Tailgate Bash kicks off Cincinnati tailgate season

CINCINNATI - Football fan or not, the official beginning of Cincinnati's tailgate season is this Saturday.

A favorite pastime of the Queen City, the official season gets under way with Tailgate Bash on the Schmidlapp Event Lawn at the Moerlein Lager House.

In its sixth year, the Tailgate Bash has raised the bar on tailgate entertainment, hosting the event just one day before the Bengals home opener.

The event expects to rally more than 10,000 people and will feature games, food, drinks, live entertainment and cornhole. Also featured will be the Gold Star Chili Bengals Tailgate Vehicle Contest where fans vote for their favorite tailgate vehicle, live music from The Farm and the World Cornhole Championships, which consists of three tournaments in professional, amateur and corporate competitions.

The Ben-Gals are expected to show up, NASCAR simulators will be on hand and drumline performances by local youth marching bands are also on the schedule.

Tailgating food and drink favorites from Moerlein and Hudepohl beers will be available for purchase.

The event runs from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and is free to attend. It benefits the Easter Seals TriState organization, which empowers people with disabilities and disadvantages for a better community. Tailgate Bash is their largest fundraiser.

For more information, go to www.eastersealstristate.org/tailgatebash .