If you’re like most people, when you hear tailgating you think of the pre-game party that takes place in the parking lots of stadiums across the country. But tailgating is not restricted to just football games. It’s a lifestyle that can extend into any event or social gathering.
Typically, tailgating is the prequel to a major sporting event. Most people don’t even think to link tailgating to concerts or other live events. If you haven’t tailgated at a country music concert, you don’t know what you’re missing.
The best part about tailgating at a country music concert is the feeling in the atmosphere. Sure, anticipation is high before a sporting event but sports fans feel an array of emotions on game day: nervousness about whether your team will be able to pull off the big win, bitterness toward a rival team, and the dread that if, heaven forbid, your team loses and your entire week is inevitably ruined.
At a country music event, everyone is feeling nothing but excitement about seeing an artist that they love performing their favorite hits live. There is no tension in the air, no nerves to be dealt with, no trash talk coming from your fellow tailgaters. Everyone is just downright happy to eat, drink and party until show time.
The people who tailgate country music concerts are what make it a must-do experience. Some of the most down-to-earth folks mosey on out to have a few cold ones with fellow fans in the parking lot before the show. There are no enemies among the thousands of country music fans. Everyone is there to see and hear the same artist. You will no doubt make friends outside the port-a-potty and inviting your new pal back to your tailgate for a game of corn hole, or even better some karaoke.
As far as the actual tailgating, there aren’t many differences between country concerts and sporting events. The food and dietary choices are essentially the same.
There usually are a variety of tailgates from the mild truck bed gathering to the extreme decked out trailer or motor home. Most cars feature messages in shoe polish on their windows about the concert. The food is usually your typical tailgating food and the drinks are usually of the alcoholic variety. Some stadiums encourage tailgating while others discourage such things and even employ security guards to carry out those rules, so it’s best to check with the venue personnel well in advance.
Country concerts are a great place to don your cowboy hat and cowboy boots and let your inner hick out, even if you are a city slicker to the core, no one will judge you at country concerts. Everyone is just there to have a great time and listen to some good music.
Undoubtedly, country concert tailgaters learned all their tricks from sports fans. Tailgating still belongs to sports; there is no denying that fact. You probably won’t find many die-hard country music fans setting up tailgates in subzero temperatures to brave the elements like you would at a football game. But if you’ve never tailgated at a country music concert before, put on your cowboy hat (or buy one) and check it out. You won’t regret it!