8 Tailgating Ideas (That Aren’t Drinking Beer)
Updated: Feb. 28, 2024
Sure, you could pass the pigskin in the parking lot, but these easy tailgating ideas will make pregaming so much more exciting.
You’ve been waiting all week for game day. Gather your parking-lot posse, load up a table with tasty tailgate appetizers and get ready for the ultimate pregame party that’s packed with as much action as the main event. Sure, piling up your plate and throwing back a cold one are tailgate traditions, but there are so many more ways to tackle the time between parking the car and heading to your seats. Kick off the fun with these asphalt-approved activities that get the crowd cheering before they even enter the stadium. Hut, hut...have fun! Psst! We ranked the top beer brands so you can stock your cooler with the best-of-the-best.
Tailgating Idea: Play a giant yard game
There’s just something about king-size classic family games that makes them way more fun to play. And tailgate parties are the perfect place to show off your giant games in glory. Whether you stack up giant Jenga, take a shake at oversized Yahtzee, set up colossal Connect Four or play to be a super-sized checkers champ, you can bet every other tailgate will want to join in on the big-time fun.
Tailgating Idea: Make a game-day photo booth
Create the ultimate tailgate photo-op by hanging a plain white sheet from the top of an open trunk door and designating that space as your pregame photo booth. From there, you can hang pennants, team banners or streamers to serve as your backdrop while your tailgate pals taking turns posing for pictures in front. Leave a basket of props to make the photo shoot even more fun—think foam fingers, pompoms, helmets, hats and footballs—and have everyone show off their super fandom in style.
Tailgating Idea: Host a chili cook-off
Depending on the size of your tailgate, nominate partygoers to bring their favorite chili recipe, and keep them warm in a slow cooker. Label each slow cooker with a number, then place a stack of disposable bowls labeled with a corresponding number next to each. Let your tailgating crew vote for their favorite chili, and you can reveal the winner before heading into the game. Winner gets bragging rights, a homemade trophy or their choice of seat in the game!
Tailgating Idea: Power-up a playlist
Maybe your team’s marching band has released an album of quintessential game-day anthems. Maybe you’re feeling nostalgic for the ’90s Jock Jams CD compilations. Whatever your preference, a playlist of tunes designed to amp you up for competition helps set the tone at any tailgate. Want some starter ideas to help craft your perfect playlist? Try these tailgate tunes:
- “Parking Lot Party,” Lee Brice
- “Welcome to the Jungle,” Guns N’ Roses
- “Song 2,” Blur
- “Danger Zone,” Kenny Loggins
- “Jump Around,” House of Pain
- “Seven Nation Army,” The White Stripes
- “Eye of the Tiger,” Survivor
- “We Are the Champions,” Queen
- “My Hero,” Foo Fighters
- “All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight,” Hank Williams Jr.
Tailgating Idea: Get to know your neighbors
Whether you welcome them over for a friendly round of cornhole, tap them to guest judge in your chili cook-off or swap stories about your team’s most memorable moment, invite your parking lot neighbors to join in on the fun. You can even challenge them to a tailgate-off, putting the tailgaters head-to-head in a cornhole competition to see which group gets the glory. Losers owe the winners a drink! (These tailgating desserts will bring everyone together, too.)
Tailgating Idea: Set up a food bar
The only thing more fun than gobbling up tailgate goodies is loading them with your favorite toppings to create a truly customized concoction of deliciousness. Whether you’re planning on hot dogs (try these fun franks), nachos, dips (hello, spicy honey sriracha dip!), more chili (this one’s a game-changer) or any other customizable dish, designate each member of your tailgate party to bring a topping, condiment or sauce. Then gather them all together and let guests pile on the good stuff to their heart’s delight.
Tailgating Idea: Show your team spirit
Create a team-spirit station at your tailgate where guests can paint faces in team colors, apply team-themed temporary tattoos or deck themselves out with beads or other inexpensive spirit accessories. You can award prizes to those who show off the most team spirit—or just sit back and let everyone get creative as they cheer.
Tailgating Idea: Throw a tailgate tournament
OK, so maybe you won’t have 10 different games in tow, but if you round up three to five classics, you can set up the ultimate tailgate tournament to keep everyone in the game until kickoff. Pair up guests to compete in every game available—cornhole, ladder toss, giant Jenga, washer toss…whatever’s there! Then create a single-elimination mini-tournament for each game. In each event, the top team gets three points, the second-place team gets two points, the third-place team gets one point…anything beyond that gets nothin’. Keep track of each team’s points, and once all the events are finished, tally the total points for each team and crown your tailgate’s all-around champ.
Want more tailgating ideas? Check out our guide to throwing the ultimate tailgate party.
Originally Published: September 26, 2019
