Crosstown rivals will be on the same team tonight, dining and socializing to help finance upgrades to scholastic athletics sites at Lawrence High School.

LHS supporters are inviting their counterparts at Free State High School to an “all-city tailgate,” starting at 5 p.m. and leading up to the 7 p.m. kickoff for the annual football game pitting the Lions and Firebirds.

While the tailgate will be on LHS turf — OK, at the southeast entrance to the stadium — organizers are hoping that any and all will attend. Admission to the tailgate is $5 per person, and participants will enjoy chips and either pulled pork or chili, prepared by dedicated cooks sporting red and black.

“Everybody’s welcome,” said Judy Keller, an event organizer. “We can have a little collegiality before the competition. You can wear green and still be served.”

Proceeds will go toward LHS Building on Traditions, an ongoing effort by Lawrence High alumni and boosters to raise $301,790 for enhancing the fan experience at the school’s on-campus stadium and more.

The group already has collected $183,835, which will be used to help enclose the stadium scoreboard with brick, install two ticket booths with entryway arches, and handle similar work at other fields.

“All the food’s been donated,” Keller said. “All the proceeds go to this project.”

Contractors for the Lawrence school district continue working on district-financed upgrades, including concessions stands and restrooms at the LHS stadium.

While restrooms in both buildings will be available for use during the game, the concessions portion of the building at the north end of the stadium likely will not be operational, said Frank Harwood, the district’s chief operations officer.

The buildings originally had been scheduled for completion by Sept. 1.