Tampa Bay gearing up to keep Super Bowl visitors entertained

With Super Bowl XLIII barely a month away, Tampa Bay is preparing to kick off an action-packed lineup of spectacular events that promises to offer a super experience for all. Related events are sprinkled throughout the area, from the beaches to the bay and beyond.

“There is something for every visiting football fan to enjoy, from celebrity flag football games and outdoor concerts to high-end parties and kid-friendly events,” said Reid Sigmon, executive director for the Tampa Bay Super Bowl Host Committee. Even if you don’t have tickets to the big event on Feb. 1, there are plenty of ways to get in on the fun.

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Scott Ludlum / AJC Special

In Tampa Bay, host for Super Bowl XLIII, event planners are organizing a wide variety of activities throughout the city for visiting football fans. Among them are the interactive NFL Experience, the Super Bowl Gospel Celebration and the Legends of the Good Life charity gala.

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Carlton Ward Jr. / Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Super Bowl XLIII will be played in Tampa Bay’s Raymond James Stadium on Feb. 1. The city is setting up events and attractions for ticket holders and nonticket holders alike.

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Visit the official Web site of the Tampa Bay Super Bowl Host Committee at

• NFL Experience. Encompassing 850,000 square feet, the NFL Experience features more than 50 interactive games and attractions. Participants can run the 40-yard dash, try their luck at kicking the game-winning field goal, participate in free football clinics, listen in on NFL coaches’ chats, or get free autographs from some of their favorite stars. Super Bowl rings will be on display, along with the coveted Vince Lombardi Trophy. Jan. 24-Feb. 1, beside Raymond James Stadium, 4201 N. Dale Mabry Highway. $18.50 adults, $12.50 for children under 12. www.nfl.com/superbowl/43/events/nfl-experience

• NFLX After Dark. Young adults party down with a DJ and cheerleaders signing free autographs. 9 p.m. Jan. 29 at the NFL Experience. $10, 1-866-849-4635, www.ticketmaster.com.

• Super Bowl Gospel Celebration. Gospel artists including Marvin Sapp and Mary Mary join NFL players on stage to provide uplifting music and inspirational messages. 7:30-10:30 p.m. Jan. 30, USF Sun Dome, 4202 E. Fowler Ave. $25-$75, 813-974-3022, www.ticketmaster.com, www.superbowlgospel.com.

• Legends of the Good Life. Deion “Prime Time” Sanders and special guest Sean “P-Diddy” Combs host one of three creatively themed galas. Plenty of A-list celebrities are expected to attend. Doors open at 7 p.m. for VIP ticket holders who get to attend a celebrity meet and greet. General admission is at 11 p.m., when athletes will be escorted across the red carpet. Proceeds benefit the Winky Wright Foundation. Jan. 30, the Venue, 2675 Ulmerton Road, St. Petersburg. $200, VIP $500. 727-571-2222, www.goodlifeexperience.com.

• Super Bowl Breakfast. Attend the presentation of the prestigious 2009 Bart Starr Award. Those expected to attend include Bart Starr, Tony Dungy, Derrick Brooks, Anthony Munoz and other NFL players and coaches. 8-10:30 a.m. Jan. 31, USF Sun Dome, 4202 E. Fowler Ave. $20. 1-866-448-7849, www.ticketmaster.com, www.superbowlbreakfast.com.

• Taste of the NFL. Dine in style as top chefs from each NFL city — accompanied by an NFL player — prepare culinary specialties. Kevin Rathbun will represent the Falcons, along with Tommy Nobis, a member of the National Collegiate Hall of Fame. “Top Chef” himself, Tom Colicchio, will also be on hand. 6-11 p.m. Jan. 31, Tropicana Field, 1 Tropicana Drive, St. Petersburg, $500-$600, www.tasteofthenfl.com

• Club 009 Game Day Party. Get primed for the big game at the James Bond-themed Club 009 Pre-Game Party hosted by the legendary Jerry Rice. Located in a private airplane hangar three blocks from Raymond James Stadium, the party will provide guests with food, an open bar, big-screen TVs, a lounge and the opportunity to hobnob with Bond girls. Plus, attendees can participate in Chalk Talks led by Jess Palmer. For those without a ticket, the party is a good option. 1:30-4:30 p.m. Feb. 1, corner of West Tampa Bay Boulevard and North Lois Avenue, $495, www.club009party.com.

With an abundance of action-packed parties, attractions and celebrity charity events that will keep you running from one end of the Bay Area to the other, it will be easy to forget that the “big game” is actually taking place in Tampa. But rest assured, Super Bowl XLIII promises to live up to its reputation for being one of the world’s

greatest sporting spectacles when the top team in the NFC clashes with the top team in the AFC. So when you are back in Atlanta, bleary eyed and exhausted, you can take solace in knowing you experienced the very best that Tampa and Super Bowl XLIII had to offer, regardless of whether you went to the game — or even stayed awake to find out who won.