Montclair Super Bowl Pre-Game Starts Saturday

The Super Bowl may be happening a few miles away at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford Sunday, but the tailgate party in Montclair starts Saturday with the Big Game Winter Festival.

From noon to 5 p.m., Church Street and a portion of South Park Street will close for live music, a video game truck, ice sculptures, kids activities, food vendors, Norwegian candles and more.

Montclair’s own opera diva, soprano Mia Riker-Norrie from the Opera Theater of Montclair, will sing the National Anthem.

State champs Montclair High School Mounties football team and cheerleaders will be joined by Pop Warner teams and cheering squads for a victory chant.

Center Stage will entertain festival-goers with a variety of music throughout the day, including pop rock band Justina Valentine & The LoveHaterz, Cajun-zydeco-country group Big Mamou, and Montclair High School a capella singers The Passing Notes.

Some of Montclair’s top restaurants — Escape, Indigo Smoke and HLS Juice Bar and Grill — will be selling food.

For more information, visit www.Montclair2014.com.