Dodger fans – as well as police – filled Elysian Park this morning in preparation for the stadium home opener at 1:10 PM. Police, who warned that they would crack down on public drinking and illegal parking, were outnumbered by the fans, some of whom brought along a DJ and flat screen TVs for the pre-game tail gate parties in Elysian Park outside the stadium gates. Motorcycle cops were ordering fans to move cars out of no-parking zones while those on bike rode through the crowds. The commotion included rival tuba players and portable sound systems. Some fans even trucked in portable generators on trailers. On nearby streets, fans carried ice chests as well as five-foot long submarine sandwiches to the park.
“They should declare this a holiday in L.A.,” said one Dodger fan as he spoke into a cell phone while preparing to walk to Elysian Park. “Everyone is here.”
* Update: Police arrested 132 people today during the Dodger home opener. The Eastsider
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{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
There are open containers everywhere in the park and the surrounding streets!
GO DODGERS!I hope they make it all the way this season and everyday can be a tailgate party!
It all sounds like fun and games, but I live very close to the stadium and really HATE, HATE, HATE being woken up at 6:30 in the am by stupid loud DJs.
And I just royally chewed out a drunk Dodger jersey wearing f#@*head in the act of urinating on my garage door. Not one police car has driven up our park adjacent street to deal with the open container drivers and speeders who are pissed when they realize it is a dead end street.
The Dodgers are bringing this all upon themselves. How can you not have tailgating before a game? Let the fans booze in the parking lot where it can be more contained. Instead because you can't booze in the lot, of course it is going to spill out all around the surrounding streets and parks.
GOOOOOOOOOOOO DODGERS!Lighten up, there is only one opening day.Be careful chuey ing out Los Dodger fans. They may bite back.
I agree with Above the City.The dodger organization need to permit tailgating. Its a natural part of professional sports. That atmosphere is part of the reason people go to the games. Have a beer or two, get a dodger dodge and hope to catch a foul ball/ home run.
SALUD
The Dodgers need to lower parking prices and close the gate to get people out of the residential community. It was fine before. This is terrible. Ask anyone trapped in traffic, north of Scott, who are completely cut off from main roads.
why hasn't that one guy replied yet? you know, the one who ALWAYS says something along the lines of: "stupid yuppies, living in the hills with their unleashed dogs and fancy wine. should have thought about this before they moved to Echo Park. why don't you move to Brentwood if you don't like drunk drivers, public urination and traffic that the Dodgers promised to keep out of the neighborhood streets? stupid yuppies." that guy cracks me up. must be stuck in traffic.
He got arrested!
anon 9:17, hahaha. good one.
I thought BBQ, open flame, etc not allowed in the Parks? Anyone know about this?
Glo, I used my smoker yesterday for pulled pork. At first I was harassed by LAPD because there is a "no smoking" sign (with a cigarette crossed out), but they later allowed it. The signs around the park did not mention BBQs, grills, or other things of that nature. Just no alcohol or smoking (cigarettes).
We were tailgating at the park next to the Golden State Gate. Once our DJ was set up, he only got 3 songs in before he was shut down by uniformed and undercover LAPD. (Gray Glamis shirt guy) So, DJs were NOT allowed.
why do professional sports bring out the professional assholes? I don't go to Dodger games anymore due to the Ahole content.