There are two kinds of people in Green Bay in late July.
People who have been counting down to training camp since the final whistle of the last preseason game. And people who are married to, living next door to, or somehow related to those people – and find themselves at Ray Nitschke Field on a Wednesday morning wondering what exactly is happening and why everyone around them seems so happy about it.
This guide is for both of you.
The Basics – What Is Packers Training Camp?
Every summer, the Green Bay Packers hold their pre-season training camp at Ray Nitschke Field – the practice facility adjacent to Lambeau Field on the west side of Green Bay. Unlike virtually every other NFL team, the Packers open their practices to the public for free. No ticket required. No wristband lottery. Just show up, find a spot along the fence, and watch an NFL team prepare for a season.
This year the Packers have 12 practice sessions open to the public, not including Family Night. That is an extraordinary amount of access for a professional football team, and it is only possible because of the one thing that makes Green Bay unlike any other NFL city.
The Packers are publicly owned. Every shareholder is a regular person – someone’s neighbor, someone’s grandmother, someone’s third-grade teacher. That is not a fun fact. That is the entire explanation for why this franchise has the relationship it does with this community – and why training camp feels less like a media event and more like a neighborhood gathering that happens to involve some of the best football players in the world.
The 2026 Training Camp Schedule – Key Dates
Training camp kicks off on Wednesday, July 29, with two consecutive public practices following on July 30 and July 31. After Saturday off, the Packers return for three more consecutive practices from August 2 to August 4. All practices take place at Ray Nitschke Field and are scheduled to start at 10:30 AM.
Should inclement weather or any other factor force the team indoors, practices will be closed to the public due to space limitations inside the Don Hutson Center. Always check packers.com the morning of before you head out.
The full public practice schedule:
- July 29, 30, 31: Public practices, 10:30 AM, Ray Nitschke Field
- August 2, 3, 4: Public practices, 10:30 AM, Ray Nitschke Field
- August 7: Family Night, Lambeau Field
- August 10, 11: Public practices, 10:30 AM
- August 16, 18: Public practices, 10:30 AM
- August 24: Public practice, 10:30 AM
- August 26: Joint practice with Arizona Cardinals, 10:30 AM
- August 28: Packers vs. Cardinals preseason game, 7:00 PM, Lambeau Field
Fans will have multiple opportunities to watch the team throughout camp, including 13 open practices with a joint practice with the Arizona Cardinals on August 26.
The Bike Tradition – Yes, This Is A Real Thing
If you have never been to training camp, there is one thing you need to know before anything else.
Kids are invited to bring their bikes to each open practice day and offer the players a ride from Lambeau Field to Ray Nitschke Field. NFL players – some of the largest, most elite athletes on the planet – ride children’s bikes across the parking lot while the crowd cheers. It is one of the most wonderfully specific things about life in Green Bay. It could only happen here.
Bring the kids. Bring the bikes. This is the moment they will tell people about.
Family Night – The Crown Jewel of Training Camp
The annual Packers Family Night, presented by UW Health Kids, is scheduled for Friday evening, August 7, at Lambeau Field. Doors open at 5:30 PM, with the team taking the field for warmups at 7:00 PM and practice beginning at 7:30. The format will be a full practice to accomplish the team’s preparation goals for the regular season.
The evening features a game-like atmosphere with a thunderstick giveaway, use of the video boards, gameday music, jersey giveaways, and a fireworks show.
Family Night requires a ticket – unlike the regular practices. Check packers.com for ticket availability and be sure to purchase a mobile parking pass in advance.
Before Camp Even Starts – Two More Events Worth Knowing
- Friday, July 24 – Packers 1K Kids Run (kids 10 years and younger), presented by CareSource, 6:00 PM at Lambeau Field.
- Saturday, July 25 – Packers 5K Run/Walk, presented by UW Health, Lambeau Field, 8:00 AM.
Both are family-friendly and a great way to kick off training camp weekend even if you are not planning to watch practice.
Practical Tips – What to Bring and What to Know
Arrive early. Gates open before the 10:30 AM practice start but the best spots along the fence go quickly. Plan to arrive at least 45 minutes early – especially for the first few practices of camp.
Bring chairs and sun protection. Ray Nitschke Field is an open practice facility with limited shade. A folding chair, sunscreen, and a hat are not optional in late July.
Bring the kids. Training camp is one of the most genuinely family-friendly professional sports experiences in the country. Children under a certain age get in free, there is plenty of open space, and the atmosphere is relaxed enough that it does not feel like you are managing a crowd.
Bring a Sharpie. Players sometimes sign autographs after practice – especially in the early days of camp. A Sharpie and something worth signing means you are ready if the moment comes.
Check the weather. Should inclement weather force the team indoors, practices will be closed to the public. Always verify on packers.com the morning of your visit.
Parking. A mobile parking pass is required for Family Night. For regular practices, arrive early and plan to walk – the area around Ray Nitschke Field and Lambeau fills up.
Not a Football Fan? Here Is What You Can Still Do
We said this guide was for everyone – and we meant it.
If you find yourself in Green Bay during training camp season and football is not your thing, the area around Lambeau Field and Titletown is genuinely one of the best places in the city to spend a summer day regardless.
Titletown District sits directly adjacent to Lambeau and has become one of the most thoughtfully developed public spaces in Wisconsin. The outdoor plaza, green space, and lawn are beautiful in summer – and 46 Below has one of the best patios in the city. You do not need to care about football to enjoy an evening there.
The Titletown Night Market, presented by Circle K, features soccer matches beginning at 3 PM during training camp – a great option if your sport of choice involves a different kind of field.
The Lambeau Field Atrium and Tour is worth doing even if you are not a Packers fan – the stadium’s history and scale are genuinely impressive, and the interactive exhibits give context to why this place matters to people from all over the world.
The Fox River Trail is at its best in late July and early August – and the De Pere section offers a beautiful, uncrowded stretch of paved trail along the water that has nothing to do with football whatsoever. Pack the bikes, pack the kids, and enjoy the fact that you live somewhere this good.
Downtown De Pere and Green Bay both have excellent summer dining, patio options, and local spots worth exploring. If you are going to be in the area for training camp week, build a full day around it – not just the 10:30 AM practice.
The Bottom Line
According to Discover Green Bay, training camp along with Family Night could attract approximately 80,000 visitors from across the nation and as many as 20 foreign countries.
People fly here for this. People plan vacations around it. People who have never been to Green Bay put training camp on their bucket list and cross it off with a smile.
If you live here – you already won. Go.
Alex and Amanda Young are the husband-and-wife team behind The Bow Tie Group at Keller Williams Green Bay, serving buyers and sellers across Brown County, the Fox Valley, and all of Northeast Wisconsin.
Thinking about making Green Bay your home? Call or text 920-471-4686 or visit thebowtiegroup.com.
