Six steps to the perfect fall tailgate party! | McLarty Daniel Ford

Fall is here, and that means a lot of things are back on the menu: Halloween candy, sweaters, pumpkin spice lattes and — best of all — tailgating before the big game! As the name suggests, Tailgating has always been built around trucks and SUVs, with diehard fans competing to see who can make the biggest, best and most delicious pop-up presentation of their team spirit. The result are tent cities that spring up virtually overnight, with a massive spread laid out for fans to share and share alike.

If you’re in need of a new tailgate to get your tailgate on this fall, stop in today at McLarty Daniel Ford. From the beautiful 2019 Ford F-150 to the sleek performance of the twin-turbo 2019 Ford Edge ST, we’re bound to have the four-wheeled friend that can make a great impression at the pregame celebration, whether you want it in Razorback Red or Bentonville High Black and Gold (go Tigers!). Stop in today for a test drive, or check out our big selection online. For now, though, read on for six steps for making your tailgate party an epic touchdown!

Pre-game your pre-game
Planning makes perfect, and that goes double for a big event like tailgating. With that in mind, spend a few days getting your equipment checked out and ready, especially if you’re heading out for the first tailgate of the season. Are your folding chairs and canopy in good condition and still holding together? Does your generator have gas? Will it start? Are you sure? Do you have folding tables? Is your ice chest still shipshape? Do you have drink options for kids, or those who might not want adult beverages? What’s the weather looking like? Do you have enough food for the masses? Do you have enough propane for your cookers? Have you done everything you can to get the word out on social media? Considering all these factors (and about a hundred more) will make the difference between being a tailgate hero or zero.

Get your Game Day decor and attire up to snuff
Tailgating is about creating an atmosphere of fun and support for the team, helping both you and the folks who wander past your tailgate feel pumped up and energized before they head to their seats. With that in mind, be sure to put your best foot forward by wearing the team colors, blasting the fight song and other party anthems, and making sure your tailgate is decked out in flags, signs, jerseys and anything else you can think of to keep the energy pumped to 11. Some tailgaters even set up big-screen TVs playing highlight reels from great games of the past, or video game systems so passerby can play a little (digital) football themselves. Be creative!

Go long on presentation
This one is kind of an addendum to the one about Game Day decor, but don’t overlook how important it is to present your food offerings in a fun and team-spirit-promoting way. The most ambitious tailgaters we know go all out to pump up the energy around their food table, going so far as to build replicas of the stadium from dip trays and sandwiches, football-shaped cheese balls, massive brownies baked in the shape of the number of their favorite player, or intricate cakes designed to replicate coaches, trophies or teams on the field. It takes extra time to create, transport and assemble some of the more intricate food presentations, but it can be a kind of edible artwork for those who love to cook. Bonus advice: be sure to keep the food that’s supposed to be hot hot! From Sterno cans to camp stoves, there’s ways to do so safely and easily, and nobody likes a bowl of lukewarm chili or cheese dip.

Scope out the nearest Gettin’ Place
When you’re getting ready for a big event that might be taking place miles from home, it never fails to that no matter how meticulously you plan, you’re going to forget something! Foil. Cooking spray. Plastic forks. That special condiment you just gotta have on your bratwurst or burger. Even the most prepared among us aren’t immune to forgetting something. So spend some time online before the game to scope out the neighborhood around the stadium and find where you can get those last-minute items, especially if you’re tailgating in a city you don’t know. Nothing is worse than rushing 30 minutes to a store on the edge of town and then learning there was a grocery store with everything you needed just up the block from the stadium. Also: be sure to have a young and energetic go-fer on hand with a car stationed nearby to go get those things you may have forgotten.

Get there early and have activities to kill the extra time
As in real-estate, one of the most important things in tailgating is location, location, location. The most diehard fans actually arrive days before the game, snagging all the best spots nearest the stadium. Lest you wind up tailgating so far from the venue you need binoculars to see it, get there early to get a great location on the tailgating grounds. And because getting there early means having a lot of time to kill before the game, be sure to bring things to pass the time, like cornhole boards, horseshoes and stakes, or giant Jenga sets, even TVs and video game consoles. Not only will games make the anxious hours before the big game pass faster, they will promote friendly competition and good times between you and other fans. Isn’t making great memories and new friends what it’s all about?

Clean up your mess
Nothing is worse for team and city morale than driving past a location that has just hosted thousands of jubilant tailgaters and seeing the ground littered with cans, bottles, paper and plastic trash. Not only is it ugly, it reflects badly on the fans and the team. So if you’re going to tailgate, be sure to follow the Boy Scout campsite rule: try to leave the place you tailgate in as good or even better condition than when you arrived. That means bringing plenty of garbage bags, having provisions to take your trash with you if garbage cans on site are filled to capacity, and picking up any garbage you see in your area, even if you didn’t help make it. Doing your part will not only make sure tailgaters are welcomed back to the area with open arms, it’ll reflect well on you, your team, and their fan base.

With these simple steps and a little preparation, you can put your tailgate plans in the win column for you, your guests and other fans, cutting down tremendously on frustration prior to cheering on your team. And if you need a new tailgate to tailgate on, come see us at McLarty Daniel Ford in Bentonville. We’ve got a huge selection of great new and used cars, all of them ready to impress the other fans before kickoff, and at prices that will leave you plenty of cash for brats, cupcakes and supplies. Stop in today for a test drive, or check out our big selection online today!

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »