About us
Local, personal, and all in
First State Tailgating Events is a Delaware business built on one idea: you should get to enjoy your own party.
Our story
Born in an Eagles parking lot
In 2014, Charles “Woody” Woodward and his mother-in-law, Sherrill Mullenix, were walking the parking lots before an Eagles game, watching how everyone else was tailgating. That's where the idea hit them. What if everything a great tailgate needs could fit in one trailer you tow behind your vehicle? The grill, the TVs, the gear and a real bathroom, all in one self-contained unit. When the day is done, you just pack it up and go.
Woody and Sherrill had also been taking groups of friends to Phillies games for years, and Sherrill was always the organizer. She'd figure out who was bringing which food, who had the tents, who had the tables and who was in charge of the coolers. That's when we realized something: nobody wants to plan that stuff. So we became the planners. We brought the grill, the food and the games, did all the setup, and everyone else just showed up and had a great time.
Word got around. Soon people were asking for help with their own tailgates, then birthday parties, then all kinds of events. They didn't want to haul the gear, build it and tear it down. They just wanted to come and have fun. So in 2018, Woody and Sherrill turned planning great tailgates into a business.
The trailer from that Eagles lot was always the heart of the plan, and the porta-potty line was a big reason why. Waiting in a long line, with nowhere to wash your hands, pulls you away from the fun. After a few years of planning, we found the right unit and got to work building it out with a private restroom: a clean place to go, wash up, and get right back to the party.
Sherrill has since passed away, and we carry her love of a good tailgate into every event we do. Today First State Tailgating Events is owned by Woody, his wife Jessica, and Sherrill's son, Shaun. It's still a local, family business in Wilmington, Delaware.
When you call or text, you're talking to Woody. He handles every detail of your event, from planning the setup to towing the trailer home, so you can enjoy the event.
Our promise
What you can count on
Local service
Based in Wilmington and serving Philadelphia to New York and down to Washington, D.C.
Done-for-you setup
Delivery, setup, breakdown and tow-away are always part of the service.
The little details
Finding the right spot, ice in the coolers, a game on every screen. We sweat the small stuff.
What customers say
★★★★★
FSTE did a great job finding our group the perfect spot, an amazing job setting up and attending to our needs! We'll definitely be using FSTE again and recommending them to friends.