Hosting a tailgate party? From socializing to food, tailgating near the stadium is one of the best ways to cheer on your favorite team. You can also opt for a homegating party in your living room or backyard instead—but if you’re headed to the stadium, here are 20 helpful tailgating party ideas for your next game day!
Choose Your Tailgating Vehicle
There are quite a few options for tailgating vehicles, but it ultimately depends on the tailgate experience you’re going for. Different types of RVs and pick-up trucks are common when it comes to tailgating because they provide a good amount of storage space and can support large groups. Want a more unique tailgating experience? Consider converting an old ambulance or school bus into the ultimate game day hangout!
Secure Your Parking Spot
One of the first things you’ll want to do when planning a tailgate is figure out where to park. Many stadiums have designated tailgate parking where you can reserve a spot for the season. Depending on where you are, you may be required to pay for a space ahead of time. If you’ll be heading somewhere that’s first come, first served, it’s a good idea to go early to secure a spot—especially if you’re going to a popular football tailgate. If you have a larger tailgating vehicle and want to make sure there’s room for all your guests, you may need to reserve two tailgating spots instead of one.
Get a Head Count
When tailgate planning, it’s good to have a general idea of how many people will be there. Send out tailgate party invitations with RSVP information so you can estimate how many people will be stopping by. That way, you can delegate who’s bringing what and make sure there’s enough seating, food, and drinks for everyone. It also doesn’t hurt to plan for a few extra people, just in case!
Prepare for Weather Changes
One thing you may want to prepare for during your tailgate is changing weather. You can’t always predict when the temperature is going to rise or drop, or if it’s going to start raining or snowing. Prepare yourself for all types of weather by having blankets, ponchos, umbrellas, sunscreen, hats, and more on hand to keep the tailgate fun going!
Put Up a Tent
Not only can a canopy tent help define your tailgate area, but it can also protect your guests and food from the elements. Tailgating can come with unpredictable weather, and having a tent helps provide shade from the hot sun and protection from rain and wind. If you want to show off your team spirit, consider buying a tent with your favorite team’s logo on it. Most pop-up tents are about 10x10, so keep that in mind as you’re planning out your tailgate setup!
Give Guests Somewhere to Sit & Eat
Providing seating for your guests is one way to ensure that everyone will be comfortable at your tailgate party. It’s also much easier to enjoy food if there’s somewhere to set your plate. Lawn chairs, folding chairs, blow-up furniture, and folding tables are easy to transport, making them ideal for tailgates. Bring some extra tables where you can set out food, drinks, tailgate centerpieces, and more. Be sure to pack a few extra chairs in case more people show up than you were expecting.
Hook Up a TV
If you plan on watching the big game from your tailgate spot, it’s a good idea to hook up a TV. Just make sure that your TV can fit in your vehicle and that you have some sort of power source and signal so you don’t miss a single play during the game. To free up some table space at your party, you can also try a tailgate TV mount!
Pack a Portable Speaker
What’s a tailgate party without a little bit of music? Setting up a portable Bluetooth speaker can help set the mood of your tailgate and keep your friends and family entertained. Think about making a tailgate playlist ahead of time, complete with your favorite team’s fight song, game-day classics, and more. Or you can opt for an outdoor radio so everyone can listen to the game while still being able to eat and chat.
Show Off Your Team Spirit
Whether you’re cheering on your favorite pro sports team or watching college football, show your team spirit by decorating your tailgate vehicle and space. You can use the team colors as your color scheme and use items like flags, DIY garland, balloons, and letter boards to make the place festive! Be sure to have some fun dressing up, too, by sporting your team’s jersey or putting on some face paint.
Play Tailgate Games
Another great tailgating idea is to provide guests with outdoor games to play. This gives your guests something to do before the game and during halftime. Think about how much space you have at your tailgating spot so you know what kinds of activities you’ll have room for. Popular tailgate games include cornhole, horseshoes, and giant Jenga. You can even bring a few footballs to toss around!
Bring Disposable Plates & Utensils, Plus Other Supplies
Get ready for your tailgate party by packing up disposable plates, plastic cutlery, paper towels, and other disposable supplies to help make cleanup a breeze. Buy plates and utensils in your team’s colors, or look for sports-themed plates to tie into your tailgate theme. You’ll also need to pack your grilling tools—like a brush, tongs, and spatula—as well as heat-proof gloves, cutting knives, a bottle opener, aluminum foil, and trash bags. Get everything together the night before, so you’re not scrambling to find everything on game day.
Get the Grill Ready
Grills are one of the easiest ways to cook tailgate food. However, your home grill may be too big for you to transport to your tailgate spot. Instead, consider buying a smaller portable grill that can sit on a table or the bed of your truck. You’ll also want to check if your grill runs on electricity, propane, or charcoal so you can prepare everything you need. After the game’s over, make sure to properly clean and store your grill.
Prepare Some Food Ahead of Time
To cut down on cooking time, you may want to prepare some tailgate food ahead of time and bring it with you. Doing this before the game will allow you to enjoy your tailgate instead of cooking the whole time! Consider making some of these side dishes, slow cooker dishes, or cold tailgate recipes beforehand:
- Coleslaw, pasta, or potato salad
- Snacks like homemade trail mix or puppy chow
- Seven-layer bean dip or other popular tailgate dips
- Chili and cornbread for cold-weather tailgate food
Focus on Finger Foods
Finger foods are a tailgate party winner because they’re easy to grab, don’t require utensils, and can help minimize cleanup. Try a few of these tailgating classics for your spread:
- Tortilla wraps or pinwheels
- Tailgate appetizers like chicken wings, jalapeno poppers, nachos, and loaded potato skins
- Make-your-own salad or a sandwich bar for no-grill tailgating ideas
- A big football-themed charcuterie board
Fire Up the Grill
Nothing says tailgate like a hot grill going all game day. Burgers, hot dogs, and brats are classics for a reason—easy to customize, quick to cook, and guaranteed crowd-pleasers—but don’t stop there. Add pulled pork sandwiches or ribs for guests who want something heartier, or try chili cheese dogs or grilled quesadillas for a twist on the usual lineup.
Make a Spot for Condiments
Condiments can get messy quickly. However, you can minimize the mess of your tailgate setup and make refills easier by putting your ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce, and other condiments in a convenient caddy or tray. Plus, when it’s time to pack and tidy up, you can just grab it and go. You can also consider placing smaller bowls with toppings like shredded cheese, pickles, and guacamole near condiments.
Bring a Themed Dessert
Don’t forget to give guests something sweet to eat at your tailgate! Think about tailgate treats that are easy for people to grab, like cupcakes, cookies, and cake pops. Or if you want to keep the sports theme going, you can make your desserts into football shapes or try to make mascot-inspired desserts! If you have an open flame available, you could even make s’mores, which are always a crowd favorite.
Consider Getting the Food Catered
Don’t feel like cooking anything, but still want to feed your guests some tasty food? Have your tailgate party catered! This gives you endless cuisine options to choose from, and everything will come packed and prepped, making it less of a hassle for you. Cleanup is also much easier, as most catered food comes in disposable trays.
Stock the Cooler
Along with having tailgate food, you’ll want to make sure there are some drinks available for everyone. Bring a cooler or two stocked with a variety of beverages like soda, water bottles, and beer. Just make sure you bring enough ice to keep everything nice and cold!
Set Up a Mini Cocktail Bar
Instead of having a full bar, choose one specialty tailgate drink and make a mini bar! That way, you only have to bring ingredients for the drink of choice, and everyone can make their own. Some creative ideas for the best tailgate cocktails include margaritas, a mimosa bar with different juices, or even a Bloody Mary bar with lots of add-in options like pickles, celery, olives, beef sticks, bacon, cheese, and more.
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