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Super Bowl excitement in the South Bay
While many of the major NFL events have been taking place in San Francisco, there’s also plenty going on leading up to Sunday’s game in the South Bay. In front of San Jose City Hall, on Santa Clara Street, a big stage is going up for what is being called the "Big Game Block Party" on Friday evening.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - While many of the major NFL events have been taking place in San Francisco, there’s also plenty going on leading up to Sunday’s game in the South Bay.
Block party
What we know:
In front of San Jose City Hall, on Santa Clara Street, a big stage is going up for what is being called the "Big Game Block Party" on Friday evening. It will be headlined by newly-minted Grammy Award winner, and Oakland native, Kehlani.
Barack Obama Boulevard, just to the south of SAP Center, does not normally host a band and people out enjoying food and beer on a Thursday afternoon. A block party is being held here on both Thursday and Friday and is open to all Super Bowl visitors and local residents alike.
"The city is busier. There is a lot of hype for it, a lot of excitement, a lot of energy for sure," said Derek Tam, co-owner of the Hapas Brewing Company, which is sponsoring the event along with several neighboring businesses.
Some fans are opting to stay closer to the big game itself in Santa Clara or San Jose as opposed to San Francisco.
What they're saying:
Seahawks fan Liam Fahey said: "We wanted to check out the local scene. I heard there was a brewery. I like beer. So I am down – music and beer. This is awesome," Fahey said.
Bob Cryder is Fahey’s father-in-law and has actually played for both the Patriots and the Seahawks over 10 years in the NFL. He says it is a "win-win" situation for him no matter which team actually wins the game. "I played for the Patriots for six years and the Seahawks for four years. I played for both teams. There are about 50 of us who are still alive that played for those teams," Cryder said.
At the NFL fan gear pop-up in San Pedro Square, merchandise is flying off the shelves. Shop manager Henry Michaels said he has seen more fans – and felt more energy – with every passing day. "High spirits, people are having fun. This is a place to come over and have fun," Michaels said.
While the shop is drawing fans from both the Seahawks and the Patriots, it is also bringing in plenty of locals. Heather Ochoa is going to Sunday’s game but is actually a Kansas City Chiefs fan.
"We have been watching the season keeping our fingers crossed, and so we have been trying to figure out whether we are going or not and we decided, yes, we are going to have fun because it is football and we love football," Ochoa said.
Super Bowl and safety
There’s also another side to the Super Bowl buildup — plenty of security around the official team hotels and some street closures in the downtown area. Local transit agencies are also gearing up with the Valley Transportation Authority, planning to have more than 100 "ambassadors" on platforms to help fans get where they are going. "They really like that in-person interaction. I have received a lot of positive feedback that we are here on busy days – it is one less thing for them to worry about," said Andrea Toledo, one of the ambassadors.
In addition to the Kehlani concert outside City Hall on Friday, San Pedro Square is hosting what is called a "Superfest" beginning Friday night. Under San Jose’s new entertainment zone policy, you will be able to bring alcohol sold by local businesses outside of designated areas.