OXFORD, Miss. — Joe Cahn, the self-proclaimed
“Commissioner of Tailgating,” is getting married Friday
(Nov. 16) in New Orleans. After a casual ceremony at St.
Michael’s Special School and reception at a local
restaurant, Cahn and his bride plan to head off on their
honeymoon to Oxford.
Eschewing such popular honeymoon destinations as Mexico,
Hawaii or Disney World, Cahn and soon-to-be-wife Karen hope
to spend Saturday strolling through the Grove, sharing
fried chicken, artichoke dip and maybe even sweet potato
bread pudding with Ole Miss and LSU football fans.
“It’s the perfect place to start our honeymoon,” Cahn said.
“The Grove at Ole Miss is where Southern hospitality is
truly at its finest. You have acres of people who are
socializing and smiling and sharing their best with
others.”
Cahn, who is in his 12th season of touring pre-game parties
across the nation, first visited the University of
Mississippi in November 2003 for the Ole Miss-LSU game that
decided the SEC Western Division championship. Later, he
described the Grove as “the most single outstanding
tailgating area in the country” and often tells people that
UM offers the country’s best collegiate tailgating.
When asked about premier tailgating spots, Cahn separates
college and NFL venues. He also puts military academies in
a category of their own
“The Army-Navy game is one of the most incredible events
anywhere, but the people there understand that football is
merely a game,” he said. “Those players battle against each
other on the field, but soon they will be battling
alongside each other in the real world.”
Among collegiate venues, Cahn said Ole Miss is where
“Scarlett O’Hara meets the parking lot.”
“I can just see Scarlett at the Grove, raising her hand and
saying, With God as my witness, I’ll never go hungry
again,’ and then somebody in a tent behind her says, Of
course you won’t go hungry, Scarlett, here’s some fried
chicken!'”
During the past 11 seasons, Cahn has driven more than
500,000 miles and visited every NFL stadium and more than
70 college venues, consuming an amazing variety of foods
and learning firsthand about the culture and camaraderie of
football fans. He estimates that he has been to 500 games,
but he rarely goes inside the stadium, preferring to enjoy
the food and camaraderie outside before heading on to the
next venue.
This year’s tour began Aug. 7 in New Orleans for an
exhibition game matching the NFL New Orleans Saints with
the Pittsburgh Steelers. When he leaves Oxford this
weekend, he heads for Detroit for the Thanksgiving Day game
matching the Detroit Lions with the Green Bay Packers.
It is the second marriage for Joe and Karen, who first wed
in 1984. Friday is their original anniversary, so it seemed
like the perfect day to marry each other again, he said.
For many years, they ran the New Orleans School of Cooking,
with Joe teaching and Karen handling the business
operation.
Karen is a registered nurse in Fort Worth, Texas, and she
has a two-year commitment there, but she plans to join him
as often as possible on his tailgating journeys, he said.
“We went to a Cowboys game last year, and as we walked
around, she kept pointing out things people were doing and
saying, Look at that,’ and Oh, look over there,'” he said.
“She’s a great cook and loves tailgating, but I don’t think
she’s ever been to a college game. I can’t wait to show her
what collegiate tailgating is all about at Ole Miss.”
For more information on Cahn and his annual tours, go to