27 Fun & Easy Tailgate Party Ideas for Big Events in 2024

Whether you're wondering how to throw the best tailgate party or you have no idea what a tailgate party even is, then follow along as we guide you on your tailgate journey. Tailgate parties are social events, centered on the idea of gathering before the start of a big event to eat food and drink alcohol together beforehand. Americans have turned this tradition into an event of its own.

What do you do at a tailgating party? Well, a research paper published in Sport Marketing Quarterly states that, “For loyal tailgaters, the tailgating subculture transcends beer, burgers, and a ballgame. Tailgating is a year-round event. Fans prepare for weeks or even months in order to ensure a successful tailgating experience.”

If you're one of the people who finds tailgating to be more than a party, but a means of socializing with friends and family throughout the year, as well as celebrating the enjoyable small moments in life, here are some tips for your planning journey!

Jump to Section

• What Is a Tailgate Party
• What To Bring to a Tailgate Party
• Tailgate Party Ideas for Adults
• NFL & Football Tailgate Party Ideas
• Indoor Tailgate Party Ideas
• Tailgate Party Ideas for the Office
• Tailgate Party Games
• Best Tailgate Party Food

What Is a Tailgate Party

Tailgate parties began as a form of “pre-game” where people gathered in the parking lot before the event venue opened for the concert or ball game. They played games and chatted, drank alcohol (often beer) and sometimes shared snack foods. Most ideas for tailgating are outdoor tailgate party ideas, since the tradition began that way, but that doesn't mean you can't mix it up. Keep reading for a variety of fun tailgate party ideas for all locations.

What To Bring to a Tailgate Party

1. Pop-Up Tent

It's important to bring gear for waiting — and eating, if you're bringing food. A pop-up tent with a portable table and some chairs makes the waiting easier. Not to mention it makes it easier to set up food on a table and have chairs to eat in.

2. Bring the Music

Everyone loves music! If you're tailgating before a concert, this is the perfect time to blast some tunes by the artist you'll be seeing. Besides, music is the perfect alternative to ice breaker questions. You can do this by packing a portable speaker and a playlist, as long as you have a way to plug and play once you're parked.

3. What's Easy to Clean

When you have party food for party people, remember how rough (and forgetful) they can be with their dishes. Bring disposable plates and silverware for a simpler clean-up.

Tailgate Party Ideas, Advise for Adults

4. Be Neighborly

Parties are more fun the bigger they are! Invite your neighbors to join — if you're parked in a lot, don't let people salivate over your food from a distance, wave them into your tent! If you're partying at home, invite your neighbors to take part in the event — then they won't be so ready to complain about all the noise.

5. Early Bird Gets the Spot

It's always best to arrive early (even for the tailgating portion of the day), because then you get to choose the best spot to set up your party.

6. Come Rain, Come Shine

Prepare for all weather options. The pop-up tent will help with this, but it's also good to pack light layers because it might start hot in the day and then get cooler as the evening wears on and the sun goes down. Perhaps pack a rain jacket, too. Don't forget to bring insect repellent and sunblock!

7. The most popular tailgate food

It is highly recommended to cook or prepare food ahead of time. That way, if there's a glitch with your portable grill or food warmers, you'll still have something to eat. Finger foods and barbecue grilled foods are favorites, such as chicken wings, potato skins, burgers and hot dogs with simple condiments like ketchup, mustard and barbecue sauce.

8. Beverage Bearer

Your crowd will love coming to your tailgate for your exceptional drink choices. Pack a cooler with ice and load up on your friends' favorites, from beer and sodas to seltzers.

9. Game Time

What are some tailgate activities? If the lot is not too packed full of cars (or near a small field), bring a Frisbee or football to toss around while the grill master works. For a more tightly packed parking lot, you might want a hackey-sack or corn hole. 

NFL & Football Tailgate Party Ideas

10. Television

If you're homegating, or tailing somewhere other than outside the football field, you'll need a way to watch the game. There are even outdoor television set ups including sound systems.

11. Team Colors

Visit your local party store for some napkins and other decorations involving your team's colors. You could also make your own crafty decorations — and if you can't make or find anything with specific team logos or colors, you can choose sport-specific decorations like a yellow penalty flag or goal posts.

12. Frosted Items

Bake some desserts to go with your delectable food spread! You can decorate cookies or a cake with sports paraphernalia for additional fun!

13. Portable Grill

Tailgating has never been easier than with a portable grill. You may need to check for permits at the venue, but generally, tailgaters don't have a problem setting up a small cooking space. Do you cook with propane or charcoal? The permits may be specific, so its best to do your research before you purchase the grill.

14. Kid-Friendly

When the children tag along, you'll need to keep them entertained! Some children may enjoy the television time or the sporting event itself, but they'll need something fun during the tailgate party, too. If you're homegating, you could set up a jumpy house in your yard.

15. Share and Share Alike

Often Super Bowl food is particular to the people enjoying it — ask your friends to each bring their own favorite dish! You may end up with three versions of buffalo dip, but you may get some surprises.

16. Classic Board Games in the Yard

Giant versions of classic board games are a ton of fun to play in the yard — or on the open plan floor of the office (maybe in a conference room). They have larger-than-life versions of Jenga, Connect Four, Scrabble, Chess and more these days — so you have plenty of options!

Indoor Tailgate Party Ideas

17. House Decorations

If you decorate for a friend's party or holidays — like Christmas decorations —  why would your tailgate party be any different? The theme of the decorations should match the event you're tailgating. Nowadays they sell streamers and banners with team colors and logos.

18. Individual Themed Rooms

When you're watching the game at home, you'll want to set up your living room with the television for the viewing part of the evening and a separate room for socializing. You may even wish to have a third room to set up the food, which will help you keep organized.

19. Photobooth

Pull together some decorations and glue them to popsicle sticks and set up a table with props and a camera for a makeshift photobooth.

20. Stock Up on Finger Foods

A party favorite while tailgating, finger food ideas are typical to bring to a tailgate party to match whatever's being thrown on the grill. Go classic with nachos and buffalo dip or whip up something extravagant like deviled eggs.

21. Tasty and Warm

If you want an ongoing buffet for your guests to enjoy throughout the evening, food warmers are a helpful tool to keep the food from getting cold. They also help to keep all those pesky flies out of your delicious food.

22. Piñata

Even adults can enjoy wacking a candy-filled balloon with a stick! Don't forget to fill the piñata with event-themed candy or party gifts like beer cozies. And choose an appropriate piñata, maybe something in the other team's colors so you can obliterate them. 

Tailgate Party Ideas for the Office

23. Matching Outfits

Get really into the party spirit when you match your outfits or wear themed costumes. It's like spirit week at the office!

24. Colleague Contest

If you want scrumptious food and a little team-building competition to boot, plan a chili cook-off for your office tailgate party!

25. Catered

Many local restaurants cater for big events like the Super Bowl or just in general and would be thrilled to provide the food for your particular office tailgate party.

26. Crafting Day

Take the whole day off before the party and let everyone create innovative decorations for the event that is following the tailgate party, whether it's sports or music related (or something else entirely).

27. Clean Up Preparation

Bring clean-up gear for after the tailgate to make your job easier at the end of the evening. You'll want items like paper towels, trash bags, some kind of spray cleaner and more.

Tailgate Party Games

There are all sorts of tailgate party games you can choose from, depending on your location and evening plans — you also want to have enough room in the car for all the food, portable grill, warming pans, pop-up tent, table and chairs. We've created a round-up of the best tailgate games to get some amazing inspiration.

For homegating there are a variety of card games and boardgames, if you have a lawn or parking lot to work with, you can play a ring toss game or something on the Nintendo Switch if you bring a portable wifi device.

Best Tailgate Party Food

Burgers and hot dogs with caramelized onions and cooked green peppers and fresh tomatoes seem like the one of the best options for tailgate parties. But they are also some of the most messy. Chips and salsa might be more manageable, as would hummus and various raw vegetables for a healthier snack. Not enough inspiration? Of course not! That's why we've created the best list of tailgate food ideas for you to try out!

Now that you're done wondering “What do you do at a tailgate party?”, you have plenty of time to plan your next tailgating event. Whether you're having an office shindig or a hoopla at your house or you're driving out to a parking lot to wait for your sporting event in style, you can enjoy the event with a lot of pre-planning and fun decorations — or games to keep you laughing until the main event.

For even more fun experiential ideas, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!