Jackson Free Press

What better way to spend Super Bowl Sunday than with an abundance of beer, bar food and emotionally charged football fanatics?

Many local bars and restaurants are capitalizing on the New Orleans Saints' first Super Bowl appearance Sunday, by offering food and drink specials, giveaways and large screens for viewing.

The Auditorium (622 Duling Ave., 601-982-0002) is usually closed Sundays, but will stay open until the game is over. The Auditorium stayed open for the last two Saints games, and this is their first Super Bowl celebration.

"We're all such Saints fans here, that about two games ago we all decided that we wanted to watch it (the game), and the best place we could think to watch it was up on our screen," says Auditorium front house manager Jennifer Breaux. "We decided we'd open up and let everyone else come, too."

The Auditorium, which seats about 250 people, will show the game on a 15-foot screen, with sound piped through their stage speakers.

Sunday night, the venue will have a special New Orleans-inspired menu, complete with muffulettas, shrimp and seafood loaves, hot wings and chocolate chip ice cream cookies.

Although she is a Saints fan, Breaux says that Colts fans are welcome as well.

It is not unusual for the Sportsman's Lodge (1220 E. Northside Drive, 601-366-5441) to host a Super Bowl party. This year, owner Chris Jacobs says their annual Super Bowl extravaganza is "a big 'Go Saints' party." Like Breaux, he is personally rooting for the Saints but is welcoming of Colts fans.

The Sportsman's Lodge will show the game outside in the parking lot on a 365-square-foot screen, which is bigger than their building.

Fans watching the game inside the bar will not miss any of the game or the commercials. Inside the bar, they have 20 flat-screen TVs, including in the restrooms.

According to Jacobs, the Super Bowl extravaganza at the Sportsman's Lodge usually draws in a couple hundred fans. Jacobs is hopeful, but unsure, about this year's attendance.

"With the Saints being in, a lot of people are throwing home parties," Jacobs says. "The worse the teams, the better for the bars."

Fenian's Pub (901 E. Fortification St.) is having a "when your team scores, we pour" drink special.

"Every time your particular team scores, we're buying customers a free 12-ounce Miller Light draft," says server Eumeka Martin.

Saints and Colts fans should both find themselves welcomed at Fenian's during the big game.

"We're gonna try to keep it as non-partisan as possible," Martin says.

Other local Super Bowl events:

Alumni House (574 Hwy. 51, Ridgeland 601-605-9903): Serving Hurricane drinks and discount gumbo.

Last Call Sports Grill (1428 Old Square Road 601-713-2700): Caribbean cruise raffle, drink and wing specials and Budweiser giveaways.

Pizza Shack ( 1220 N. State St. 601-352-2001): $5.50 Budweiser and Bud Light pitchers

Pop's Saloon (2636 S. Gallatin St. 601-961-4747): Free food, $3.00 Budweiser pitchers and a 12-inch-by-14-inch projection screen.

Ole Tavern (416 George St. 601-960-2700):Two for one Budweiser specials.

Shucker's (116 Conestoga Rd, Ridgeland 601-853-0105): Beer and food specials, 18 flat screen TVs and a projector screen.

Time Out Sports Café ( 6270 Old Canton Road 601-978-1839):Three meal specials (including a Bourbon Street steak), Budweiser and Bud Light specials, 100-inch screen and two happy hours from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. to midnight.

Wingstop (952 N. State St. 601-969-0606): All day dine in beer specials, $3 pitchers and $8 beers buckets.

King Edward Hotel (235 W. Capitol St. 601-353-5464): Jazz brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with Howard Jones Jazz band; $17 per person.