Make an apartment tailgate feel like a real one
There are some circumstances in which tailgating at the stadium is just not an option. For instance, when you can’t snag tickets to the game. Or when rain is coming down in sheets outside. Regardless of the reason, there is an alternative that doesn’t require you skipping the fun all together: hosting a tailgate at home in your apartment. Here are a few tips to help you prepare.
- Go all out with team-centric decor. In order to emulate the parking lot outside of the stadium, you’re going to need to jazz up your apartment a bit. Start with banners and pennants in your team’s colors. If you’re impartial and have friends on both sides, divide the apartment right down the middle and deck out each side in honor of one of the teams. Decorate right down to the paper plates and napkins to really delight your guests.
- Stock up on plenty of food and drinks. Everyone knows what really makes the tailgate is the menu, so don’t feel the need to get fancy with your food. Stick to the basics: hot dogs, burgers, and beer. And, of course, put out plenty of snacks for your friends to munch on during the game. The exact snacks might depend on your audience a bit—feel free to throw in a fruit salad or a veggie plate if that’s going to work for the crowd—but should include classics like chips and salsa, wings, and pigs in a blanket.
- Bring lawn games indoors. Tailgating can’t be all eating and drinking; you need some entertainment, too, until kickoff. So what would you do if you were at an actual tailgate? Probably play a round of cornhole. You can do this indoors, too. Position your cornhole boards at either end of a hallway (and remove all the breakables), or DIY or buy a tabletop cornhole game to play in the dining room. Pin-the-football-between-the-goalposts is another apartment-friendly game to play, and you can either buy it or save some cash and make your own.
- Get creative with seating. At a typical tailgate, everyone brings a folding chair and sets up camp around the open hatch of your car. So don’t feel like you have to provide high-end seating options when you host a tailgate party in your apartment. Instead, add seating by breaking out your own lawn chairs and asking some guests to BYO chairs, if necessary. It’ll just add to the authentic tailgating feel.
- Invite friendly rivals. Professional sports are built on friendly competition, so don’t feel like you can only invite fans of the same team to your tailgate. Sportsmanship should always be part of the equation. Extend invitations to fans on both sides of the fence. The only exception to this is if you have friends who get too heated during games to keep their banter friendly. In this case, it’s best to leave hothead friends on the sidelines and invite only those who can exhibit sportsmanship.
Host the Ultimate Game-Day Party [MyHomeIdeas]
How to Host an Apartment Tailgate Party [Apartment Guide Blog]
Activities for Your Tailgate [ForRent.com]