Waitresses in little red skirts doled out free Budweiser to the patrons of Shawnessy’s Boston Pizza, so by the time Jennifer Hudson belted out The Star-Spangled Banner it was standing-room only during yesterday’s Super Bowl 43.
A maximum-capacity crowd of about 160 gathered at the popular two-level lounge to partake in the festivities funded by the $10,000 Budweiser prize awarded to the restaurant for getting the most votes in town.
“This is by far the best party in Calgary for the Super Bowl,” said Greg MacIsaac. “Everyone is in good spirits, no matter who wins or loses. It’s really loud right now but it’s only going to get louder.”
Despite the mostly male attendance, some of the loudest fans at the party were female.
“Beer, pizza, ice cream, football … these are the ways to a girl’s heart, my friend,” said Lisa Reinhardt.
Activities included outdoor Sumo wrestling, free-flowing beer and prizes given out every quarter, including Wii, Xbox and PS3 gaming systems, a 52” LCD television and Marble Slab cakes.
“It’s a good place to go absolutely nuts,” said Johnathan Murray. He was rooting for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and although he prefers hockey, he still loves to watch the Super Bowl every year.
“I’ve got four cases of beer riding on this game,” he said. “My friends are definitely going to pay up right away.”
