Brady Drake
Caryn Olson, SCHEELS Expert
The long wait is finally over. Football and tailgating are back. SCHEELS tailgating experts identified their top 12 tips to make this the best fall tailgating season yet.
12. Have a unique flag or something to mark your location. There is nothing worse than trying to explain to a group of friends or a new tailgater where you are located. We all joke and say next to the green and yellow flags. -Jared VanLaecken, SCHEELS Expert
11. Get your tailgating crew in a group text or Facebook group. We use it for all of our planning before each home game! That way everyone is in the loop because all of the information is in one place! – Chelsy Strauss, SCHEELS Expert
10. No amount of team gear is over the top. I’m talking team chairs, a team tent, team rugs, team koozies, team plastic cups. GO TEAM GO! -Lori Vipond, SCHEELS Expert
9. Arrive early. Tailgating is the event before the BIG event! Make a day out of it. Wear comfortable shoes and layers! – Jared and Caryn
8. Make a checklist. Food, beverages, garbage bags, games, chairs, tents! Being prepared makes the big day a breeze! Consider including a signup sheet in your checklist. A food sign up sheet allows for a well-rounded meal for all.– Chelsy and Jared
7. Use a fanny pack. Instead of a purse, I use a fanny pack so I can be hands-free with my phone, game ticket and wallet. – Caryn, SCHEELS Expert
6. Invite someone new every week to experience the fun. There is no better fun than seeing someone tailgate for the first time and have an absolute blast. Usually the bigger the event, the bigger the fun! – Jared
5. Bring extra ice! If you need a second cooler with just ice, then bring one. It’s never good to run out, especially if you have food to keep cold! – Jared
4. Take a backpack cooler or grab a cold drink and wander around for a bit. See how everyone else has their spots set up. Meet new people! Ditch the koozie and pick up a stainless steel mug/cup. Hot stays hot and cold stays cold. Or, bring a roller cooler.Walking with a cooler is no fun and you can do creative things like adding a logo from your favorite team! – Lori, Caryn, and Jared
3. Pack more food than you originally think you’ll need. You will always have new friends stop by, or friends of your friends. Make the space inviting. It’s North Dakota after all. The more the merrier! Some of the tailgating food favorites from our crew are taco bars, philly cheesesteaks and crawfish boils! – Chelsy and Jared
2. Designate your best DJ to make sure Thunderstruck gets played on a regular basis! Go bison! – Chelsy
1. Bring an extra power strip. You’ll thank me later. – Lori
