The Big Game returns to the Big Easy on Feb. 7–9 with two of the year's biggest, most star-studded events serving as the opening act to the gridiron drama.
Friday night, sports and entertainment's (literally) biggest crossover star gets the weekend started as Shaquille O'Neal opens the doors to Shaq's Fun House. Part carnival, part music festival, part circus, Shaq's Fun House delivers a one-of-a-kind multimedia experience where Bourbon Street jazz meets EDM, the big top meets hip-hop and you might meet any of the celebrities and VIPs that make the Fun House a can't-miss part of their Big Weekend.
Staged at Mardi Gras World, New Orleans sprawling and historic waterfront venue, Shaq's Fun House doubles down on the spirit of the city, offering new surprises around every corner—carnival rides, interactive circus performances, bayou-inspired fun foods, the House's (six-hour) open bar and oh yeah, the biggest dance party in the city. The Shaq-A-Licious brass band will be there to warm up the crowd NOLA style, while Beatbox will be debuting a sneak peek at a brand new launch, while Carnival will make sure fans are getting fed and having fun with its oversized carnival ride and dedicated food pop-up.
John Summit, Ludacris and of course DJ Diesel himself (aka Shaq) will be headlining the mainstage, with help from rising stars Myles O'Neal and DJ Irie. All the stars come out for a good time this big. In prior years you might have grabbed a drink with Travis Kelce, Adam Levine, Jamie Foxx, Diplo or Camille Kostek, or squared off in a carnival game against Rob Gronkowski, Patrick Mahomes, Reggie Bush or T-Pain. We don't know who you're going to bump into at this year's Fun House, but your Instagram followers will be duly impressed.
Candidly, Shaq's Fun House is already at 90% capacity, so if you're looking to buy tickets—or better yet, go in with some friends on a table—click those links and strap in for the weekend's wildest ride.
But the Fun House is only half the story. If Friday belongs to Shaq, Saturday Feb. 8 belongs to SI The Party.
SI has brought The Party to the Big Game for four years, each one bigger and better than the last. This time out is looking to blow all the others out of the bayou. SI The Party picks up where the Fun House left off, turning Mardi Gras World into the hottest, most exclusive club in the Central Time Zone. Co-headlined by Dom Dolla and Diplo, SI The Party is set to rage well into the night, delivering VIP treatment and A-list partiers until the house lights go up. In previous years, SI The Party has played host to A-listers like Justin and Hailey Bieber, Kim Kardashian, Kevin Hart, Jeff Bezos, Leonardo DiCaprio, Alex Rodriguez, Miles Teller and Machine Gun Kelly. And assuming Shaq isn't wiped out from his DJ Diesel set at the Fun House, we have a feeling the big guy might put in an appearance.
SI The Party is going to offer up best-in-class amenities at every turn: signature beverages from CELSIUS, Anheuser-Busch, Pepsi and Saint James Iced Tea; apparel from U.S. Polo Assn.; full wireless connectivity from Verizon. Club VIP and Wynn VIP Table options elevate the night even further, with features like a premium open bar, fast-track entry, bottle service, lounge furniture and premium restroom facilities. Fueled by the excitement and electricity of the next day's Big Game, SI The Party is going to be pulsing with the energy of the hottest music, the coldest drinks and the unique spirit of America's most distinctive city.
“From the very beginning, our goal has been to create the best experiences at the world’s biggest sports stages,” said Matt Goldstein, EVP of Entertainment and Special Projects at Authentic Brands Group, Sports Illustrated's parent company. He continued, "We've built SI The Party into a must-attend event, where sports and culture converge in a celebration that is second to none. With New Orleans as our backdrop and our unparalleled lineup of talent, this will be the most exciting SI The Party yet.”
So, your calendar is set: Friday is Shaq; Saturday is The Party; Sunday is the Big Game. If there's one drawback, it's that when it's all done, you'll be looking back on the best weekend of the year—and it's still only February. Tickets are going fast for both events, so get yourself to shaqsfunhouse.com and sitheparty.com before they're gone.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Can the Big Game Weekend Get Any Bigger? .
