How To Create a Football Tailgate Party Tablescape


It’s tablescape day for my dinner club group, and I love creating and sharing tablescapes with you!! That’s why I can’t wait to show you how to create a football tailgate party tablescape, or at least my twist on the theme.

Since the Super Bowl is right around the corner, this would be a perfect for a game day party!

football theme place setting. faux grass square for placemat, white dinner plate stacked with white salad plate, yellow napkin and wooden football cutout on top of napkin for a place card

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I have to admit I was a little concerned when we decided on a football theme. I had no ideas for what to do, but knew I didn’t want to spend a lot of money on a specific theme table.

So, I started making a list of everything I already had that I could use. Like an old football that was in the garage, a silver urn that could look like a trophy, faux grass squares from my Easter decor, and a memorobilia football helmet that my husband had in his office.

creating a football party tablerunner

I pulled out a roll of heavy brown paper that I already had on hand. You can find this paper in the paint section at Home Depot.

I rolled it out on my table and cut it to fit the width. Then, I cut it just a bit longer than my table, folded it over the end and taped it down underneath the table to hold it in place.

I bought a roll of thin white electical tape and used it to create “yard lines”.

I started in the very center of the table for the 50 yard line, then measured out evenly to create the other lines.

brown paper rolled out on dining table to create a football themed party table runner. white electrical tape creates yard lines

When I finished, it looked like this.

white chalk pen and number stencils - supplies to create yard line numbers for a football themed table runner

I used some number stencils I had, and a white chalk pen to create the numbers for each yard line.

brown paper table runner with yard lines created from white tape and stenciled numbers at each yard line for a football themed party table

That finished off the table runner.

Honestly, if you have a cricut machine and could cut the number stencils out of vinyl, it would be much faster. Even white number stickers would be great too.

place settings for my football tablescape

moss table runner for a football themed tablescape
moss runner cut into place mats for football themed party tablescape

I had a roll of green moss and I cut it to make placemats that look like grass. My plan was to use this,

faux grass squares used for placemats for a football themed tablescape

then I remembered I had some faux green grass squares with my spring decor, so I ended up using that instead.

I just wanted to show the moss runner, because it is great option if you don’t have the grass squares.

white dinner plate stacked with white salad plate on top of faux green grass square placemat for football theme party

Each place setting was layered with a white dinner plate and a white salad plate.

All of my white plates are thrifted. I highly recommend starting a collection of them if you don’t already have white dishes.

I use them all the time and they can be dressed up or down for any occasion.

yellow gold pashmina scarf used for a football themed table

When I was thrifting recently, I spotted this yellow scarf and thought it would be perfect for “penalty” flag napkins.

It was big enough to cut into 8 napkins. I only needed 6 for this table, but I have extras if I want to use them at my larger table.

They would be great for a fall tablescape, as well.

football theme place setting. faux grass square for placemat, white dinner plate stacked with white salad plate, yellow napkin and wooden football cutout on top of napkin for a place card

You could certainly use yellow paper napkins to get a similar look.

I bought wooden football shape cutouts at the Dollar Store. There were 2 on a strand with wooden pumpkins and were $1 each, so I bought 3 strands.

This gave me 6 footballs to use for place cards and I only spent $3.

I didn’t like the design on them, so I painted the back side with brown paint I already had, and wrote names with a white paint pen.

These made the perfect addition to my football theme place settings!

football tailgate party centerpiece

football themed centerpiece, a football with the ends cut off to use as a vase and filled with white flowers , a silver wine bucket used as a trophy and holds green moss and a football and pennants made from scrapbook paper, and a football helmet

I used a signed memorabilia helmet my husband had in his office for part of my centerpiece.

A silver wine bucket filled with green moss resembled a trophy, and I just added a football (that I borrowed from a friend) and some pennants.

silver wine bucket used as a centerpiece for a footbll themed tablescaped, with green moss inside and a football tucked in



The pennants were made from scrapbook paper and sticker letters I had on hand. I hot glued wooden skewers to the back and stuck them down into the moss.

My flower vase was made from an old football I found in the garage and my husband gifted it to me because it was so old and wouldn’t hold air anymore.

I tucked a vase down inside the football and filled it with white flowers from my yard/garden.

how to make a “football” vase

old football used for a centerpiece for football/tailgate party


I cut both ends off of the football. This creates a hole to put the vase of flowers and also a flat bottom for it to stand up on its own.

old football with both ends cut off to use as a vase  for a football tailgate party.Glass vase being placed inside football to hold water and flowers

I used a glass vase I already had that fit down in the hole.

I filled the vase with water and placed my flowers inside.

vase made from an old football filled with white flowers for a football tailgate themed party

Thrift stores and garage sales are a great place to look for an old football if you want to create this centerpiece and don’t already have a football you want to destroy.

football jersey chair covers

Last winter I had the idea to use sweaters as slipcovers for a winter themed tablescape.

white sweaters over the back of 2 chairs and sleeves tied behind the back

I thought it would be fun to do a similar look for my football tailgate themed tablescape, so I borrowed football jerseys from a couple of friends.

football jerseys over the back of chairs for slipcovers to go with my football themed tablescape

overall view of football tailgate tablescape. football jerseys over the back of chairs for slipcovers, football helmet and silver wine bucket "trophy" for centerpiece


I think it added a fun finishing touch to my table!

extra touches to finish off the football tailgate tablescape

mason jar wrapped with a strip of narrow black and white striped paper and a whistle on a string around neck of glass to resemble a referee for a football themed party

A strip of black and white striped scrapbook paper, taped around the center of a mason jar resembles a referee.

I finished if of with a whistle tied with a string around the neck of the jar.

The whistle slips off the glass easily so it can actually be used for drinking.

football plays written on the brown paper table runner with a white paint pen for added decoration for a football themed party

I drew football plays with a white paint pen to finish off my table.

I had a lot of empty space on the table runner, so I drew plays in several places on the table.

And no, I don’t know a thing about football plays!

Googled everyone of them, and I’m sure this is not even close to what they are supposed to look like, but you get the idea.

football tailgate themed tablescape with brown paper table runner and white tape to resemble yard lines, faux grass placemats, football jersey for chair covers

football tailgate themed tablescape with brown paper table runner and white tape to resemble yard lines, faux grass placemats, football jersey for chair covers

I ended up having so much fun creating this table! I hope you enjoyed some inspiration about how to create a football tailgate party tablescape.

And if you need a fun idea for a football themed dessert bar, see this post…



Be sure and follow all of the links to see my friends football tailgate party inspiration. There are so many great ideas!

Let me know if you make one of you own. I love to hear from you!

Thanks so much for following along and be sure and subscribe to the blog so you don’t miss a thing.

blessings, and GO TEAM,

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52 Comments

  1. Such great, creative ideas!

    1. Oh, thanks so much! So glad you enjoyed it!

  2. Oh my gosh, Michele. I think you outdid yourself with this table. I love all of the thought you put into each and every detail. So cute and creative! Pinned!

    1. So sweet for you to say Jen! I loved doing this one!

  3. I really love your centerpiece Michele! It looks amazing! xoxo

    1. Thank you Stacy! This ended up being super fun to create!

  4. This is amazing! So many great details. You rock, my friend.

    1. aww, you’re so sweet Renae! I really appreciate your kind words!

  5. Michele
    This is just perfect. I felt the same about this theme. Not exactly my wheelhouse. I love your creative ideas.

    1. Thanks Rachel! I ended up really enjoying putting it together!

  6. Marie Phillips says:

    Brilliant! So much fun and very creative. The penalty flags were especially cute!

    1. Oh, thanks so much! So glad you enjoyed it!

    1. Thanks so much Kristin! It was a fun table to put together! So glad you joined us this month.

  7. This is so much fun, Michele!! I love the football vase. The brown paper gives me an idea for our annual family crab feast that we host each summer. I will definitely spin off of your idea for our next one! Pinned!

    1. Oh, good! I am so glad you enjoyed the post and found some inspiration here!!

  8. Every detail is spot on!!! You are such a creative dynamo!

    1. Aww, thansk so much Diane! So glad you liked it!

  9. Your ideas are all spot on — what a great post! The table and chairs look wonderful.

    1. Thanks so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed it and I really appreciate you following along and commenting.

    1. That is so kind of you to say, I really appreciate it! So glad you enjoyed it!

  10. Wow!! These are THE BEST ideas for a Super Bowl party!! So fun and creative!!

    1. I’m so glad you found inspiration here! And thanks so much for your sweet comment!

  11. This is AMAZING! What a fun and creative table to get ready for the big game! I love all of your festive details. Thank you so much for sharing at Tuesday Turn About!

    1. Oh, I am so glad you found inspiration here! And I truly appreciate your kind words!

  12. Way creative and cute!!! I do believe you thought of everything! Love everything here and those desserts look like more than one will be eaten by your guests. 🙂 I have made the yard line cupcakes. Yours look easier as I used the Wilton tip that makes the grass look – very tedious and yet did look cute. GREAT JOB!!!! What time to come over? =()

    1. Oh, thanks so much! I really appreciate your kind words, and I love the idea of making the icing look like grass. I will try that next time.

  13. Michele, your football tailgate tablescape is fun, festive, and perfect for game day! I love all of your creative details! I am so happy to feature your tablescape at Tuesday Turn About this week! Thank you for sharing and have a wonderful week! 🙂

    1. Oh, thank you so much! I truly appreciate your kind words and the feature!! I will mention it on my Saturday Morning Gather post.

  14. This is such a fun post and table setting Michele! Congrats on being featured on Tuesday Turn About this week!

    1. Thanks so much Cindy! I’m so honored to be featured!!

    1. Thanks so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed the post and found some inspiration!

  15. Michele this table is so fun! I love the football theme. It is so out of the box and creative. I think it is so neat you turned a football into a vase and the grass squares are perfect! Great job.

    1. Thanks so much for your kind words! I’m so glad you enjoyed it and found some inspiration.

    1. Oh, thanks so much! I really appreciate the kind words.

  16. This is such a fun party idea Michele! I’m excited to tell you this post will be featured in this week’s Tuesday Turn About Link Party! Thanks for joining us and I hope to see you at the party this week😊

    1. Thank you so much my friend! I really appreciate the feature and am so glad you enjoyed the tablescape!

    1. Thanks so much sweet friend!

  17. This is my first time to see your talent! This is so cute and wonderful for tables with themes in the future! Hmmm. . .

    1. Oh, I’m so glad you enjoyed the post and found inspiration here. Thanks so much for the kind words and following along.

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