American Football
Excitement is building in Northern California as the San Francisco Bay Area gears up for Super Bowl 50, which will be held at Levi’s Stadium on 7 February 2016. Here’s a quick guide to the top 10 pre-game events.
Super Bowl 50 will be held at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on Sunday 7 February 2016. It will be the 2nd Super Bowl to be held in the San Francisco Bay Area and the 12th Super Bowl to be held in California. The first Super Bowl was held in Los Angeles in 1967.
The Super Bowl returns to its California roots this year, and it couldn’t be more appropriate as California is the Golden State, and 2016 represents the Super Bowl’s Golden Jubilee.
While the Super Bowl itself will be held at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, which is 45 miles south of San Francisco, most of the festivities will be held in San Francisco, which is promising to make this the biggest and best Super Bowl ever.
A few pre-game events will be held in the South Bay cities of Santa Clara and San Jose. Smaller events will be held at venues across the region.
Here’s a short list of some of the highest profile events in chronological order.
Super Bowl City
Highlighting the best the Bay Area has to offer, Super Bowl City will run from 30 January to 7 February 2016.
Super Bowl City will be spread across of host of venues along lower Market Street and the San Francisco waterfront along the Embarcadero (see map above).
There will be cultural performances, locally grown foods, and NFL themed activities. Headline acts will include Alicia Keys, Matt Nathanson, OneRepublic, and The Band Perry.
Admission to Super Bowl City will be free.
NFL Experience
Running concurrently with Super Bowl City at Moscone Center, the NFL Experience will be an inter-active fan theme park. Despite the fact Hyundai secured naming rights for the NFL Experience, don’t expect to get in free.
Admission is a cool US$35 for adults and US$25 for children. Whew!!!
Saturday Night Lights
On 30 January, the Bay Lights on the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge will be re-lit, Chris Isaak will perform, and a spectacular fireworks display will light up the skies over San Francisco Bay.
Super Bowl Opening Party
Held on 1 February at SAP Center in San Jose, Super Bowl Opening Night will be the first official media day for players and coaches of the Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos.
ESPN Super Bowl Party
Nick Jonas and D-Nice will perform at the ESPN Super Bowl Party at Festival Pavilion at Fort Mason in San Francisco on Friday 5 January.
Playboy Super Bowl Party
DJ and producer Alesso and surprise guests will entertain fans at the Playboy Super Bowl Party, which will be held on Friday 5 January in the parking lots of AT&T Park in San Francisco.
Bleacher Ball
Zac Brown Band will headline Bleacher Report’s Bleacher Ball on Saturday 6 January at the Mezzanine in San Francisco.
Rolling Stone Magazine Super Bowl Party
Held at the San Francisco Design Center on Saturday 6 January, the Rolling Stone Magazine Super Bowl Party will feature performances by Avicii, Travis Scott, and Elle King.
Super Bowl Maxim Party
The Maxim Party 2016 will be held on Saturday 6 February on Treasure Island, which is located half-way between San Francisco and Oakland at the mid-way point of the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge.
2016 Players Tailgate
On Super Bowl Sunday, the 2016 Players Tailgate will be held in the parking lots of the Santa Clara Convention Center and California’s Great America. Expect lots of celebrities, lots of food, and lots of people. This will be one of Super Bowl Week’s biggest events.