Celebrate the Bold North™

“Simply Central” to Big Game Events and Attractions

Whether you plan on attending or merely soaking up the action, Bloomington, Minnesota is the perfect spot for your Big Game getaway!

On Feb. 4, 2018, less than 15 minutes away from Bloomington, the crowds will be screaming in U.S. Bank Stadium as the biggest football game of the year kicks off. However, it’s not just about the hour of game time. The Minnesota Super Bowl LII Host Committee is kicking off a full experience before and after the game, and the city of Bloomington, MN provides one you’ll never forget.

With its close access to transportation and both downtown Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Bloomington is “simply central,” and its proximity to Bold North festivities is no different. Plus, Bloomington is home to Mall of America® and 43 hotels all just minutes from MSP Airport, Minneapolis and Saint Paul.

Mall of America is transforming into football fan central during the week of the Big Game. Local and international media will set up shop in the Fan Gallery, and some of the world's most recognizable

Score! by Daily Tous Les Jours featured at Illuminate South Loop brands are hosting promotions all over the Mall. On Level 1 North, visit the Bloomington Bold North Experience to enter to win daily cold cash and a grand prize $1000 Mall of America VISA® gift card, then make a Bold North memory in the Minnesota photo zone and share your fan photo with friends.

Mall of America's Fan Guide provides a listing and map of all the once-in-a-lifetime activities fans of all ages will enjoy. Watch interviews with your favorite celebrities, athletes, coaches and alumni during live broadcasts with SiriusXM. Swing by the MTN DEW® ICE BOX for samples, charging stations, game of ICE air hockey or just chill in the lounge. Best Buy® Tech Zone will bring the game to life with 4K TVs and hard-hitting sound. Check out the Fan Guide for more great Bold North activities at Mall of America.

Illuminate South Loop
February 1 - 3, 2018
Bloomington invites you to an outdoor winter art experience. Illuminate South Loop is a three-day event that will showcase

interactive art installations and performances produced by local and international artists. Come enjoy the creativity, a warm drink, and local fare served around a bonfire.

Hyland Hills Winter Fest
February 2 - 3, 2018
Hyland Hills Ski Area is hosting a weekend of fun activities to celebrate the Bold North's big game. At the Hyland Hills Winter Fest, enjoy fire pits, freestyle ski competitions, vote on your favorite soup at the Soup Bowl, and listen to a live DJ while you hit the slopes.

Super Bowl LIVE presented by Verizon
January 26 - February 4, 2018
Take a 20-minute ride on the METRO Blue Line light rail from the Mall of America up to Minneapolis’ Nicollet Mall station, headquarters of Super Bowl LIVE presented by Verizon. For 10 days leading up to the big event, six blocks of the newly renovated mall Super Bowl Live downtown Minneapolis, MN

Ice Palace at the Saint Paul Winter Carnival will be full of free events and everything that we Minnesotans love. Larger than life ice sculptures, life-size snow globes and a heated football “warming bench” will line the walkways for selfies galore, national networks will broadcast live from the party, and local and national acts will be playing at the Verizon Up Stage at Ice Mountain. The host committee even signed on the legendary Minnesota music duo Jerry Jam and Terry Lewis, who have the most Billboard No. 1 hits than any other songwriting and production team, as the music ambassadors. Each day will end with Native American dancers “drumming down the sun,” and a brilliant multimedia light show extravaganza that brings the aurora borealis to town.

Super Bowl Experience driven by Genesis
January 27 - February 3, 2018
With Nicollet Mall and Super Bowl LIVE as the entry point, you can explore the rest of the excitement around the city. A free NFL fan dome will be over Peavey Plaza, and the Super Bowl Experience driven by Genesis, which is an NFL interactive theme park, will flank the Minneapolis Convention Center. Tickets on sale now at Ticketmaster.com.

The Great Northern presented by Target
While you’re up around the metro, check out the Great Northern Festival, which spans both Twin Cities. There are few things more Minnesotan than our U.S. Pond Hockey Championships on Minneapolis’ Lake Nokomis or the City of Lakes Loppet Ski Festival, and snow and ice sculpting contests, parades, free ice skating and more help make up the many events of the Saint Paul Winter Carnival. This year, visitors will experience a true frozen wonder, Ice Palace 2018 will be an awe-inspiring 70-foot tall Ice Palace in the heart of Rice Park. Up in the Bold North, we love our winters, and we want to show you why.

You can get to both downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul without ever needing a car because of Bloomington’s public transportation hub, so getting to the Super Bowl festivities and the Great Northern is a breeze. At the end of the day, though, the city’s 40-plus hotels offer you respite from the traffic and commotion of downtown. However, if you look around Bloomington itself, you’ll find that this 85,000-person city has the Minnesotan spirit that the Super Bowl’s Bold North is trying to capture. Check out Bloomington’s award-winning dining, its vibrant arts and performance center, family friendly excursions at places like The Works museum and Vertical Endeavors, and Minnesota outdoor delights at the 14,000 acres of the Minnesota Wildlife Valley Refuge and Hyland Hills Park Reserve and Ski Area.

Celebrating the Super Bowl in its host state is often a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so get your state pride on with Minnesota Made items, scope out the best sports bars for your seat to the game, or give yourself the luxury treatment in between the hustle and bustle. The Super Bowl is in the Bold North this year, and you can access the best of it right from Bloomington, Minnesota.