HOST: Dave Geslois and the Tailgate Taskforce

LOCATION: Adjacent to Lot O

SET-UP: This group arrives with its converted emergency vehicle?a 1970 Ford Heavy rescue squad?complete with seating for 15. There is also a converted bus with a beer tap, two flat screen televisions and a satellite dish. Both vehicles are covered with Ravens decorations.

WHAT’S ON THE GRILL: Sausages, flank steak and wings

BEST SIDE DISHES: Buffalo chicken dip

SIGNATURE DISH: Purple Punch (an alcoholic drink that contains grape Gatorade and Sprite)

PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE: 50

EXPERIENCE: Geslois and his group, composed of mainly retired firefighters, are in their second season of partying before watching their favorite football team play.

Playing the bagpipe, Steve Brady, a member of Tailgate 1 and the Tailgate Taskforce, party before the Sept. 23 Ravens vs. Cardinals game in the Ostend and Scott streets parking lot. (Photo by Patrick Smith)

CINCINNATI TAILGATE

HOST: Sean Halligan and Chris Schattall, of Upperco

LOCATION: Corner of Lots G and H

SET-UP: A renovated 1969 Winnebago ? nicknamed “Tikibago”? decorated to look like a tiki bar, complete with a bathroom. They offer free drinks to people around their tailgate, but accept tips to offset expenses, which cost about $500 a home game. The duo also held a concert before the game featuring their friend, Wes McDonough, singing and playing guitar.

WHAT’S ON THE GRILL: Hot dogs, sausages, hamburgers and chicken wings.

BEST SIDE DISHES: potato chips, pretzels and cake.

SIGNATURE DISH: “Yagerbomb.” A drink consisting of alcohol and Red Bull

PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE: 10

EXPERIENCE: They started tailgating regularly about six years ago and added the Tikibago on a dare that they couldn’t set up a portable bar. “For us, it’s all about good music, good drinks and having a good time,” Schattall said.

Tiki Tailgate knows how to throw a party. (Photo by Patrick Smith)

CLEVELAND TAILGATE

LOCATION: PARKING LOT C

HOST: Scott Hurst and Joe Meehan of Havre de Grace

SET-UP: It includes an expansive buffet line set up on a table decorated with a custom-made Ravens table cloth, a replica football field carpet and a large flag that reads “Havre de Grace 12th Man.”

WHAT’S ON THE GRILL: Bacon-wrapped shrimp, jerk chicken, steamed shrimp, sausage, hamburgers and hot dogs.

BEST SIDE DISHES: Potato chips and pretzels

SIGNATURE DISH: Meatball that are cooked in a mixture of ketchup, grape jelly, chili pepper and Worcester sauce.

PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE: 10

EXPERIENCE: This group from Havre de Grace started tailgating aboutseven years ago and came up with the “12th Man” flag about five years ago. The group spends about $200 a week on its tailgating spread. “We live to tailgate,” Hurst said.

Scott Hurst, middle, and Joe Meehan, back left, with fellow tailgaters from Havre de Grace prior to the Ravens game against Cleveland. (Photo by Ron Snyder)

INDIANAPOLIS TAILGATE

LOCATION: PARKING LOT C

HOST: “Big” Al Mazzotta of White Marsh

SET-UP: Real retro tailgate setup with 1994 Chevy conversion van that is decorated to serve for both Maryland and Ravens football games.

WHAT’S ON THE GRILL: Rib-eye steaks, deer steaks, steamed shrimp.

BEST SIDE DISHES: Brownies, cheese tray

SIGNATURE DISH: Homemade crab soup

PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE: 10

EXPERIENCE: Started when the Ravens arrived in 1996. The group loathes many of the high-tech tailgate parties and prefers to show their team spirit in other ways, including Sykesville resident Stephanie Adams doing her best impression of Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis? entrance dance. “We?re just old-fashioned, blue-collar tailgaters who like to have fun,” Adams said.

A driving rain couldn’t stop Stephanie Adams, front right, and the rest of her crew from partying before the Ravens’ loss to the Colts. (Photo by Patrick Smith)

NAVY TAILGATER

HOST: 11th Company Tigers, organized by Naval Academy seniors Erik Sink and Chris Ventura

LOCATION: Adjacent to TaylorAvenue

SET-UP: Each week, the company goes with a different theme for its tailgating area, including an 1980?s theme and a Hawaiian one for last Saturday?s Delaware game. Also, a member of the group will wear a Tiger costume, the company?s mascot.

WHAT’S ON THE GRILL: Roasted pig, turkey, sausages

BEST SIDE DISHES: Homemade cookies

SIGNATURE DISH: Buffalo wings and ribs

PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE: 150

EXPERIENCE: Each company at the Naval Academy has a tailgating stations, but Sink said his group tries to be more original than most. “Most companies just have hot dogs and hamburgers, but we try to go al out each week. [For Delaware] we got a full pig that took 10 hours to roast.”

Erik Sink (right), from Raleigh N.C., and Chris Ventura, of Bethesda, both from the 11th Company Tigers fed more than 150 Midshipmen after Navy’s game against Delaware on Oct. 27. (Photo by Jon Clements)

NEW ENGLAND TAILGATE

LOCATION: PARKING LOT C (New England Dec. 3)

HOST: Mike and Grant Connellee of Churchville

SET-UP: A 2006 Dodge Sprinter decked out with a 42-inch flat-screen television, a satellite, a 5,000-watt stereo system and a bathroom

WHAT’S ON THE GRILL: hamburgers, steak

BEST SIDE DISHES: shrimp cocktail

SIGNATURE DISH: deep-fried turkey

PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE: Anywhere from 10-100 depending on the game.

EXPERIENCE: The conversion of the van began last year when the Conellees decided to add a bathroom to the van after getting tired of waiting in line. After that, they decided to add on all of the electronics. “We just enjoy adding on all of the toys they have out there today,” Grant Connelee said.

Grant Connelle, left, of Baltimore, and friend Chris Davis stand by their flat screen television and stereo system in the back of their Dodge while tailgating before the Ravens/Patriots game. (Photo by Chris Ammann)

NEW YORK TAILGATE

HOSTS: Lonnie Pryor and Larry Acord

» LOCATION: Lot B

» SET-UP: Their tailgating area includes a homemade portable bar, complete with a ceiling fan.

» WHAT?S ON THE GRILL? Steaks, hamburgers, hot dogs.

» BEST SIDE DISHES: Chips and pretzels.

» SIGNATURE DISH: “Ravenritas.” A margarita with grape flavoring to give it a purple color.

» PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE: Ten, plus any other tailgaters looking to join the fun.

» EXPERIENCE: The group has been tailgating for three years

at M&T Bank Stadium, but has also partied done at Memorial

Stadium. “We all just like having fun,” Acord said. “And we?re always trying to find ways of having an even better time.”

Larry Acord, right, of Woodstock, and his Ravens fan friends setup a tiki bar each week that is always open, making this tailgate one of the spots to be in parking lot B/C on Sunday, Sept. 16, 2007. (Photo by Chris Ammann)

PITTSBURGH TAILGATE

HOST: Jerry Bunty, Mark Stoecker and Robert Morningtsar of Essex

LOCATION: Parking Lot H

SET-UP: The centerpiece of their tailgate party is a refurbished 1971 Bluebird bus. The trio originally purchased the bus for $650 and have spent $20,000 restoring and customizing the vehicle. The bus, with the license plate tailg8r, is painted black with the Ravens logo on it. Inside, the bus’ floor is painted like a football field and many of the seats came from Memorial Stadium. All of the seats are purple, except one blue one marked No. 19, as a tribute to Johnny Unitas. The bus also includes a board with signatures of many former Baltimore Colts.

WHAT’S ON THE GRILL: Pork and deer kabobs, fried rockfish, turkey and sausage.

BEST SIDE DISHES: Shrimp Martini ? a cocktail composed of shrimp, salsa and tequila.

SIGNATURE DISH: “Eddie Burgers,” which are made with ground round, mixed with garlic powder, pepper, salt, parsley flakes, dried onions and AI steak sauce.

ATTENDANCE: 12

EXPERIENCE: The trio started about five years ago and the bus has been operations for the past four. The group bought the bus as a way of transporting friends and family each week. Those who come pay $10 for gas and maintenance costs and bring a food dish. “We wanted a way to celebrate the Ravens without forgetting about all of the good times with the Colts,” Morningstar said.

Robert Morningtsar, wearing a grey Ravens sweatshirt, stands next to Jerry Bunty, who is wearing a Ravens jacket. Mark Stoecker, who is in the back row hoisting a shrimp martini, rounds out the three friends from Essex who the party at the Pittsburgh game.

ST. LOUIS TAILGATE

LOCATION: Lot O, parking spaces 203-207 at M&T Bank Stadium

HOST: Father and son: Bob, 64, and Rob, 30, Chilcoat of Fallston

SET-UP: An extravagant moving truck, a dozen camp chairs and a three table-spread of food. The truck is customized with purple and gold paint job, features a generator, bench seating, men and women’s toilets (with matching Ravens curtains), a meat slicer, outlets for crock pots and motorized awnings.

WHAT’S ON THE GRILL: Brats, sliced turkey and hot dogs.

BEST SIDE DISHES: Nachos, potato and macaroni salad, Chik-fil-A nuggets and nachos with dip and fixings.

SIGNATURE DISH: Seasoned Swedish meatballs with a secret recipe sauce and a spicy dip for nachos.

PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE: About 25

EXPERIENCE: The Chilcoats have been tailgating with friends and family ? they have 24 season tickets ? since the Ravens? arrival in 1996. “We make it a full family affair,” Bob said. “We add a little bit each year. The next thing we are planning on is a flat-screen plasma television with a DirecTV satellite dish.”

Tailgaters socialize and dig in during a tailgate in Parking Lot O prior to a game against the St. Louis Rams at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on Oct. 14. (Photo by Chriss Ammann)

TOWSON UNIVERSITY TAILGATE

LOCATION: Lot 14 at Johnny Unitas Stadium

HOST: Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity (Towson University chapter)

SET-UP: The fraternity set up a dunking booth, which people paid to try as a

philanthropy event for the National Food Bank.

WHAT’S ON THE GRILL: Hot dogs,hamburgers

BEST SIDE DISHES: Cup cakes

SIGNATURE DISH: Sloppy Joe

PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE: About 100

EXPERIENCE: This was the second year for the dunking booth, which the fraternity uses for Homecoming each year. “This was a unique way to enjoy tailgating, have fun and do something for a great cause all at the same time,” Lambda Chi Alpha vice president Matt Cook said.

Members of the Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity at Towson University set up a dunking booth this season at Towson’s Homecoming game as a way to raise money for charity. (Photo by Ron Snyder)

And now the voting. Who’s your top choice for Tailgater of the Year?