A tailgate party is a social event held on and around the open tailgate of a vehicle. Tailgating, which primarily takes place in the United States and Canada, often involves consuming alcoholic beverages while barbecuing and grilling food. Tailgate parties occur in the parking lots at stadiums and arenas, before and occasionally after games, festivals, and concerts. People attending such a party are said to be 'tailgating'. Many people participate even if their vehicles do not have tailgates. Tailgate parties also involve people bringing their own alcoholic beverages, barbecues, and food, which are sampled and shared among fans attending the tailgate. Tailgates are intended to be non-commercial events, so selling items to the fans is frowned upon and can even be considered illegal soliciting. Tailgating is often seen as a critical part of the sports experience in the United States. Because many American sports venues are surrounded by large parking lots, tailgating often takes place right outside stadium and arena entrances.
A tailgate party.
A game of cornhole
Former Steeler and 2006 candidate for Governor of Pennsylvania Lynn Swann courts voters tailgating before a football game between the Steelers and the Eagles.
Cornhole is a lawn game popular in North America in which players or teams take turns throwing fabric bean bags at a raised, angled board with a hole in its far end. The goal of the game is to score points by either landing a bag on the board or putting a bag through the hole.
A typical cornhole board, with two colors of bag
The Collier Cornhole Tournament, held on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cornhole being played during a pre-game tailgate party at Texas A&M University–Commerce. The player behind the board is not conforming to standard rules for official gameplay because she is not throwing the bag from inside either pitcher’s box.