The 2013 Final Four Tournament is off and running in Atlanta. The family-friendly events and festivities have hit the mark with locals and out-of-town visitors alike. On April 5, my 15-year-old son and I spent the entire day in Downtown Atlanta to take advantage of the affordable and fun festivities including Bracket Town at the Georgia World Congress Center and free practice sessions at the Georgia Dome. In a nutshell, Atlanta is alive with March Madness, but it can all be a bit overwhelming. Here is a guide with some helpful tips for families and fans to make the most of the entire NCAA Final Four weekend in Atlanta.
Bracket Town at the Georgia World Congress Center
If you’re a fan of college basketball, then Bracket Town at the Georgia World Congress Center is most certainly worth a trip to the heart of the city. The ultimate fan fest is packed with family-friendly demonstrations and a huge array of hands-on activities to spark anyone’s sporting spirit.
On Friday, the Harlem Globetrotters entertained a large crowd on the LG Court with signature moves and entertaining banter. At the Coke Zero booth, young basketball fans competed in shoot-outs and enjoyed free samples of Powerade and Coke Zero. Capital One focused on ten different sports including lacrosse, hockey, football and more. The LG booth was super-cool and filled with friendly attendants that passed out tracker cards to attendees. After checking out several stations, families could redeem their cards for prizes. In most booths, famous NCAA coaches and players were on hand to meet with fans and sign autographs. The overall experience was top-notch, but be prepared to walk a mile and stand in line for the more popular activities. Bleacher Report was on hand specifically for the parents with a plush couches and a relaxing lounge atmosphere.
Tips for making the most of Bracket Town
- Purchase your tickets online. If you don’t, be prepared to stand in line to buy tickets on-site. An adult admission is $10, while kids age 3-11 cost $6.
- Eat beforehand. Eateries at Bracket Town are limited and pricey. A barbecue meal costs $14 and doesn’t even include a drink. Sodas cost $4, while water is priced at $3. For a family of four or more, this can add up very quickly.
- Take MARTA to the GWCC/Georgia Dome station, which in located on the east/west line. From the north, take MARTA and get off at the Five Points station. Switch to the west line and go one stop. On Friday, we were able to easily find a parking spot at the North Springs Station. It took about 35 minutes to get to Five Points. Overall, the entire trip took about 50 minutes. Be sure to purchase a round-trip Breeze pass and keep it handy. You’ll need it to both enter and exit the stations.
- Get there early. On Friday, Bracket Town was crowded, but not mobbed. It will be more crowded on Saturday and Sunday. To take full advantage of all activities, be sure to get there when the doors open.
- Wear comfortable shoes. The Georgia World Congress Center is very large and Bracket Town encompasses 30,000 square feet. When you add on the walk from MARTA, you could easily walk several miles, so be sure to skip the heels and wear comfortable walking shoes.
Big Dance Concert Series
Centennial Olympic Park is ground zero for three days of free concerts to celebrate the Final Four in Atlanta. On Friday, more than 50,000 fans parked the park to see the Zac Brown Band. More than 100,000 people are expected to participate in Final Four activities and concerts each day, so be sure to pack your patience. However, most events are free or reasonably priced, so it’s a great time to enjoy the Final Four Tournament, even if you don’t have a ticket to one of the Division I games.
Below is the FREE concert schedule for Saturday and Sunday.
Saturday, April 6:
- Yacht Club Review
- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
- Ludacris
- Flo Rida
- Muse
Sunday, April 7:
- Blind Pilot
- Grace Potter & the Nocturnals
- Sting
- Dave Matthews Band
Tips for making the most of the Big Dance Concert Series
- Take MARTA. Parking will be very limited downtown and city officials are strongly urging residents to use public transportation.
- No bottles, cans, liquid containers or coolers are permitted.
- Large backpacks, bags and purses (bigger than 11x17”) are not allowed.
- Security personnel may search guests and personal items.
- If you’re bringing kids, try the earlier concerts. After dark, it gets rowdier and more crowded.
- Be sure to bring a jacket and blanket. Folding chairs are not allowed.
- Food and drinks are available for purchase. None can be brought into the park.
Overall impressions of the Final Four in Atlanta
My son and I spent nearly seven hours exploring Downtown Atlanta to experience the excitement of the Final Four Tournament. We had no problems with MARTA and saw a ton of security personnel in the rail stations. We even encountered a bomb-sniffing German shepherd at one of them. There are plenty of ambassadors roaming the downtown streets, so if you get lost, simply ask one for directions. Plus, police officers and an army of security personnel are all over the place – on foot, on bikes, and on horses. The city of Atlanta has gone all out to make safety a priority. We always felt very protected and secure.
If you have any desire at all to experience the Final Four festivities in Atlanta, by all means head out to all of the free and inexpensive activities and events. It’s certainly an exciting weekend to live in the ATL and everything is happening right in our own backyard. What could be better?
For the latest information about prices, times and the 2013 Final Four event line-up in Atlanta, head to NCAA.com.
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