead.”
This year’s Tailgate Tour will continue to highlight the brand’s wildly successful Collegiate Ambassador Program, which, since its inception in 2008, has helped Southern Tide to grow throughout college campuses nationwide and far beyond through organic content creation. Ambassador positions are highly sought after and incredibly competitive, with just a limited number of spots available each year– and thousands of well-rounded applicants, from students in Greek life to a number of other campus organizations, vying for the opportunity to become an authentic voice for the brand. This year, Southern Tide also introduced their Student Athlete Ambassador Program, with a diverse group of athletes, sports, and universities represented.
Stops on Southern Tide’s 2021 Tailgate Tour include:
- October 1: Graduate Athens in Athens, GA (University of Arkansas vs. University of Georgia)
- October 29: Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island in FL (University of Georgia vs. University of Florida)
- November 12: Jake’s Toggery in Columbus, OH (Purdue University vs. Ohio State University)
- November 26: Graduate Columbia in Columbia, SC (Clemson University vs. University of South Carolina)
About the Tailgate Tour, Southern Tide’s Interim CEO Carey Ann Campbell said, “On behalf of the entire team at Southern Tide, we are thrilled for the return of college football complete with fans and traditions. We are most excited to kick off the Tailgate Tour in partnership with Graduate Hotels – properties that truly embody the spirit and nostalgia of some of our favorite college towns! This football season will be more electric than most, so we felt compelled to deliver the ultimate tailgate experience and bring our energetic lifestyle to the excitement of gameday.”
For additional information on Southern Tide and the 2021 Tailgate Tour, please visit www.southerntide.com. For more information on Graduate Hotels, please visit www.graduatehotels.com.
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About Graduate Hotels®
Graduate Hotels is a handcrafted collection of hotels that reside in dynamic university-anchored towns in the U.S. and U.K. Each hotel pays homage to the heritage of its unique town through cultural nods to the local community. Launched in 2014, there are currently 30 hotels across the U.S., two U.K. properties, and an additional five hotels set to open by the end of 2023. Graduate Hotels is owned by Adventurous Journeys (AJ) Capital Partners, a Nashville-based vertically integrated real estate developer, owner and operator. For more information on Graduate Hotels, please visit www.graduatehotels.com.
About Southern Tide
Founded in 2006, Southern Tide is a Greenville, S.C.-based lifestyle apparel brand that boasts exceptional craftsmanship and classic design. Innovative, yet timeless in its youthful style, Southern Tide offers an array of apparel and accessory products for men, women, and kids that deliver their authentic lifestyle through quality, experience, and service. Southern Tide is available for purchase in Southern Tide’s company owned stores, Southern Tide Signature Stores and online at www.southerntide.com. Products can also be found in more than 850 specialty retailers, and premium department stores across the United States. Southern Tide is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Oxford Industries (NYSE: OXM).
