Whether you were rooting for the Atlanta Falcons or New England Patriots, Super Bowl 51 buzzed with the hottest athletes and over-the-top parties in Houston, Texas. Check out our roundup of the hottest people, parties and places at Super Bowl 51.
By: Aphua Larbi-Amoah
EA SPORTS Bowl
The annual staple party of Super Bowl weekend, EA SPORTS Bowl, kicked off in Houston. The night featured special musical performances by Sam Hunt, The Chainsmokers and Snoop Dogg. Celebs in attendance included Eric Berry who defend his title as “Madden NFL Champion” after defeating Dak Prescott in the finals of the Madden NFL 17 tournament. Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson tied with rapper 2 Chainz in their FIFA 17 head to head.
Photo Credit: EA Sports
DIRECTV NOW Super Saturday Night
DIRECTV NOW Super Saturday Night, which was held at Club Nomadic, has become known as the crown jewel of parties leading up to the Big Game. Taylor Swift headlined her first DIRECTV with AT&T. The superstar captivated the audience with her performances including I Don’t Wanna Live Forever, Better Man, Bad Blood, and All Too Well. Prior to Taylor Swift taking the stage, Ruby Rose amped up the crowd and hit the turntables as the DJ. Among those in attendance included Adrian Grenier, Alex Rodriguez, Chris Evans, Common, Diplo, Eli Manning, Jeremy Renner, Vince Vaughn, Shaquille O’Neal, Simone Biles and many more.
Credit: Getty Images for DIRECTV
Rolling Stones Live & Wheels Up Super Saturday Tailgate
As part of the biggest weekend in sports, Mercedes-Benz sponsored two of the hottest, most exclusive parties in Houston on Saturday –Rolling Stones Live & Wheels Up Super Saturday Tailgate. The brand welcomed some of the most notable names in sports and entertainment including Jon Hamm, Adrian Grenier, Nene Keaks, Odell Beckham Jr., Jameis Winston, Nas, Chanel Iman and Ray Lewis. At both parties, athletes and celebs had the chance to check out best-in-class Mercedes-Benz vehicles including the Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster and Mercedes-AMG C63 Coupe. At Rolling Stones Live, attendees were also able to create their own vehicle designs, and see them come to life with a 3D Projection Mapping system on-site.
ESPN The Party
ESPN hosted its 13th annual Super Bowl event, ESPN The Party in a 65,000 square foot warehouse located just outside the Arts District in downtown Houston. In conjunction with the release of ESPN The Magazine’s Super Bowl Preview Issue, the event featured a special live performance by multi-platinum selling, eight-time Grammy award-winning solo artist and vocalist Fergie, along with music by award-winning recording artist, producer and business mogul DJ Khaled. Other celebs in attendance included Anthony Anderson, Tim Tebow, Victor Cruz, Adrian Peterson and Ludacris.
The MAXIM Super Bowl Party
The MAXIM Super Bowl Party, presented by Thomas J. Henry and produced by Karma International, was held at the Smart Financial Centre. The exclusive affair featuring hip hop recording artist Travis Scott, DNCE, and a deejay set by DJ Khaled. Celebs in attendance included Fergie, Ludacris, Kendra Wilkinson, Hank Baskett, Nick Cannon, Adrienne Bailon, Chace Crawford and many more. Guest sipped specialty cocktails provided by Absolut Elyx and Tequila Avíon and noshed on Max’s Wine Dive, while indulging in delightful deserts provided by Sprinkles Cupcakes, macarons by Patisse and Frost 321 Spiked Ice Cream. The silent auction added a charitable component, where proceeds benefitted the Tree Media Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to educating the public on environmental issues.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
THE GIVING BACK FUND 8TH ANNUAL “BIG GAME BIG GIVE”
The Giving Back Fund held its 8th annual Super Bowl charity event, Big Game Big Give, which was emceed by David Schwimmer and featured a performance by Common at the estate of the Lisa and Michael Holthouse in Houston. The evening included a celebrity poker tournament presented by BBO Poker Tables and hosted by Michael Phelps, Jamie Gold and Rob Riggle. The Giving Back Fund raised more than $1 million for its non-profit organization, which encourages and facilitates charitable giving by professional athletes, celebrities, high net worth individuals and others who desire to give back.
Planet New Era Super Bowl Party
Hip-hop megastars Migos, 2 Chainz and Lil Uzi Vert headlined New Era Cap’s Planet New Era Super Bowl LI Party. The invite-only party took place at Vrsi in Houston and was DJ’d by DJ Ace and hosted by Houston native and hip-hop artist Bun B. Migos performed a packed set including Bad & Boujee, T-Shirt, Casting Call and Emmit Smith. 2 Chainz performed classics including I’m Different, No Lie, Watch Out, and Birthday Song. Other celebs in attendance included Brandon Marshall, Emmitt Smith, Le’Veon Bell, Jameis Winston, Matt Forte and Guy Fieri.
