8 Ways to Make Your Tailgate the Best
The South is a place where college football fans essentially bleed their favorite team’s colors — so it’s no surprise that tailgating is a favorite fall activity. Here are some ideas on how to make your game day tailgate the best it can be.
Bring the basics
A good tailgate starts with a good foundation of the basics. Include folding chairs, folding tables, bottle openers, koozies, napkins, cups, a phone charger, and ice. If the day is supposed to be chilly, bring along some blankets and pullovers too. Most importantly, don’t forget your tickets.
Include yard games
Sure, it’s good to have a football or frisbee to toss about, but why not try other activities? Some fun ideas include cornhole, lawn darts, and ladder ball. You can also try the jumbo versions of Jenga, Connect Four, checkers, or dice. Don’t be surprised if your neighboring tailgaters want to join in on the fun.
Team trivia
Everyone knows how much we enjoy trivia at Harbor Club, so why not try it at your tailgate? Before the game, come up with a list of interesting trivia questions, preferably about the teams that are about to go head-to-head. Then, hand the question sheets out to your tailgaters, have each write down their answers, and hand them back to you. Offer a fun prize to whoever answers the most questions correctly.
Show your team spirit
Encourage your tailgating crew to wear their favorite team gear. Provide a station that allows them to take their team spirit up a notch with things like face paints, temporary tattoos, beads, and other team-themed accessories. Consider giving an award, like a team mug or pendant, for whoever shows the most team spirit.
Set up a Bloody Mary bar
Make your tailgate the best place for a mid-day cocktail. Before the game, make a big batch of Bloody Mary mix, so it’s ready to go. Then have vodka on the side as well as a bunch of fun fixings like cheese cubes, beef jerky, pickles, celery, olives, horseradish, and hot sauce. Beer chasers are a welcome addition too.
Make some music
Playing upbeat tunes gets everyone in the mood to cheer on the home team. Create a fun playlist of toe-tapping tracks to play on a good wireless speaker, preferably one that can withstand the elements. After a Bloody Mary or two, don’t be surprised to find some of your tailgating crew boogieing down to the music.
Do a potluck
You don’t have to bear the burden of making all the food. Make the main dish then have each of your tailgaters bring one of their favorite sides. Assign different ones to different people, so one person brings a salad, another brings a dessert, etc. That way, you avoid having a bunch of chips and nothing else.
After the game…
Tailgating doesn’t have to end when the game begins. Consider after-game appetizers or snacks for post-game tailgating. Our friends at Southern Living offer many delicious tailgating recipes that everyone will love. You may also want to provide a thermos of coffee, especially for early games. Consider a bit of Baileys or Kahlua to make it even warmer.
Considering that Harbor Club’s location is only a half-hour away from Athens, Georgia, we have many “Dawgs” fans that happily reside in our Southern Living-Inspired Community. But they aren’t the only ones. We’ve got a lot of fun-loving neighbors who cheer on several different SEC teams happily, together. We invite you to experience the good vibes at our award-winning lake and golf community. Contact us today for a tour.