Friday nights are for high school football, but they’re also for the community coming together through tailgates. Hamilton Southeastern football hosts a tailgate called Tailgate Town at every home game. It is a great opportunity not only for parents but also for future Royals, alumni, and the HSE community as a whole to come together and get ready for some Royal football. Cars line up with grills, athletes walk through, loud music plays, laughter fills the air, and much more. Tailgate Town brings the HSE community together.

Tailgating creates a shared experience built on tradition. Most tailgates begin by unpacking the car, setting up tents and tables, and, if someone brought one, setting up a TV. After this, the dishes and snacks are laid out. Grills fire up while music plays and the party begins. This tradition not only brings the community together as a whole but also strengthens families. HSE fan Dylan McKan stated, “Tailgate Town helps bring together the youth. We have a tailgate and invite all of our sons’ friends or anybody around, and we get snacks and enjoy it before the game.” Tailgating also connects the school itself to the wider community. Ala Arado, who cooks for the cheerleaders, said, “Honestly, we feed the cheerleaders, and after that, everybody is welcome to come in and hang out. It’s just great to see everybody be one, because that’s what it’s all about.” Her main priority is to feed the cheerleaders, but seeing the community come together as one is what she values most. Tailgates are uplifting and something to look forward to after a long week of work.

Lastly, tailgating is more than just a cookout before a football game or a pregame party. It is an essential event for friends, families, and, most importantly, the community to come together as one on a crisp fall Friday night. Tailgates are essential to the community through tradition, food, and laughter. They strengthen relationships and even build new ones as the community gathers as a whole. This is exactly what Tailgate Town does for the HSE community and even for surrounding communities.