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Monday, January 30, 2012

FYI: Super Bowl is Coming to Indy!


For the last year or so, we've all been watching the countdown clocks all around town.  We've waited through construction, which had different roads closed each day.  We've seen glimpses of all the changes being made inside buildings to prepare for private parties as well as big public events. 

The time has come for us to finally get to see what it was all for (and to cry that our struggling Colts couldn't be playing).  

Hubby and I took the kids downtown yesterday afternoon to see what there was to see.  We spent three hours downtown, only spending money on parking and dinner.   (We wouldn't have had to pay for parking if my big ol' van wasn't too tall for Hubby's parking garage.)  There are plenty of things to do which require some cash, such as the NFL Experience, but we never even made it to that side of town.  

Here's a glimpse into our afternoon.  Keep in mind, six kids, a busy public place, and good photos do not go together.   If the kids are in the photo, they won't stay for long.  If the kids aren't in the photo, you only have a few seconds before you have to put the camera down and count heads.

First, you can't have an Indianapolis event without race cars.  (The Indy500, greatest spectacle in racing, is held here!)  There was a car for each NFL team. 


We found some impersonators.


Clearly that is not Elmo.  He would never be caught dead in such raggy fur and a head on sideways.  But the three year old didn't know the difference, so all is well.

We were astounded by the number of volunteers.  They weren't hard to find, either.  Each had an iPad and a blue and white, hand-knitted scarf, ready and willing to help the lost and confused.



Even the church, smack dab in the middle of the main party drag was getting into the action.


They were also offering extra mass and confession times.  How funny is that?

There is a zip line up just for these two weeks.  The kids aren't old enough to do it, but we had fun watching all of the crazy people flying over our heads.



I don't know if you've heard, but Indy is rather freezing cold this time of year.  Good for the ice sculptures...


not so much the people.

The planners were ready for the cold.  There were plenty of options for folks to warm up, besides the outdoor bars.

There was a mini football field, where you could warm up by playing a game or two.



Also, a department store was turned into a food court and play/shopping area.

We warmed up while we ate,

and threw a ball at the targets.


And if that weren't enough, there were heaters placed around town, so you could warm like a fast-food burger.


There was a dome which practically begged you to come in and play Xbox games.  We don't have and Xbox, and we were cold, so we gave it a try.



And to end the evening, a free concert.  Actually, there are free concerts every night, with some big name bands on the agenda.


I have no idea which band this is, but we had a good time listening and dancing.



We won't be going to any of the parties, let alone the game.  But we are glad to have had the chance to see what an event like this is like.  The kids said, over and over again, that it certainly didn't seem like downtown Indy.  They thought it was more like Disney World. 

Now, if Hubby can make it through the traffic jams and get home in time for dinner each day, I'll say I'm glad the Super Bowl came to town.

Enjoy the game!  (or at least the commercials :)





22 comments:

  1. Cool! I'm so glad you had a chance to take your family to see all the fun! We half thought about taking the boys. But my husband hates crowds. We would have enjoyed seeing the cars, though. Thank you so much for sharing your pictures!

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  2. What a neat thing to do with your family! I will probably never get near the Superbowl, so was fun to read about all the hype. Finding you here via TALU.

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    1. It was fun. I'm glad that we had the chance to see it for ourselves.
      Thanks for visiting!

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  3. Sounds like a fun time was had by all! So nice you and the family got to partake in all the festivities.

    On an unrelated note, I just realized I had never added myself as a follower here. Shameful! I hope we can still be friends.

    Thanks for linking up with the TALU!

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    1. Well, let me pout for a bit, and then we can be friends again. :)

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  4. That sounds like a lot of fun we left Jacksonville, FL the summer before the super bowl was going to be there. They were already having events left and right. Wow and I can't imagine it being cold enough for an ice sculpture to just be on display without melting. That's a cold I don't know. TALU

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    1. I really wish I didn't know that kind of cold, either.

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  5. Awesome and even though I am not a football fan this looked like fun. I probably to won't ever get close enough to the Superbowl, but it was truly fun to take a tour with you and your pictures here :) TALU

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    1. I'm glad you liked it. The experience was much better than I thought it would be. We almost didn't go.

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  6. How fun!! My favorite pic is the one of your son and his hot dog that looks like it is his smile! LOL. So cute. My kids would SO be digging the zip line. Aren't you glad all that hoopla isn't back this year?? TALU

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    1. My kids were wanting to ride it so badly. We would have let them, too. It was only $10 per ride!
      Actually, now that everything is built, I wouldn't mind having it back. The week before the game was a lot of fun. It was the year before, during the construction that was a big fat pain.

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  7. Great look at some of the ancillary events that take place around a major event like the Super Bowl. TALU

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    1. Glad you liked it. And thanks for stopping by!

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  8. Looks like you had a Great Time!! I have never experienced the hoopla of the Super Bowl Experience, but it looks like it was fun! Being from WI, and a huge Pack fan, I have been to home games and that was crazy enough for me:) TALU!

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  9. Ha, threw me for a second there ... I don't follow football, except for the occasional Superbowl, but I thought I had just heard last night that it was in New Orleans again. Forgot this was an Archive link and this post wasn't one from today. ;) Sounds like fun was had by all - now you make me wish I had payed more attention to what was going on when the Superbowl was in New Orleans and I lived so dang close! I got so programmed to steer clear of all the traffic and craziness during Mardi Gras that I automatically stayed away. :(

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    1. I completely understand your hesitation to enjoy the festivities. We almost didn't go, worried that it would be too much. I'm glad we went, though. It was run very well.

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  10. That sounds like so much fun! The "extra mass and confession" thing cracked me up. Also, Elmo with his raggy fur and sideways head- ha! Great memories, I bet!

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    1. That church had me rolling. The confession times and the "get your photo with the pope" ideas were my favorites.
      We won't forget the experience any time soon.

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  11. Wow I bet that was fun - what great memories. Our town is so small I doubt we would ever have something that big, right in our back yard. (talu)

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  12. That looks like a great time! I'm kind of jealous!
    TALU

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    1. Would it help to tell you that despite the warm-up spots, we did freeze our rear ends right off? Thanks for stopping by!

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