OMAHA, Neb. — Ask some of the fans strolling past blocks of vendors hawking T-shirts and baseball caps and gloves and custom-painted Louisville Sluggers why they have come to the College World Series, and they will tell you they’re backing their team.

But it’s about something else, too.

For many of the tens of thousands who turn out at TD Ameritrade Park every day of the annual event, coming to Omaha is about being part of a bigger experience.

There are the games, of course, but there are also the parking lots filled with tailgaters for days on end and tents stretching for blocks, where you can by memorabilia, ice cream and beer. There are fans from all over the country, eager to chat with fellow baseball lovers, no matter the colors on their T-shirt or hat.

Some Oregon State fans taking in the sights and sounds here on Sunday afternoon said they planned to take a little time to explore the host city. But many were content spending their days in the festival-like space surrounding the stadium.

“Let’s just say there are a lot of museums here I won’t be seeing,” joked David Gallo, an OSU fan from Portland.

Gallo said he has been kicking himself for not buying tickets to a College World Series since 2007, when he watched the Beavers clinch a second straight national title — on TV.

This time around, he did not want to miss the chance to catch the part of the experience you can’t see on ESPN.

“It’s on my bucket list,” he said.

Around the stadium, fans can browse through shops that pop up just for the duration of the series. A usually empty warehouse becomes a sporting goods store, complete with batting cages in the middle of the building.

Local bars open up outdoor beer gardens, and any property owner with an empty lot sets up an operation selling parking spots at anywhere from $10 to $20 — or higher.

One bicycle shop located across the street from the stadium packs up its entire inventory each year and leases out the space to Wilson Sporting Goods and DeMarini, a baseball bat manufacturer.

Chris Hoem, an Oregon State fan from West Linn, said he was surprised to see how much activity was going on outside the games.

“I am just amazed by the size of the stadium and by what a big event this is,” he said.

This is the first College World Series for Hoem and his 16-year-old son, Jacob.

The father and son watched — and grimaced — as the Beavers lost a 5-4 heartbreaker to Mississippi State on Saturday afternoon. Still, Hoem said, it has not put a damper on the experience.

“For me, it’s about spending time with my kid,” he said. “If the Beavers win, that would be a bonus.”

A few blocks away in the designated “Fan Fest” area, hundreds lined up to buy shaved ice, try their hand at booths where the speed of their best throw is tracked, or get one of the event’s most popular free samples: chilled Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

Kelly Morgan, of Roseburg, was planning to beat the heat — the temperature was soaring toward 90 degrees — in an air-conditioned tent.

The Beaver fan had traveled to Omaha with his wife and another couple for a first-ever College World Series experience.

He, too, was more than a little disappointed with the outcome of Saturday’s game. But Morgan said he was enjoying the full experience, no matter what the score.

“Omaha knows how to throw a party,” he said.

Plus, Morgan said, the tournament’s double-elimination format means there is still hope for the Beavers. He booked his hotel room for the length of the tournament, so he’s holding out hope he will have a reason to put on his orange and black gear for next week’s championship games.

“We’re here until next Thursday,” Morgan said. “I’m optimistic, I guess.”