Patriots Super Bowl 51 Talk: A Fan’s Guide to Houston, TX
New England Patriots fans will flock to Houston in the coming weeks ahead of their teams matchup with the Atlanta Falcons. Here you’ll find a fan’s guide to the city and events surrounding the game.
NRG Stadium in Houston, TX will play host to Super Bowl LI between the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons on February 5th. In the week leading up to the game, fans from each team will make the trip of a lifetime. Lucky fans will have a Super Bowl game ticket. Others will simply want to take in the experience around the city before and during the game. Whichever your case may be, this Patriots fan’s guide to Houston should help you on your trip.
Super Bowl LIVE presented by Verizon
Starting January 29th, Super Bowl LIVE is a free nine-day fan festival in downtown Houston. Encompassing more than 750,000 square feet, it features live music and performances, interactive exhibits, food and a 90-foot tall virtual reality trip to Mars. Future Flight is the signature attraction for Super Bowl LIVE and will take people on the ride of their lives.
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The experience combines virtual reality and a drop tower to take passengers on a space flight to Mars and back. Built with the help of NASA and leading aerospace companies, Future Flight lifts riders in the air as they experience lift-off through virtual reality goggles. Riders will then land on the Red Planet, seeing actual footage from the surface of Mars, courtesy of NASA, before plunging from the top of the tower back to Earth, landing on the 50-yard line of NRG Stadium in time for Super Bowl LI. The area will also play part time home to some of Houston’s best food trucks.
NFL Experience Driven by Genesis
NFL Experience is pro football’s interactive theme park. This event offers fans a unique chance to get involved in the festivities surrounding Super Bowl LI, offering interactive games, youth football clinics, merchandise from NFL Shop, player autograph sessions and more. NFL Experience will be located in the heart of downtown Houston at the George R. Brown Convention Center.
Ditka & Jaws Cigars With the Stars
On February 2nd, Mike Ditka and Ron Jaworski will host Cigars with the Stars at the Irish Cowboy. This VIP Cigar Party features premium cigars from the industry’s top brands, single-malt scotch, and many football celebrities to keep you and your guests entertained throughout the evening. There will be a love performance from Electric Circus and a live painting performance by Frenchy. Celebrities expected at the event include Tony Dorsett, Emmitt Smith, LeSean McCoy, Trey Wingo, Dak Prescott, Mike Vick, Hines Ward, Rob Gronkowski, Chad Ochocinco, Aly Raisman and more.
Club Nomadic
Super Bowl week will be huge at Club Nomadic. The inaugural EA SPORTS Bowl kicks off the exclusive three-night event on February 2nd, with a one-of-a-kind lineup of musical performances and a celebrity tournament. The first night features Sam Hunt and The Chainsmokers. Friday ushers in a music and art festival, Art After Dark, headlined by Bruno Mars. Saturday February 4th is DIRECTV NOW Super Bowl Saturday Night at Nomadic.
DraftKings Antonio Brown Superslam Celebrity Basketball Game
The game will be played at the Joe K. Butler Sports Complex on February 3rd. Partial proceeds from the event will benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Houston. Fans will enjoy an electric atmosphere at the game as NFL superstars, Hollywood celebrities; music and reality stars come together for a fun filled game of hoops for a great cause. Participating celebrities include DJ Khaled, Tracy McGrady, Snoop Dogg, Jarvis Landry, Dee Gordon, Pierre Garcon, Marcellus Wiley, Stevie J and many more.
Athletes in Action Breakfast
The NFL-sanctioned Athletes in Action Super Bowl Breakfast has taken place in the Super Bowl host city every year since 1988, drawing sellout crowds to hear from some of sport’s biggest names. The Bart Starr Award, presented at the breakfast, honors Starr’s lifelong commitment to serving as a positive role model to his family, teammates and community. The winner of the Bart Starr Award is determined by NFL-player balloting at the end of the regular season, making it one of only two individual honors selected by the players themselves.
NFL Honors
The NFL Awards celebration takes place on February 4th. The NFL’s end of season awards are announced at this event, along with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2017 that will be inducted in July in Canton, Ohio.
The Players Tailgate
The Players Tailgate at the Super Bowl has earned the reputation as the best Super Bowl pre-game experience, where over 25 active NFL players, celebrities and guests eat, drink and get entertained before the big game. Described as a culinary experience in itself, The Players Tailgate features an open premium bar and all-you-can-eat dining with gourmet dishes. Celebrity Chef Guy Fieri will be the 2017 Players Tailgate chef.
Guests enjoy an indoor/outdoor pavilion lined with private tables and an abundance of soft white leather furniture where you can watch ESPN’s pre-game coverage broadcast on large LED monitors. It is an amazing experience for football fans young and old! The menu features a raw bar, BBQ butts and brisket, burgers, tacos, and more. NFL players expected at the tailgate include Landon Collins, Julius Thomas, Tyler Lockett, Jay Ajayi, Michael Bennett, Tyreek Hill, Spencer Ware, Carlos Hyde, and many more.
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As you can see, Houston has plenty to offer fans of both the Patriots and Falcons during Super Bowl week. Let’s just hope that the game is as exciting as the entertainment surrounding it!