Tailgating, in the context of sporting events, is defined as fans gathering in the stadium parking lot to build excitement for their team’s home game. From the backs of their cars and trucks, football fans enjoy food, drinks, and games for hours. It’s a tradition unique to American culture and offers a fun, lively experience.
HomeCare & Hospice (HCH) of Batavia is introducing a new event to their Fall lineup – Tailgate Thursday to be held Thursday, November 7th at Batavia Downs beginning at 5:30pm-8pm. This tailgate event is where you will eat, drink, and play games – basically a tailgate before the football game that night (exchange out the Raven’s M&T Bank Stadium for the Park Place Event Center at Batavia Downs)!!
HCH operates with offices in Allegany, Cattaraugus, Genesee, and Wyoming Counties. “Our staff was tasked with organizing a ‘fun’ and ‘fund’ raising event in our northern service area. This time of year, everyone in Western New York is a Bills fan, and we all love chicken wings. What better combination than football, wings, and fun?” stated Melissa Sullivan, HCH Chief Executive Officer.
Tickets are $35 which includes your tailgate pass, wings, additional tailgate foods, and entry into fun and games. The food staff at the Batavia Downs will be (tentatively) serving up wings in these flavors: mild, medium, BBQ, garlic parm, honey garlic, spicy BBQ, Old bay, Original Buffalo, Teriyaki, and lemon pepper. Of course, there will be celery, carrots and bleu cheese – but the menu also includes Buffalo’s Finest Station of house-made potato chips, pizza logs, mini beef on weck, and pretzel bites. Attendees will have 10 wing tix which they can sample/taste from the variety of wings that will be on hand.
“Support from the corporate and business sector plays a vital role in the success of our event. Our tailgate media sponsors, Daily News of Batavia and WCJW-FM, are especially valuable to our events. Their involvement helps raise awareness, attract attendees, and spread the message about our cause to a wider audience. With their support, we can reach more people, enhance community engagement, and increase the impact of our fundraising efforts,” added Ms. Sullivan.
The event needs additional local businesses and organizations to become a 12th man sponsor or a blitz backer to put on this FANtastic event. 12th Man OPTION: This option ($250) includes your company logo/name on our poster, social media posts indicating your participation, event signage, and two tickets to the event (value $80). BLITZ Backer OPTION: This option ($500) includes your company name mentioned in radio ads, company logo/name on poster, social media posts, event signage, and four event tickets (value $160).
The complete roster of events is not firmed up yet, but hoping to add music, trivia contests, football toss games, (pre-recorded) football games streamed on tvs, and pre-game of the Bengals – Ravens game.
Tickets will go on sale September 27th online at homecare-hospice.org/events/, at the HomeCare & Hospice office, 29 Liberty St., Suite 6, Batavia or by emailing snegron@homecare-hospice.org. For more information, please call 716-372-2106.