Gators, Seminoles and Hurricanes brace yourselves: the football season is upon us. But what if you prefer air conditioning and surround sound to heat stroke and deafening chants? You can host your own tailgate without ever stepping foot on a college campus. Invite guests to park in your driveway and brave the (gasp!) 50-foot walk to see the game.

This party is all about fun, but you'll want to make it stand out from the rest. Think simple, stylish, colorful and action packed. A centerpiece can be as simple as the one pictured above. Grab some fresh cut stems (in your team colors) arranged in a vase or container. Clear glass containers are always a good staple to have on hand because they are so versatile. In the vase that is pictured above we have added oranges before we placed our flowers. This adds color to the table and lends itself to our Florida team theme. The casual but sophisticated tailgate relies on color, so utilize table runners, placemats and other colorful adornments to your table. Placing smaller decorative tubs of refreshments in multiple locations adds to the festive feel and saves guests from making multiple trips to the buffet table. Serving a specialty drink with a catchy name adds fun, but you can always stick to the standard libations and even have a few exotic beers to choose from. Keeping your menu simple yet creative is always a challenge. We at Great Events like to come up with a variety of tastes when planning a menu so that there is something that fits everyone's palette. The rule for this type of party is that there is no rule! Have fun and be creative, but remember to keep it simple so you can enjoy your own party!

A handful of helpful ideas….

Make sure there is ample seating for your guests and that you have enough seats to view the game. Set up extra television sets around the home so that you and your guests will never miss a play!

Find creative serving pieces to complement your theme.

Pick a menu with foods you can make in advance, are able to set out in chaffing dishes or don't require heating. Keep your menu simple and serve no more than six dishes. You can enlist your guests to bring a dish, just remember that if you are going this route, make sure you assign a course to each guest so you don't have too much of one course and not enough of another.

Keep dessert simple. Try an ice cream bar with different toppings. Adults & kids like this and everyone can design their own dessert.

There are many shops in the area that carry school-spirited items, serving trays, decorations, and other items you see pictured. A special thanks to our vendors who cooperated for this photograph. T is for Table in PGA Commons, The Gardens Mall Hallmark store and Panache of the Palm Beaches.

You are throwing a "tailgate" party, so don't forget the pom-poms and set up a game of "bags" - a Southern tradition in the backyard for the true die-hards. Try piping in the radio play by play and have the particular schools' theme song on hand for the touchdown celebration. And for those who like a little "action," prepare a poster board with a 10 X 10 grid for guests to randomly pick boxes representing the score at the end of each quarter.

We invite you to send in your questions and comments about entertaining generally, as well as planning and executing your event. These will be addressed in future issues. It is important to remember that the organizing can be as much fun as the party itself. With this column as your guide your events will soon be the talk of the town.

Thanks for checking us out and we look forward to a great year of parties and fun. Please feel free to contact Great Events at 561-622-8586 or visit us at www.greateventsfl.com.