Youngstown Times

Game day fun isn’t limited to just on-the-field action. The festivities before and after the event, whether it’s a football game, NASCAR race, or any other sporting event, have become almost as big of an attraction as the game itself.

Weekly fall and winter tailgating typically involves grilling the popular staples of hamburgers, hot dogs and buffalo wings, but tailgaters have made room for so much more on their grill. There are now ribs, steaks, and less-known grub like cheesy monkey bread or hoisin beef kebabs, even the creatively-designed football Whoopee Pies.

While the food, extravagant or not, is essential for tailgaters, the equipment is equally crucial.

“Blackstone griddles are a different type of cooking,” Katherine Kerrigan, manager of Village Ace Hardware and Pharmacy at 10395 Main St, New Middletown told Youngstown Times.

The portability of a grill is vital to prevent tailgaters from lugging their larger grill from home to the stadium.

“They have some cool little portable models that are great for traveling and being able to set up quickly, cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner on. A lot of times we sell them because a customer needs it delivered for a party, or they have people coming over. We assemble and deliver them,” Kerrigan said.

According to RaiseRight, an estimated 50 million tailgaters collectively spend $12 billion annually on the pregame tradition — including equipment and food. This equals an average of nearly $200 per tailgater for an NFL game.

“Tailgating is a pregame experience that…lets the community, alumni, and our students come together to celebrate a new football season,” West Texas A&M University events coordinator Lisa Hoff Davis said in September, Amarillo Globe-News report. “We have yummy fall foods and fall drinks. It creates a lot of school spirit that carries over to the football game.”

Find tips online from Ace Hardware about how to have the best tailgating experience possible.