Your guide to the Music City Bowl fan events

Coming to Nashville for the Music City Bowl? There will be plenty of events throughout the week leading up to the game, so come down early to party with the BBN. Here’s the schedule of fan events:

Tuesday, December 26

3 – 4 p.m.: Teams arrive at Opryland

Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, 2800 Opryland Drive 

Kentucky rolls into town on Tuesday, so if you’re already in the area, come to Opryland to greet them. Make a day of it by checking out the hotel’s famous Christmas decorations and lights or taking the kids to the ICE attraction. This year’s theme is “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

7 – 10 p.m.: Bowl Welcome Party, Songwriting Contest, and Hot Chicken Eating Contest

Wildhorse Saloon, 120 2nd Avenue North; Invitation only

Once the teams get settled in the hotel, it’s off to downtown for the official welcome party. Five players from each team will participate in a songwriting contest AND a hot chicken eating contest. I nominate Matt Elam. There will also be a round of Coaches Karaoke. Maybe Mark Stoops can get some singing tips from Toby Keith?

Wednesday, December 27

8 – 9 p.m.: Global Force Wrestling Event (Players Party)

Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, 2800 Opryland Drive 

As Drew mentioned last week, the players are invited to a Global Force Wrestling event Wednesday night, although whether or not this event happens is still uncertain because the company may no longer exist. The event is still listed on the Music City Bowl website, so stay tuned.

Thursday, December 28

10:15 – 11:15 a.m.: Coaches press conference

Gaylord Opryland Hotel — Ryman Ballroom, 2800 Opryland Drive

Stoops and Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald will hold a joint press conference at the team hotel Thursday morning.

11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.: Coaches Luncheon

Gaylord Opryland Hotel — Tennessee Ballroom, 2800 Opryland Drive

Fans can purchase tickets to the coaches luncheon, which will feature comments from Stoops and Fitzgerald. The pep band, cheerleaders, and mascot will also be in attendance.

12 – 9 p.m.: Fan Zone opens on Broadway

Broadway will be shut down on Thursday and Friday for a block party, which includes concerts, activities for kids, and a live-fire cooking area featuring some of Nashville’s best chefs. I’m all in on that.

4 p.m.: World Hot Chicken Eating Championships

1st and Broadway

How much hot chicken can you eat in eight minutes?

There’s a Hot Chicken Eating Contest before the Music City Bowl

5 – 8 p.m.: Battle of the Bands featuring Champagne Dynamite

Broadway

If you can only attend one event, make it the Battle of the Bands Thursday night. Kentucky and Northwestern’s bands and cheerleaders will square off on Broadway, playing four or five songs each. Afterwards, a band called Champagne Dynamite will perform (Google tells me they’re a very popular wedding band).

Here’s the event back in 2009:

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Friday, December 29

10 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.: Fan Zone opens on Broadway

Grab a mimosa and brace yourself for a busy day.

11:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.: Kentucky Pep Rally

Broadway

Cheer the team on as they head to the stadium before the game.

1 – 2:30 p.m.: Pregame Concert featuring Two Story Road

Broadway

Mitch Barnhart said that’s he’s working on a way for UK fans to be able to watch the Louisville game in Nashville, which hopefully means they’ll set up some big TVs in the Fan Zone on Broadway. No offense, Two Story Road, I’m sure you’re a nice band and all, but all Kentucky fans will care about from noon to 2 p.m. on Friday is basketball.

8 – 9:30 p.m.: Postgame Concert featuring Resurrection

Broadway

One way or the other, Broadway will be wild Friday night. The Fan Zone will still be open and Journey tribute band Resurrection takes the stage at 8 p.m.:

Yacht rock lovers rejoice!

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