While Summer usually pertains tons of time spent lying on the beach or barbecuing with friends, this time of the year also brings some of the biggest concert tours to your local outdoor venue and the start of College Football Saturdays . Tailgating at a summer concert series or football game has become synonymous with a good time filled with friends, food and music. Whether your gearing up for football or your favorite band, here are six ways to make sure your tailgating party goes off without a hitch.
Prepare in advance and remember the necessities
If this is your first tailgating experience, try showing up three or four hours early to provide ample time to set up and meet-and-greet. The bare essentials that should be included on your setup checklist are: chairs, tables, shade tents, two coolers to separate food from drinks, trash bags, ice, cups, and paper plates. Touch base with everyone that you are expecting to join you to make sure that everyone is still set to arrive and be there with enough time to hang out before the music or game starts.
Keep food safety in mind
If grilling is part of the itinerary, remember to keep things sanitary. Food poisoning causes approximately 300,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths a year. To avoid cross-contamination, never mix raw and cooked foods together. Use separate dishes and utensils for each type of food, and keep the meat cool until it's time to put it on the grill. Also, remember to bring hand sanitizers, wipes, and extra water to keep things clean.
Plan activities ahead of time
If there aren't any activities to keep your friends and family entertained, chances are they'll start looking for amusement somewhere else. Try bringing games like cornhole, ring toss, cards, or trivia games that are easy to pack and don't have a lot of pieces to keep track of. The week before the big event, ask friends what they would like to participate in.
Remember the barter system
Everyone's first tailgating experience is destined to have a tale of how they forgot something important. Keeping that in mind, bring a couple of extra drinks and bags of potato chips, so if something is forgotten you can approach fellow tailgater with a trade proposal with something to give in return. This will show respect and appreciation for their assistance. Many tailgaters are more than willing to trade, if only for an excuse to meet new people.
Be prepared for emergencies
Nobody plans on bad things to happen, especially at tailgate parties, but that's why they're called accidents. Pack a first-aid kit, toilet paper, and rain ponchos, just in case. These are items that are a good idea to keep in your car at all times, so you won't even have to unpack them after the event.
Keep it clean
Bring extra garbage bags and clean-up a little throughout the day. Use tape to attach the garbage bags to poles, trees, or bumpers so they are easy to use, and try to keep them off the ground so that they don't attract unwanted bugs to your party. Plan to use the last 30 minutes of tailgating time for cleaning up. Another tip is to use that melted cooler water to rinse off expensive cooking tools that are not bound for the garbage after a single use.
By following these six helpful tips, you and your friends will be prepared to throw an awesome tailgating party before your favorite event.
This article is presented by INFINITI of South Atlanta in Union City, GA
