Tailgating Season is Getting Closer!

the meat of tailgating season is getting ready to hit full stride with college football.  Who's ready!

The Coolest Cooler, Revisited. Now Funded!

Back in November, we spotlight The Coolest Cooler Kickstarter.  Well, they are back in full force, having already DESTROYED their goal.  They have already passed the 5 MILLION mark!

 

They didn't just relist the Coolest Cooler; they went back to the board and made this thing even more awesome.

Check out the rundown of features:
- 18v battery powered rechargeable blender
- Removeable waterproof bluetooth speaker 
- USB charger
- LED lid light
- Gear tie-down
- Cooler divider / cutting board
- Extra wide easy rolling tires
- Integrated storage for plates and knife
- Bottle opener

 

The COOLEST has a split lid design so you can get access to ice for the blender without letting too much warm air in.  This also lets you keep your cups in the cup holders so you don't have to put everything on the ground just to grab another cold drink.

The split lid design and removable divider give you some great packing options.  You can keep your cocktail ice separate from your regular ice. Or you could put ice only on one side, pull the drain plug and the other side becomes a totally dry refrigerator, perfect for keeping sandwiches and any other perishable food cool and dry.

Check it out at: http://coolestkickstarter.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheCoolestCooler
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Coolest_Cooler

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Visual Guide to BBQ

Found this infographic on Mint.com.

Tailgate Lot News Digest #4

Here's a round up of some tailgating news around the web: 

Tips to Make the Most of Camping and Tailgating Season
It’s that time of year again, when outdoor enthusiasts take to campsites for weekends outdoors. And what sports fan ever turned down an opportunity for tailgating before the big game?

When gearing up for that next big event, here are some things to keep in mind...

Pittsburgh mayor fed up with concert tailgating trash

Tailgater Battling Gravity

Oh dear...  This poor guy had a bit too much fun at the Luke Bryan concert, and gets the WWE treatment.  Check it out:

The CTU: Chicago Tailgating Unit

Here's another great ambulance conversion from Chicago.  The Chicago Tailgating Unit (CTU for short) is the creation of Dale Musick and Patrick Tyler.  Check out their work below.

When did you get the rig?

December 2013

What was it used for before you got it?

It was an ambulance for the Forest View Fire Department In Illinois-I found it on Craigslist

 

How long did the restoration take?

Restoration took about 4 months-Mainly removing all the old decals, fixing a few mechanical issues, dressing up the inside, buying accesories.  Luckily my brother in law Dennis Medows and Father in law Ken Medows own Medows Construction and had a large heated shop for me to spend many hours using this winter.  Chicago's average temperature this winter was lower than Anchorage Alaska.  If it wasn't for them I would still be working on trying to get it ready.

 

How many people do you have tailgate with you?

Our immediate group is usually about 8-10 but we do a few events like White Sox Elvis night at US Cellular field where we get upwards of 80 tailgate guests

 

What are the cool features?

Our Custom CTU (Chicago Tailgating Unit) Logo that features the logos of the Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Bears, and the Northern Illinois Huskies, that my buddy Patrick (who is in this venture with me) and I both went to College. My Coworker Rick Knoll helped me with the logos and my brother Don is a printer and printed the vehicle skins for me. A Beer Keg system, Wireless and Cordless sound system for the exterior, Granite Countertop on the inside, Remote control LED lighting for the inside, Limo Tint for the rear compartment, dual hitch mounted Party King MVP Tailgate Grills.  Honda 2000i generator, dual 24 foot telescopic flagpoles mounted to the front of the box, and of course a backup camera !

 

What is your favorite feature?

The Grills and the custom hitch we made for them.  Never seen anyone else with that.  That was Patrick's idea, he hit a home run with that one !

 

What kind of plans do you have for the future?

For this season we have a few White Sox games on the schedule, Demolition Derby at the Route 66 Speedway, Nascar at Chicagoland Speedway, Jimmy Buffett, NIU Football games at home and away and hope to pick up a few Chicago Bears games.  We have also had the CTU in a local St Patricks Day parade where we switched the beer tap and used it for a keg of Root Beer and handed it out to the crowd. We are going to redo the upholstery with a black grey and red theme.  That should keep us going for a while

 

How long have you been tailgating?

Since our NIU days back in 1986. 

Check out their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Chicagotailgatingunit

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Know of a great tailgating crew or tailgating rig?  Please let us know and Submit a Story!

Tailgate Lot News Digest #3

Here's some tailgating news from around the net:

Horse lovers make Fair Hill tailgate contest family tradition

From Maryland crab cakes to National Red Velvet cakes, fascinators to Gainsborough hats, what’s happening at the tailgate can be more interesting than what’s happening on the track.

Everybody’s off to the Fair Hill Races this Memorial Day weekend. The annual event, now celebrating 80 years of benefitting Union Hospital, draws thousands from Cecil County and the horse racing community for a Steeplechase race, Friday night preview party, area vendors and hat competition.

Dierks Bentley: 'I love' checking out fan tailgating parties at my shows

If you snag tickets to see country-music superstar Dierks Bentley on his North American "Riser" tour, be sure to bring your tailgating supplies. The Grammy-nominated artist wants fans to party it up in the parking lot.

"Man, the parking lot scene — as a country fan, that's kind of what you go there for," Bentley told TODAY's Savannah Guthrie Tuesday. "Tailgating, getting out there, seeing your friends, hangin' out ... It's what everyone does on the weekend. And so we get a chance to be the show, the entertainment." 

Baylor will use old Floyd Casey turf on tailgating area

Sure, they could have just cut it up, packed it with an autograph of Art Briles and made a lot of money.

But Baylor officials have decided they aren’t going to be like Notre Dame as they’ve found an innovative use for the old field turf from Floyd Casey Stadium.

They are going to use it on the ground of the tailgating area at McLane Stadium.

Emanuel endorses project that could lead to Bears tailgating demise

They had a champagne toast at Millennium Park as the mayor celebrated the city snagging next year’s Oscars of the culinary world - the James Beard Awards.

Rahm also took the occasion to enthusiastically endorse his advisory committee’s recommendation of the parking lots just south of Soldier Field as the city’s bid to snag the “Star Wars” museum George Lucas is planning.

Monday Morning Wake Up Call: How to hide beer

These ladies have the right idea.  Make a rule, and someone will break it.  Say you can't bring in beer?  We'll tape it to our legs!  They are doing it right!

Game Time Stadium Nacho Cheese

Mmmmmm, nachos.  We've all had nachos at some point at a stadium, and while overpriced, DAMN they taste good.  Never enough cheese, never enough peppers, but they are delicious.

Enter Brad McCormick.  As he tells it:

Growing up I always loved getting nachos at the stadium, the cheese was different than any kind sold in stores, if you have had it, you know what I'm talking about.  A few years ago I had a Superbowl party and wanted the same stuff served in the stadium and couldn't find it anywhere except from a restaurant depot in a massive quantity. So I ordered a huge 10-can, served it up and everyone loved it, but I had a few months supply left over. I finally found it in smaller packaging through Gehl's, this is one of the companies that services the stadium concession industry. Last year I got married and served it up at my wedding in the trays you get at the stadium topped off with jalapenos. I thought why not make the whole experience available to anyone anywhere, so the Game Time Stadium Nacho Cheese Party Pack was born. 

  

After receiving these, I immediately tore into them.  Preperation is as simple as you'd imagine: Heat the cheese, eat the cheese!  I chose to heat the cheese in a pan on the stove, but you could microwave it, etc.

You can buy the cheese in a single pack, a three pack, a six pack, or the best deal: a season pack (12).  You can get the Party Pack-Gift Kit.  This would make a great gift for any man-cave, as it comes with a pack of nacho cheese, two bags of tortilla rounds, a can of sliced jalepenos, and 4 serving trays.

 

I happened to have a batch of homemade pretzels cooking when I got my Game Time Party Pack.  I served up the nachos to rave reviews, and we even used the cheese with the pretzels.  Top shelf!

You can check Game Time Stadium Nacho Cheese at their site: http://stadiumnachocheese.com/

You can also follow them on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GameTimeStadiumNachoCheese
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/GTnachocheese

Follow TailgateLot on Twitter and Like us on Facebook for up to date information.
Know of a great tailgating crew or tailgating rig?  Please let us know and Submit a Story!

Tailgate Lot News Digest #2

Here's some tailgating news from around the country, and an added video at the end

Packers Tailgate Tour Kicks Off Today

A number of present and former Green Bay Packers players will embark on a five-day trip across the state of Wisconsin on the annual Tailgate Tour today. The coach bus will make its first stop this afternoon in Escanaba.

Indoor sports complex to displace NC State Red-lot tailgaters

Due to the construction of a new $14 million indoor practice facility, about 700 parking spaces in the Stadium Southeast Red Lot at Carter-Finley Stadium will be unavailable for use during the 2014 N.C. State football season. 

N.C. State Athletics has offset the loss of spots caused by the new facility by identifying additional parking inventory around the stadium complex to accommodate the displaced tailgaters, according to Michael Lipitz, senior associate athletics director at N.C. State, though they might not be as close to the stadium.

FSU's spring game beautiful for fans

Florida State’s spring game perhaps felt more like summer.

Temperatures in the mid-80s, sunny skies and the promise of seeing last year’s national champions lace up was enough for thousands of FSU fans to make it out to Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The annual intra-squad game between the Seminoles’ offenses and defenses always feeds a hungry fan base eager for another season of college football.

ASU may ban kegs at football games

Last call may already be over when it comes to beer kegs outside Sun Devil Stadium.

Arizona State University is considering banning beer kegs for all fans during tailgating at home football games as part of a larger effort to improve safety and discourage alcohol abuse.

And here's a tailgating FAIL: