For you non-sports fans who could careless that the New England Patriots are trying to make NFL history by going undefeated this season—newsflash— Super Bowl XLII is taking place in Phoenix, Arizona this year and by all accounts the first parties get underway in about 24 hours.
For those of you lucky football fans who have secured tickets to the NFL’s biggest game and know little about the Super Bowl’s host city this blog might come in very handy.
FOOD
The Super Bowl is one of biggest sporting events in the world, but there is one thing that most football fans love as much as watching grown men chase after pigskin shaped in a sphere—FOOD. If you had enough money to drop on tickets to the game then you probably won’t have a problem parting with $500 to get a ticket for this year’s Taste of the NFL. The culinary celebration takes place on February 2nd and raises money to fight hunger. More than 35 chefs representing cities with NFL teams will cook up unique regional dishes. The annual food-and-wine fest will also feature live entertainment and an auction.
If you can’t spare 500 bucks to dine on fancy dishes consider heading over to Glendale, Arizona–home of the state-of-the-art University of Phoenix Stadium–where the NFL showdown will take place. The city moved up its annual Glendale Chocolate Affaire so football fans and chocoholics can devour rich confections made by local chocolatiers. The event takes place February 1-2 and will also feature a 300-pound chocolate football, which will be raffled off at the end of festival.
MUSIC
Football fans with money to burn will get the chance to see the big dogs perform in a host of outdoor concerts. Specifically, rapper Snoop Dogg and other big name acts including Kid Rock and Sean “Diddy” Combs.
Puffy Daddy, Diddy, Puff, Puffy, or whatever he’s going by these days will perform January 31st outside of Axis Radius club. The same club will host concerts for the Anheuser-Busch Bud Bowl, which will feature Snoop Dogg on February 1st and Kid Rock on February 2nd. Tommy Lee and Dave Navarro are slated to perform at a block party for club e4 on February 2nd.
For those of you looking for more affordable shows you’ll need to head indoors:
On January 26th the FREE Super Fiesta takes place in Phoenix at the Dodge Theater. The Latin music fest will feature performances by Mexican rock singer Alejandra Guzman and others.
On January 31st the two-night Pepsi Smash Super Bowl Concert Series will get underway at Jobing.com Arena next door to the University of Phoenix stadium. The first night will feature performances by Mary J. Blige and Maroon 5 and on February 1st Mexican pop group RBD will take the stage.
Also on February 1st singer Patti LaBelle will headline the 9th Annual Super Bowl Gospel Celebration at Symphony Hall in Phoenix.
And on February 2nd budget conscious visitors can enjoy a free concert and fireworks at “Super Bowl Saturday Night” at Tempe Town Lake in Tempe, home of Arizona State University.
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