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- Stock up on ice…you can never have enough ice.
- Plan on getting to the tailgate early…or you may not be tailgating at all. Three to Five hours should be sufficient.
- Use as many disposable products as you can. Paper plates, plastic utensils, and plastic cups all will lessen the post-tailgate headache of cleaning up.
- Leave enough time before the start of the event to clean up and pack up your tailgating equipment.
- Make friends with your tailgating neighbors...you never know what you may need from them.
- Use a tailgate checklist while you're packing - you don't want to forget a thing!
- If your tailgate falls near a holiday, come up with a creative theme to liven up the festivities.
- Get your creative juices flowing...come up with catchy beverages or unusual snacks to match the setting (your team’s opponent, the race location, etc...).
- Be sure to bring enough lighting for tailgates that extend into dusk. Flashlights and lanterns will usually do the trick.
- Separate perishable and non-perishable foods, and then store them accordingly. Space is the most important aspect of a tailgate.
- Always plan an activity or entertainment for your tailgate guests. Eating and drinking can only keep them entertained for so long.
- A single deck of cards can lead to many different kinds of entertainment throughout a tailgate.
- Be sure to bring trash bags…there may not be public trash cans nearby.
- Don’t be afraid to prepare food the night before.
- Come up with unique identifier to make your tailgate stand out from the others. This way your arriving guests will find you a lot faster. Flagpoles and tents usually do the trick.
- Create a custom checklist to ensure that you won’t forget to bring all of the tailgating necessities.
- Not only should you use a checklist to ensure that you pack everything before the tailgate, but use that checklist to make sure you are not leaving anything behind after the tailgate.
- Set up a customized music play list prior to the day of the tailgate.
- Remember to bring a means to play some music at your tailgate. (Portable boom boxes and radios always come in handy)
- Don’t be afraid to ask your guests to supply some of the tailgating necessities. Delegation of responsibilities can relieve some of the stress of planning and throwing a tailgate.
- Don’t forget to bring some cash for parking.
- If you plan on using your car battery to power some appliances, make sure you have some jumper cables handy.
- Bring a First-Aid kit…just in case.
- It can never hurt to bring a few extra rolls of toilet paper for those not-so-clean portable bathrooms.
- No matter what the weather is like, bring an extra blanket or sweatshirt…you never know how the weather could change.
- Keep in mind that cooking equipment (grills, stoves, etc...) need sufficient time to cool off before you pack them away.
- You can never bring too much water.
- A bottle of hand sanitizer is a clutch addition to every tailgate.
- If you are hosting a large tailgate, be prepared to miss the first 10-20 minutes of the event.
- If you are tailgating away from home turf, be sure to research the away facilities and traditions.
- A tailgate can never have enough team spirit.
- If you bring a set of knives for cooking, be sure they are stored safely. If not, please refer to the “First-Aid” tip.
- Bring some snacks and drinks for after the game while you wait for the traffic to die down.
- Designate a safe place for you and all of your tailgate guests to store their personal belongings.
- Always keep a few extra batteries lying around.
- Be sure to bring containers to store your leftovers.
- Upon arriving home, make sure you clean out your tailgate vehicle right away...the longer you wait, the more you’ll regret it.
- Always be nice to opposing fans...let the players settle it on the field.
- Upon arriving to your tailgate area, be sure to make yourself knowledgeable of your surroundings. Know where the closest bathrooms are and the quickest way to the stadium.
- Come up with a pre-planned way to deal with unwanted and unexpected guests...No one wants their tailgate getting crashed.
- If you’ve been drinking, make sure you have a designated driver or you designate enough time after the event to sober up.
- Know your limits. Be sure not to plan a tailgate so elaborate that the set up and take down take longer than the actual tailgate itself.
- Upon arriving to the parking lot, immediately set up your tailgate area’s boundaries...you don’t want anyone encroaching on your space.
- Don't forget to bring a toolkit...you never know what’s going to break.
- Keep a tailgating diary. There’s nothing like a great tailgating story.
- Don't be afraid to duplicate other tailgaters’ techniques. If they’ve come up with a great idea, use it.
- Create a tentative guest list in order to help you gauge how much food and drink you'll need.
- Tailgating doesn’t always mean that you have to go to the game. Bring your own TV and watch the game from the comfort of your own tailgate.
- A television or a radio can be great for catching pre-game shows and other important games while you tailgate.
- Never forget a camera. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words.
- For hot tailgating locations, don’t forget a portable fan.
- For cold tailgating locations, always remember a portable heater.
- Snacks and appetizers are just as important as the main dish.
- Use a countdown clock so that you know exactly when its time to head off to the event.
- If you plan on having a larger tailgate, bring two or even three cars to maximize your tailgating space.
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