How to Tailgate in the Rain: Setup, Food and a Checklist

To tailgate in the rain, get cover up before the rain does, keep your gear and food off the wet ground, pack everything in bags that close, and bring a poncho for the walk in, since many stadiums don't let umbrellas through the gate. Check your lot first: some grass lots close in bad weather, and tents can be restricted in high wind.

Before you leave: check the lot and the rules

Grass lots can close. LSU's free public areas can close for weather, WKU can close grass tailgating areas, and Mississippi State's grass lots depend on the weather. Have a paved backup.
Tents may be restricted. Iowa and Iowa State can restrict tents in bad weather, and Illinois lot staff can restrict any tailgate item for weather. See tent rules by stadium.
Lightning means cover. At Bank of America Stadium, lightning within 8 miles means everyone seeks cover. A canopy isn't cover from lightning; a hard-topped car is.

Get a roof up

A 10 x 10 pop-up is the usual answer. In rain, a few things make it work:

Set it up first, before the cooler and table come out of the car.
Weight every leg. Wet canopies catch wind. Most lots ban stakes, so bring sandbags or water weights.
Drop one side a few inches so water runs off instead of pooling in the middle.
Add a side wall on the windward side, where your stadium allows walls.

Yellow-lined AirHaven 30 awning off a pickup's bed rack, shading the tailgate and a cooler — No room for a pop-up? The Daylodge AirHaven 30 is an inflatable awning that mounts to your vehicle, about 30 square feet of cover with nothing staked into the pavement. Daylodge builds it with a ripstop canopy and taped seams.

Keep gear and food dry

Everything closes. Food in lidded containers, buns and chips in a cooler or a sealed bin, phones and keys in a zip bag.
Nothing on the ground. Puddles find bags. Keep it on the tailgate, a table or a hanging organizer.
Bring towels. More than you think: one for hands, one for chairs, one for the table.
Pack a dry change of socks and a shirt in the car for after.

Workspace bag open on a truck tailgate with its bamboo table down, a soft cooler and storage inside — The Daylodge Workspace Camp Collection hangs off the tailgate with the table, plates and tools up off the wet ground. It comes with Stash dry storage, and Daylodge calls both builds water-resistant.

Cooking in the rain

Never grill under the canopy. Many stadiums ban it, and a grill under a closed tent is a fire and carbon monoxide risk. Set it just outside the edge, downwind.
Keep the lid down. Gas grills hold heat in rain; charcoal struggles. Bring more fuel than usual.
Cook ahead. A wet day is a good day to bring food already cooked. See how to keep food hot.

Can you bring an umbrella into the stadium?

Often not. M&T Bank Stadium, Gillette, Lambeau, EverBank, Clemson, Florida State and Virginia Tech are among the stadiums that don't allow umbrellas at the gate. Leave it at the car and wear a poncho in.

What should you wear to a rainy tailgate?

A rain jacket or poncho, waterproof shoes, and layers that aren't cotton, since wet cotton stays cold. A hat with a brim keeps rain off your face better than a hood in a crowd. If it's cold too, see cold-weather tailgating.

Should you still tailgate if it's raining?

Light rain, yes, with a roof and a plan. Lightning or high wind, no: pack the canopy, get in the car and wait it out. Check your stadium's guide for weather calls before you go.