Tips for Tailgating on Tour
By RyanWell, here we are, roughly two months away from the opening of the Spring Tour, and by now, some folks' thoughts have inevitably turned to tailgating. Every year, folks get together to eat, drink, and in some cases, get in trouble with lot security. This is, of course, the way it's been for decades, and will probably be for years to come.
That being said, it's probably a good time to help newcomers and veterans alike with some tips on tailgating. I'm sure some of these are going to come across as incredibly obvious, but we all forget stuff sometimes and smack our heads later, when the realization hits you that no one brought propane.
On with the show.
Pre-planning
Try to keep a rough total of how many people you'll be cooking for, and then add on enough extra for three. I'm talking all-day, not just for one meal. People inevitably stop by. I'm presuming, of course, that folks are pitching in with you on food. I've done it both ways over the years, and I'm cool either way if I can swing it.
When it comes to out-of-town planning, there are a couple of good ideas to consider for gatherings. One is to go with evite.com (or some other online invite service) to get a rough estimation of how many people will probably show up. It's a safe bet that some folks will flake out last minute, but in general, it's a good way to know how many folks to expect.
You can also create something online (if you're proficient enough) where you keep track of who's attending on your own. For Gorge last year, I kept a menu online with various food choices, as well as a personal spreadsheet of who was coming, and who had paid (using PayPal.com was a big help). I think we had roughly 70 folks for that. Granted, the meal wasn't exactly tailgating (since it was done at a campground), but the same concept would apply well to tailgating.
You'll also want to consider the venue's rules and parking lot hours. I've found certain places where it was harder to hang outside. Shoreline's been like that, as far as I can remember. They want you in the venue and out of the lots, from what I recall.
Some venues (i.e. Alpine Valley, HSBC Arena) are usually pretty cool about folks hanging out hours earlier, but in most cases, once the show's over, be gone! Prepare for that, just in case. Some folks just want to get the hell out of there anyways, due to the traffic.