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NFL Experience at Curtis Hixon Park opens
Brionna Arradondo reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - Not everyone can get into the free events at Julian B. Lane Park, so hundreds of fans showed up for the first night of the NFL Super Bowl experience at Curtis Hixon Park Friday.
The activities at Curtis Hixon Park do not require a ticket, just a face mask and temperature check to get in.
"It’s beautiful here tonight. It’s really not chilly at all and we’re just really looking forward to hanging out here as a group from Buffalo," said Janice Pichette of Buffalo, NY.
The party to celebrate Super Bowl LV hit full blast Friday night with many Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans showing off their pride. Hundreds of fans walked around for the NFL’s Super Bowl experience that doesn’t require tickets.
"It’s something surreal. I can’t believe it that we made it to the Super Bowl," said Carlos Morales of Tampa, who has been a Bucs fan for 20 years. "Enjoy the moment, enjoy the experience. We don’t know when it’s going to be the next time that the Bucs are going to go to the Super Bowl."
There are vendors, music, food trucks and photo ops at a sand sculpture and more around the park. As a snowbird traveler from New York to Florida, Pichette said she and her friends have their eyes on Tom Brady.
"He’s been in the Super Bowl for so many years in New England which was a nemesis of ours forever, buffalo, and now he’s here in Tampa and he’s going to another super bowl and we’re just happy to see him make them such a competitive team," said Pichette.
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Showing your team spirit can also be artistic. During the next week, fans can make their mark on a graffiti art piece created by New York artist Ivan Piedra.
"A lot of times we keep it black and white, and we let people fill it in," said Piedra, of AGNYC Productions, who said the art will be filled in live during the fan experience. "By the time it’s done, everybody’s signed it. But we’ll through some color on it, and there’s going to be a new one every day."
Fans said they want to soak up every experience in the Super Bowl journey.
"Hopefully, we win next week and continue winning next year," said Morales.
The free non-ticketed NFL Super Bowl experience at Curtis Hixon Park and the Riverwalk will be open all weekend long for fans.
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