Football season in North Texas isn’t just a few games on TV. It’s Friday night lights, homecoming week, youth league Saturdays, college tailgates and Cowboys Sundays, all stacked on top of each other from late August through the fall. That’s a lot of reasons to throw a party.

The good news is that September weather usually starts cooperating a little, and football parties are one of the easiest events to plan around rentals. Here’s how we’d set up a great football party, whether it’s a backyard watch party, a booster club tailgate or a homecoming celebration.

Tailgates and Booster Club Events

A tailgate lives or dies on two things: food and something to do while the food’s cooking. Grills are your department. The something-to-do part is where we come in.

Our Tailgate Party inflatable is built for exactly this. It’s shaped like a retro pickup truck and has two tossing games, a classic cup toss and cornhole, so guests can play while they wait on the brisket. It needs one regular outlet and fits in a 9 by 17 foot footprint, so it slides into most setups without taking over.

A few other rentals that work well at tailgates:

  • Giant Jenga. No power, easy to move, and it draws a crowd every time the tower starts wobbling.
  • 5×5 Football Toss. A compact toss game that doesn’t need power. Great for kids while adults are catching up.
  • Canopy tents, tables and chairs. Shade still matters in September. One important note: you can’t cook underneath our canopies, so keep the grill and smoker out in the open and use the tents for seating and serving.

Watch Parties at Home

If your crew watches the game at your house every week, a rental can turn one of those Sundays into an event. The kids especially need something to do, because most of them aren’t sitting through four quarters.

A sports-themed bounce house is the easy answer. Our Dallas Cowboys bounce house is a 15 by 15 foot castle-style bouncer in blue, gray and white, and it only needs one regular outlet. The Sports Arena bounce house is another good pick, with a football, baseball, basketball and soccer ball on the corners and a scoreboard on the front.

For older kids and adults who want to show off at halftime, the Field Goal Challenge is a crowd favorite. Players set the ball on a kick holder, place it as close or as far as they dare, and try to split the uprights. It stands 18 feet tall, so it looks impressive in the backyard too.

Add a popcorn machine (it comes with supplies for 50 people) and you’ve basically got a stadium concession stand in your yard.

Homecoming Week Celebrations

Homecoming in a lot of North Texas towns is a week-long thing: pep rallies, parades, spirit days, the game itself and sometimes a community event afterward. Schools, booster clubs and churches often host something for families during homecoming week, and that’s a great spot for bigger attractions.

Here’s what tends to work:

  • Mechanical bull. High schoolers love it, and so do parents who think they can last longer than their kids. One trained operator runs it for the whole rental and sets the speed for each rider, and we bring a generator. Riders from about age 3 up to 70 can take a turn.
  • Human Foosball. Ten players, five per team, hold poles at waist height that only slide side to side. It’s hilarious, competitive and a great class-versus-class game.
  • Obstacle courses. Our 40 foot Backyard Sports Obstacle Course is packed with pop-ups and ends with a wall climb and a slide. It’s compact enough for smaller spaces, and the timed-run bragging rights are half the fun.
  • Sports Zone Game Tent. A baseball throw, football toss and basketball game all in one tent, so several people can play at once.

Youth League and Team Parties

Flag football and youth tackle leagues across Collin, Grayson and Denton counties are in full swing in September. Team parties, picture days and end-of-season celebrations are perfect times to reward the kids.

For a team party, we’d usually suggest one big attraction everyone can share (an obstacle course or a combo bounce house), a game or two for the competitive kids, and concessions. The Triple Play Sports Game and Super Shot basketball (up to six players at once) keep a group moving without long lines. If you’re organizing for a whole league, our youth sports league rental guide has more ideas for opening days, fundraisers and awards events.

Make It a Movie Night After the Game

Some of the best football-season events happen after the final whistle. A family movie night on the practice field, the church lawn or your backyard is a great way to close out homecoming week or a Saturday tournament.

Our inflatable movie screens come as a complete setup with the screen, projection and audio equipment, and a trained staff member who handles it for you. Browse the screens and our entertainers, like face painters, balloon artists and caricature artists, in our movie screens and entertainers category. If you’ve got something specific in mind to show on the big screen, tell us when you call so we can make sure the setup fits your plan.

Planning Tips for Football Season Parties

  • Check the schedule first. Home games, away games and bye weeks all change who’s available. Pick your date around the games your crowd actually cares about.
  • Book early for homecoming. Homecoming weekends and fall festival Saturdays fill up fast, so reserve your big attractions once your date is set.
  • Know your power and surface. Every product page lists what it needs. Most inflatables need one or two outlets, and some items can run off a generator.
  • Keep an eye on the forecast. Fall storms can pop up in North Texas. If the weather looks rough, give us a call and we’ll talk through your options.

Frequently Asked Questions

What rentals work best for a tailgate?

Games that don’t take much space and keep people busy while the food cooks: the Tailgate Party inflatable, Giant Jenga and toss games. Add canopies, tables and chairs for shade and seating, but keep grills out from under the tents.

Do you have a Dallas Cowboys bounce house?

Yes. It’s a 15 by 15 foot castle-style bounce house in Cowboys colors and needs one regular outlet.

Is the mechanical bull safe for teens at a homecoming event?

A trained operator runs the bull for the entire rental and adjusts the speed for each rider, and there’s an inflatable mat around it. It’s popular with teens and adults alike.

Do you deliver to my town?

We serve North Texas and Southern Oklahoma, including Sherman, Denison, McKinney, Frisco, Prosper, Allen, Plano, Denton, Dallas, Fort Worth and many Tarrant County towns. Call us to check your address.

Get Your Football Party on the Calendar

Whether it’s a Sunday watch party or a homecoming bash for the whole school, we’d love to help. Call us at 903-989-2824 and we’ll put together a game plan for your event.