2016 St. Petersburg Bowl Events: What To Know Before You Go

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – The southern end of Pinellas County will be filled with tons of cheer and revelry between Dec. 24 and Dec. 26, with the events surrounding the 2016 St. Petersburg Bowl.

From enjoying the beach and the sounds of marching bands, to the big game itself between Mississippi State and Miami University (OH), there are several events for residents and visitors to enjoy before the St. Pete Bowl at Tropicana Field.

Here’s what fans and fellow fun-seekers need to know before you go to the events surrounding the 2016 St. Petersburg Bowl.

Fill the Bowl 2016

The two teams participating in the 2016 St. Petersburg Bowl will participate in Fill the Bowl on Thursday, Dec. 22 2 to 4 p.m. at the Vinoy Resort, 501 Fifth Ave. NE in St. Petersburg. Fill the Bowl supports the Feeding America Tampa Bay and two Boys & Girls Clubs organizations in the Tampa Bay area with their Back Pack program.

The program provides backpacks filled with 6 pounds of healthy, kid-friendly, nonperishable, easy-to-prepare food to children who are homeless or low-income. The backpacks are distributed to children on Friday to help with their nutritional needs over the weekend.

Players from Mississippi State and Miami will compete against each other to see who can fill the most backpacks for the Back Pack program during the Fill the Bowl event. Organizers hope to fill thousands of backpacks during the two hours.

Click here to donate to the 2016 Fill the Bowl event for the St. Pete Bowl.

St. Pete Bowl Beach Bash 2016

Madeira Beach will host a fun-filled day at the beach for the teams, coaches and students, where fans can see interactive games, activities, friendly competition and live music. The Madeira Beach Bash will take place Saturday, Dec. 24 starting at noon. Madeira Beach is located along Gulf Boulevard in the town of Madeira Beach.

St. Pete Bowl Battle of the Bands 2016

While most white Christmases involve freezing temperatures, the 2016 St. Petersburg Bowl’s Christmas will be on the white sands of St. Pete Beach. On Sunday, Dec. 25 from 2:30 to 5 p.m., the Mississippi State and Miami marching bands will go head-to-head in a musical battle on the beach behind the Sirata Beach Resort, 5300 Gulf Boulevard.

In addition to sharing their music, the band members will face off in tug-of-war, flag football, an inflatable boxing ring and more.

St. Petersburg Bowl Block Party 2016

The party will continue into Christmas night at the most famous sports hang-out in St. Petersburg: Ferg’s Sports Bar. The Bowl Block Party will celebrate Mississippi State and Miami in the shadow of Tropicana Field, where fans will enjoy live music and interactive games.

2016 St. Pete Bowl tickets and merchandise will be available during the event, plus plenty of food and drinks. Special discounts will also be offered by area merchants.

Ferg’s is located at 1320 Central Ave., and the event begins at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 25.

St. Petersburg Bowl Fan Tailgate Extravaganza 2016

Before the Bulldogs and the RedHawks kick off in the 2016 St. Pete Bowl, Ferg’s Sports Bar will be the place to party during the Fan Tailgate Extravaganza. Fans are invited to join the festivities on Monday, Dec. 26 from 8:30 to 10: 30 a.m. for a party for all ages featuring a Game Day interactive area.

Food and drinks will be available for purchase.

For more information, visit http://www.stpetersburgbowl.co....

Image and video via Olivia Stacey, YouTube