tailgate party

noun

US

: a social gathering in which food and drinks are served at or near the back end of a parked vehicle (such as a pickup truck) that usually occurs in a parking lot before or after a public event (such as a football game or concert)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Thomas Kunish, 40, likened it to a tailgate party. —Grace Hauck, USA TODAY, 6 Nov. 2020

To get everyone in the Super Bowl spirit, the tailgate party offers activities, games, giveaways, live entertainment and photo opportunities. —Bahar Anooshahr, The Arizona Republic, 9 Feb. 2023

The ultimate tailgate party is also scheduled that day which includes skiers and riders packing up their grills for a day of parking lot chillin and grillin with some big prizes for the categories of best presentation, recipes and most original tailgate display. —Roger Sands, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2022

Tickets for the tailgate party can be purchased on the Holiday Bowl’s website. —San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Dec. 2022

One doesn’t have to be attending Saturday’s game to take part in the tailgate party, Furse said. —Stefene Russell, The Salt Lake Tribune, 16 Sep. 2022

Later that morning, Walker was inside his tour bus at an empty tailgate party outside the SEC championship game, waiting for the rain to stop. —Jazmine Ulloa, BostonGlobe.com, 4 Dec. 2022

Going to see Jack was like going to see a fraternity brother at a tailgate party. —Malcolm Gladwell, The New Yorker, 31 Oct. 2022

Section 26, a fan-run collective that supports RSL, is set to hold its 13th annual homebrew tailgate party, in the parking lot north of America First Field (formerly Rio Tinto Stadium), at 9256 S. State St., Sandy. —Stefene Russell, The Salt Lake Tribune, 16 Sep. 2022

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Word History

First Known Use

1958, in the meaning defined above