CINCINNATI — Before the Bengals take the field Sunday afternoon in New Orleans, one group of Cincinnati fans hopes they’ll already have a “Who Dey” party started just steps away. 

Continuing their 20-year tradition, Rick Mason and his friends are bringing the Bengals Trailer down to the Big Easy for its first away-game trip of the season, in the hopes it can serve hundreds of fans traveling to cheer on their team.

What You Need To Know

  • The Bengal Trailer has hosted tailgates at dozens of away games

  • There are only three stadiums it hasn’t visited

  • The trailer provides food, drinks and entertainment for fans.

  • New Orleans will be its first trip this year

  • The hosts are expecting crowds cheering on Ja'Marr Chase and Joe Burrow as they return to Louisiana.

Mason said it started in 2002 with an easy trip to Indianapolis. Then he and his friends caught the travel bug, hoping to follow the Bengals to every NFL stadium in the country. 

Earlier this year, it got its first opportunity to travel to multiple playoff games, getting fans hyped in Nashville and Kansas City. And though tailgating was off-limits for the Los Angeles Super Bowl, Mason said they still brought the party where they could.

Fans celebrate at the Bengal Trailer in Nashville. (Photo courtesy of Tony Adams)

“That’s my favorite memory as a Bengals fan so far,” he said.

Now, after a short rest for some trailer upgrades, Mason said he’s eager to get the bus back on the road.

“There’s only three stadiums we haven’t been to yet,” he said. 

New Orleans was checked off the list in 2014, but Mason said eight years later there’s plenty of reasons to return.

“We had such a good time, and the tailgate certainly won,” he said. “And that was before we had Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase.”

Mason gets the trailer set up. (Spectrum News 1/Michelle Alfini)

The two Bengals standouts have a history with New Orleans. The last time they played at the Superdome, they helped LSU bring home a national title. Mason said Cincinnati fans consider this upcoming game as a sort of homecoming for the pair.

“The best part about going to New Orleans this week is going to see all the Bengals fans that I think are going to be there to support Joe and Ja’Marr,” he said.

He hopes to have all the drinks, food and entertainment they need to get started. The trailer will bring down about a half dozen kegs of Cincinnati beer, their onboard DJ, DJ Diamond, and a menu fit for a cajun feast.

“We are going to be grilling up some shrimp, some catfish, some jambalaya,” Mason said, showing off the trailer’s cooking equipment.

As with every game, Mason hopes the trailer gets the fans hyped for a win, but at the end of the day, he said the most important part is always the experience.

“We do it because we love hanging out with each other,” he said. “We love supporting the Bengals. We love the party, it’s just a good, good time.”