Tailgate Parties and Baseball
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13 Comments
Countries
all across the globe have their own great sports traditions. One of the great traditions in the United
States is the tailgate party. A tailgate
party is usually held before a sports game in the parking lot of the stadium,
and is all about food, beer, and fun. The
participants park their cars, open up the “tailgates” of their vehicles
(technically, a rear door of a pickup truck that opens downward to create a
flat surface where one can sit), and hang out with their fellow sports fans
while enjoying some food and drinks. Tailgates
are usually held before American football games, but today many people have
them before soccer, basketball, hockey, and baseball games as well.
The complexity
of the tailgate party varies from group to group, but often people bring large coolers
full of drinks, food, games, lawn chairs, and even barbecue grills. These parties are 100% by and for the sports
fans, so socializing and a sense of community are important parts of the
experience. Games like Cornhole, which
involves throwing a bag of dried corn through a hole on a board, are often set
up and played by people to get into the competitive spirit. Over the years, the tradition of the tailgate
party has evolved from an underground subculture to a mainstay of sporting
events across the country. The food and
games may vary depending on where you are in the United States, but the sports
fan community spirit (and the beer) can be found at tailgate parties
everywhere.
At the
end of July we held our first-ever tailgate party just prior to a Doosan baseball
game at Jamsil Stadium. The space was
perfect for us to set everything up. I
brought beer donated by the Hand and Malt Brewery to share with everyone, and others
brought fried chicken and take-out pizza for people to eat. Even though the weather was very hot, it was a
lot of fun and everyone had a really great time.
We had our first-ever tailgate party in
July and it was really great!
In fact,
our first tailgate party was such a success, that I am planning on holding
another one. This time I would like to
invite some of our social media followers to join me. We will be holding a drawing for three people
to win an invitation to the tailgate party, as well as a ticket to the Doosan
vs. Nexen baseball game on Saturday, September 3 at Jamsil Stadium. It will be a great opportunity for you to meet
members of the American Embassy community as well as to experience a special
part of American culture.
To
enter the drawing, please leave a comment telling us what kind of food you
think would be great to eat at a tailgate party. I look forward to seeing you
there!
I'm from North Caolina and it isn't a true southern tailgate if there isn't BBQ! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm a Korean Texan, born and raised in Dallas and been living in Korea for a while. I agree with the above and some sort of Meat, would be great. I'd like to nominate Korean bbq aka Samgyupsal as a great Koreanized tailgate item!
ReplyDelete(also am a big fan of the Doosan Bears ^^)
I haven't been to a tailgate party since I was 9 years old. I rememeber not being able to stop myself from eating the addicting, mouthwatering combination of chips and salsa with guacamole. It's also been a very long time since I have had chips with guacamole, and I think they are the perfect snack for a tailgate party.
ReplyDeleteEven if I am not picked, I really appreciate all the opportunities you give to your followers! Thank you!!
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ReplyDeleteI am a 9 year old SF Giants & LG Twins fan and I love BBQ ribs and fried chicken!! And ice cream!
ReplyDeleteBurgers and hot dogs... like a true American
ReplyDeleteBurgers and hot dogs... like a true American
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ReplyDeleteHow about a rack of ribs smothered in a sweet/spicy gochjang sauce, potato salad, and cole slaw. A plate of that served with a cold drink. Perfect.
ReplyDeleteHaving lived in SEC country, you can't beat some great grilled burgers or smoked BBQ. Here in Korea, some awesome fried chicken would definitely top my list.
ReplyDeletePulled pork sandwiches with the right beer are a delight before a game.
ReplyDeleteI think Koreans would really love to eat homemade Rice Krispies Treats at a tailgate. Not only are they an American classic, but they are easy to make, require few ingredients (many of which are regularly available), and can be stored at room temperature (so you have more room for beer in the cooler). Rice Krispies Treats can also be shaped and decorated for any occasion, and themed-food works great for almost any sports tailgate.
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