Tailgating in Style with Smoky Mountain Pottery

Fall in the South means SEC Football, and SEC Football means weekend upon weekend of tailgating parties with friends and family September through about the time it gets too chilly to stand outside. And even then, that’s why we have coats and bonfires, right? Tailgate parties can be hosted near a stadium, or by a stream in the Great Smoky Mountains, as long you have the necessary equipment and serve ware, that is. Here is our guide to the top pottery essentials for any tailgate looking to be a total touchdown success.

Top Pottery Picks for Tailgating Food

Food has a way of bringing people together, and tailgating food does just that, plus more before a big football game. Fellow fans gather around a table or form a line to fill their plate and enjoy fellowship with one another. It’s a special time to enjoy with family, friends, and even form new relationships. The dishes are usually casual and approachable, nothing too fancy or that can’t be picked up with your hands. Here are our favorite handmade clay pottery pieces that are created in the hills of the Smokies by Mike Fowler and his trusty clay crew.

#1 Cracker Server Tray

The handmade pottery Cracker Server Tray is suited for a whole sleeve of Ritz Crackers or any cracker of your choosing, making it the perfect Tailgating appetizer server to pair with baked or cold dips. The tray comes in multiple glazes to match your favorite team or seasonal colors.

#2 1.5 Quart Covered Baking Dish

Serving chili with your hot dogs or soup to pair with sandwiches to warm up cold hands on a cold day? This 1.5 Quart Covered Baking Dish is a great way to seal the heat in longer and keep any bothersome flies out of your food, if you’re waiting a bit before serving outdoors.

#3 Condiment Server

Fowler’s Clay Works Condiment Server is an excellent option for serving assorted of nuts, snacks, or toppings for chili, hot dogs, hamburgers, and more! This versatile bowl set keeps the table tidy and organized making clean-up before the game a breeze.

#4 Chip and Dip Ruffled Edges

Who doesn’t love chips and dip? This hand-sculpted chip and dip server with ruffled detailing on the edges would be amazing in your team’s main color or the ever-adaptable “vanilla bean” glaze, that goes with everything, all year long!

#5 9 Inch Pie Plate

Did someone say pie? Fowler’s 9 Inch Pie Plate is a multi-functional pie plate and baking dish. It can serve up some Hot Chili Cheese Dip, Cheesy Hot Crab Dip, or another delicious, fan-favorite baked dish for your tailgate crew. And don’t get us started on the endless pie options you can create in this pie plate. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and your guests will be ready to cheer on their home team on a sweet note!

These handmade clay classics are beautiful and timeless pieces that will fill your tailgate party table, and never let your crowd go hungry. Fowler’s clay will aid in keeping the food you’re serving warm for longer periods of time, so no one has to re-heat any dips until halftime.

Top Pottery Picks for Tailgating Drinks

Regardless of whether you’re pouring sangria or sweet iced tea at your tailgate, having the appropriate drinkware for guests is important for keeping the party going strong. While it may be easier to simply grab those plastic solo cups from the store, going the more sustainable route will show your guests that you not only root for the home team but also, go green when it matters most, too.  

#1 One Gallon Pitcher

The One Gallon Pitcher is a great handmade pottery piece to have year-round, especially during football season. Serve a variety of drink recipes such as punch, mimosas, fruit infused tea, or water for the ultimate crown-pleasing refreshment.

#2 18oz. Stein

If you have anyone in your gang that enjoys a beer or two during the tailgate, this handmade 18oz. Stein is for them! Keep some cold ones in the cooler ready to pour in your steins for more good times at your tailgate.

#3 12-14oz. Gatlinburg Smoky Mountain Mug

If you’re hosting a Great Smoky Mountain tailgate at a campground, tailgating by Neyland, or even throwing a backyard tailgate bash with some neighbors, Fowler’s Smoky Mountain Mug is the perfect way to drink your coffee and stay awake (or get hyped up) for a late-night game or 3 pm game!

#4 1.5 oz. Shot Glass

The clay 1.5 oz. Shot Glass can be used to measure out recipes at the tailgate so no one gets heavy handed or used the traditional way one would use a shot glass. We don’t judge! What happens at the tailgate, stays at the tailgate.

#5 16 oz. Tumbler/Tea Glass

Solo cups are so pre-pandemic. Drink your cocktails, tea, and soft drinks in true Smoky Mountain style by sipping out of Fowler’s 16 oz. Tumbler and Tea Glass. Everyone at your tailgate will thank you for it.

Whether it’s tea, lemonade, or cold beer, there’s ample supply of Southern hospitality to go around and serving drinks when guests arrive is a warm way to welcome them to your tailgate. Cheers to being together with loved ones during football season and raising a glass to more good times ahead!

Fowler’s Pottery in Gatlinburg, TN: A Touchdown for Your Next Tailgate  

If someone new walks in our Gatlinburg pottery studio, they leave as a new friend and never as a stranger. We invite them around and show them our passion, our art, and our life’s work: beautiful clay pottery that makes sense for everyday life.

Come on by our studio so we can meet you in person and give you a tour. We’ll help you get ready for your next tailgate, event, or wedding. If you can’t swing through in person, shop with us online. We make clay dinnerware sets, and even create custom pottery orders. If you want to create something special for your tailgate, send us an email at fowlersclayworks10@gmail.com, or come by our studio to discuss your ideas so we can get started on your custom pottery order. Preparing for football season has never been easier!

Looking for more Smoky Mountain fun? We offer pottery classes at our studio if you want to try your hand at the wheel.