The Georgia Dome sits at center stage on Sunday game days in Atlanta, with fans waiting for the main event.

But just a few blocks away, past Philips Arena and underneath the street-level roads, there are hundreds of loyal Falcon fans enjoying time with friends and family tailgating in "The Gulch."

Marvin and Yolanda Horton have been tailgating in this family-friendly zone for 10 years, and their tailgating preparations have evolved from simple gameday fare to a complex spread of food.

The couple from Fayetteville spent two to three hours on Saturday preparing for Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins.

"We prepared everything at home and (are) just heating it up at this point," Yolanda said. "We prepare the chicken and stuff at home - wings and drumsticks - and we prepared some ribs.

"Then rest of the people bring everything else - all the fixin's to go with it, the paper goods and the drinks, the water, tablecloth."

Marvin, the family grill master, said it would take "about an hour for everything to be ready."

The first game of the year is a heavier meal than most games, but the fare depends on other factors, too, Yolanda said.

"It all depends on the weather and it depends on some games," Yolanda said. "Like when we play New Orleans we might cook the New Orleans-style food."

But before the friends and family arrive to the Hortons' tailgate, one of the most important parts of the event begins - setting up the bar.

Yolanda set out the tequila, vodka, rum, blender and mixers for what she called one of the most important parts of tailgating.

But at nearby at Kat Graham's tailgate, the star of the show was the food - and lots of it.

"We've got steak kebobs, corn, shrimp, grilled vegetables, 'taters and cheese, a variety of dips, chips and salsa," said the Rockmart resident. "We will grill the meat, but all the prep work was done yesterday."

The group skewered the meat, including marinated venison, ahead of time. They grilled the kabobs just before the game.

"Preparing ahead of time is the key to successful tailgating," said Kat, who added that this meal is probably the most extravagant in the five years she has been a season ticket holder.

But through it all, Kat said she just hoped her Atlanta Falcons would win the season opener.

"We've been lifetime fans through the good, the bad and the ugly," she said. "We're just trying to fellowship and get into the gameday spirit."

Lucky for the Hortons and Graham's crew, the Falcons reigned in the first game of the year with a 19-7 win over the Dolphins, and proved all the Atlanta tailgaters' culinary efforts were worth every minute.