Kick Your Football Gathering into High Gear with No Party Fouls
It’s that time of year again… the leaves are getting ready to turn to orange, red and yellow. Cooler weather may make you reach for your favorite sweatshirt. The crisp air may inspire you to pick up a football and head outdoors in anticipation of those Friday Night Lights firing up again.
It’s also the time college and NFL teams hit the gridiron with high expectations. And THAT can only mean one thing: watch parties!
There’s no set-in-stone formula for constructing the perfect game-day celebration, but there are some definite things to think about when planning your next football-themed get-together.
Location, Location, Location
No matter how many people show up to your football party, it’s undisputable that the location or venue is vital to a successful party. Take Avana at Wescott Plantation for example. This Greystar apartment community in Summerville, South Carolina, hosts extremely popular “Tailgate Sundays” in its clubhouse, where 30 to 40 residents and their friends gather around a big-screen TV and cheer on their teams to victory. These events are free and are among the most popular community events at Avana at Wescott Plantation.
If your community doesn’t have a clubhouse or large gathering spot, however, it’s not the end of the world. Everybody loves a tailgate party and setting up the football festivities in your community’s parking lot (make sure you get permission from your property manager first) can really add to the fun and provide a stadium atmosphere without the hassles of finding or paying for parking. And, if the weather has other plans, your spacious Greystar apartment offers a stylishly perfect location to host your viewing party.
View of the Field
While a large TV will definitely enhance the game experience and feel of the festivities, it’s far more important to ensure that all guests can easily view the screen. The wide open layout of your Greystar apartment floor plan will definitely lend itself well to easy viewing.
If setting up a television at your outdoor tailgate party, consider purchasing and applying an anti-glare film to protect the screen and make viewing outdoors easier on the eyes. Make sure everybody knows to bring a lawn chair, sunscreen and mosquito repellent.
Fantastic Food
Everyone brings their favorite choice of “football food” and drinks at the aforementioned Avana at Wescott Plantation party and shares a love of the game, as well as their favorite recipes. In fact, the recipe sharing is almost as much fun for these Greystar residents as the game!
Deciding exactly what to make for the party can be difficult, but one thing’s for sure, salsa will always be welcome. This recipe for grilled salsa goes well with everything from pork rinds to tortilla chips and will make your mouth water just reading about it. Here’s how to prepare it:
- 2 ears of freshly-husked corn
- ½ jalapeno pepper
- 1 small sweet onion
- 6 medium tomatoes, halved
- Spray olive oil
- Small quartered garlic clove
- ¼ cup loosely-packed fresh cilantro leaves
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
Begin by preheating the oven to 400 degrees and then coat the jalapeno pepper, onion and cut tomatoes with a spritz of olive oil and place on the grill with the corn until golden brown, or when grill marks have appeared. Remove from the grill and cool for 15 minutes, then dice everything and cut the corn from the cob.
Pulse the garlic, cilantro and lime juice in a food processor and then add the previously-grilled ingredients (except the corn!) into the mix slowly, until well blended. Transfer to a large bowl and slowly stir in the salt and then add the corn.
Serve with your choice of chips, crackers or favorite dipping foods for a sure-fire party favorite!
Delightful Decorations
The proper decorations set the tone for your party. Bad decorations = bad vibes and that could have a negative effect on how well your team performs when it counts (superstition?!?). Classy, creative decorations don’t have to have your budget-referee blowing the whistle.
At around a dollar per square foot, artificial turf can be purchased locally and cut into circles to serve conveniently as drink coasters. Yellow napkins (in lieu of penalty flags) can be tucked into a football-themed container for the inevitable barbecue sauce mishaps. PVC piping and fittings, purchased from your local hardware store, can easily be fashioned into goal posts as big or small as you would like and easily add an unmistakable game-day ambiance to any party.
Living in a Greystar apartment can be a touchdown for you, so contact one of our referees (er… representatives) and learn how you can join the party this upcoming football season.
