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Hot dogs cooking on a grill at a tailgate.

Tips for Throwing the Perfect Tailgate

There are good tailgate hosts, and then there are great tailgate hosts. Good tailgaters serve burgers and hot dogs and have a small TV on hand to catch the game; great tailgaters serve ribs and spicy chicken wings and haul their 60” flatscreens in the back of their truck. (Hint: you want to be in that second category.) Get in the competitive spirit, and make it your goal to throw the best tailgate parties this football season by using these tips to get you started on your road to success. Pack your tailgate gear and your wild side and let’s party!

Bon Appétit

The two most important components of tailgating are food and drinks. If you nail those, everything else will come naturally. To keep things easy on yourself, look up some easy tailgate food ideas and traditional tailgate recipes and put your own little twist on them to make your food unique and memorable (it doesn’t have to be complicated). For example, you can do sausage stuffed jalapeno poppers and spicy beer cheese burgers instead of their traditional (aka boring) counterparts. You can also take your drinks up a notch by creating your very own team-themed cocktail. Look up drink recipes and pick one that is your favorite team’s color. Such as, if you are rooting for the Razorbacks or the Buckeyes and want a red drink, make something with cherry or strawberry, like a cherry whiskey smash. 

All Fun and Games

Most people are entertained enough by drinking beer and talking smack about the opposing team, but it’s still a good idea to keep a few games on hand if things start to get a little dry. Plus, you’ll keep everyone’s children happy if you have a way to entertain them! Choose games that people of all ages can play, and that children can play semi-supervised without injuring themselves. A few popular games that you should have on hand are: Ladder Toss, Washers, and Bean Bag Toss (because kids and drunk people just really like to toss things for some reason). 

Deck the Tents

How about decorating? Obviously with your team’s colors. Everywhere. There’s no step-by-step guide on how to decorate your tailgate, so you have our permission to go crazy with it. Grab some tailgate party supplies in your team’s colors, and if you don’t have a tent already, buy a tailgate tent in your team’s primary color so others will know who you are supporting from a mile away. You can also buy streamers to hang from your tent and truck, create your own DIY football field tablecloth (so everyone can admire your creative genius), and decorate your cooler in the proper fashion. 

Prepare for the Worst (but Hope for the Best)

Especially if you reside in the midwest, you know that it can be 80 degrees at noon, then it’ll be snowing by 5 pm. You never know what’s going to happen with the weather, and you should be prepared for any emergency situation, so if disaster strikes, you don’t want your tailgate completely ruined. Keep a few umbrellas and a tarp on hand so you can cover your electronics if the sky decides to open up, and always bring a first-aid kit because you never know who will cut themselves while trying to open a beer. Most importantly, as the host, you should probably keep your wits (somewhat) about you in case anything does happen, and you need to take charge and handle the situation. 

(Featured image via Carnivore Style)

Last Updated: October 27, 2020