Roberto Santiago first came to the Colosseum with his father in 1978.

He then took his younger brother to the Colosseum. Now he is taking his daughters with him, who will join him for one last round of tailgating in the parking lot on Thursday.

“It’s something we’ve done often as a family,” Santiago. “We came to a lot of games together. And especially as they get older and have cell phones and friends and are more independently mobile, they start making their own plans. You don’t always have something that you can get five people to do for four or five hours, just like a family.”

The Santiagos were among the many A’s fans who started tailgating before 9 a.m. Thursday, taking in the cheerful, raucous atmosphere for the last time.

Fans poured prosecco. They tended the flames and turned sausages. They played music like Mason Miller’s warm-up song “Burn it to the ground” by Nickleback and “Stir Fry” by Migos. They raised flags and the Raiders and A logos hung high above the busy parking lot. They applied makeup and put on sweaters — Crisp, Canseco, Chapman.

None of this would forever resolve the inevitable, crushing issue of the A’s departure from Oakland on Thursday. But it was a way to lighten the mood and remember better days when A’s and Raiders fans regularly gathered in the Coliseum parking lots.

Casey Williams, who was riding along with family members Paula and Char Williams, said the scene in the parking lots felt like the “pre-party” before a funeral.

“Everyone has the same understanding: (today is) the last time,” she said.

The fans were of all ages: grown men throwing footballs, children playing catch. Generations sit around in camping chairs, enjoying a beer and grilled food. This family atmosphere drew many to A’s fandom and brought them back for the final time on Thursday.

Ricky Rocha of Antioch left Thursday with his father, brother and son. He took his son out of school for the day and wanted the whole family to experience the Colosseum one last time.

“He went to Raider games and he was probably too little to remember,” Rocha said. “I wanted him to come here so he could remember.”

Tom Oneill, who came to the Coliseum with his family shortly after it opened, patrolled the stands selling ice cream, beer, donuts and hot dogs in the 1970s. His job Thursday: buy tickets for 12 family members to attend the final game at the Coliseum and stand guard over their tailgates.

Fans have also become family – a camaraderie that Santiago, known to fans as “Rally Lamb,” wanted to embrace Thursday.

“I don’t really remember who all the players are,” Santiago said. “But I’ve made a lot of friends in this fandom and so I’m really here to hang out with them and have a good time and celebrate the end of the era.”

The strong bond between the fans was evident in the build-up to Thursday’s match, as green and gold supporters leaned over the fencing and dugout in the hope of connecting with the A players one last time. Some fans gave each other items to sign, so everyone got autographs.

Rudy Sanchez and Mary Paul enjoyed chips and salsa, California wine and breakfast burritos during their tailgate Thursday morning. They attended the final two games at the Coliseum, which they hoped would show MLB that sports are not about money, but about building a culture.

“I don’t know what I hope to get – no closure, of course,” Paul said. “But I hope baseball, MLB owners and Manfred get the message that it’s not about the money. That shouldn’t be the case.”

The message seemed clear. The A’s fans started the “Sell the team” chants as early as the third inning on Thursday and grew louder in the fifth. But in the waning days of the Oakland A’s, fans don’t have much say in how this message is received.

The “Sell” chant is one that comes with a lot of sadness. But Santiago planned to keep that feeling at bay Thursday.

“My mentality is not to come out here with the disappointment and the anger that we’ve had over the last few years – just enjoy it because it’s the last time,” Santiago.