Chips and dip, sandwiches, beer, crackers, different cheeses, beer, spaghetti, elk salami, chili, nachos, beer — Super Bowl Sunday at the bars is a big day and the owners of the establishments are more than happy to make it a party.

Even if people were not fans of the Philadelphia Eagles or the Kansas City Chiefs, that wasn’t a reason not to enjoy the festivities with friends as whooping and hollering for either team was acceptable, even from the hard core loyalists wearing jerseys, hats and face paint.

At the Talking Bird Saloon in St. Regis, Erin Miller was bartending and having almost as much fun as the patrons.

“We’ve got a nacho bar set up for everyone to help themselves to when they come in to watch the game. We give everyone a ticket when they come in and then draw a few at each quarter giving away door prizes. And Jell-O Shots when their team scores. We’ve made plenty as this could be a high scoring game,” she said.

Emily Sieben was one of the bartenders at the Four Aces in Superior and explained what they were doing for the day.

“Look at the nacho and taco bar,” as she points to long tables loaded with fun food and people in line.

“We’re giving away tickets to everyone who walks in the door for a chance to win a flatscreen TV and then they can buy more tickets for a dollar a piece to increase their odds of winning if they want to. Then we’re giving away all of these prizes,” as she points to another table next to the bar. “We have sunglasses, Griz shirts, hats, koozies and other clothing which are also part of the ticket game. I’m about to pull a few right now. About every two minutes,” she laughed!

A bucket of beer was on special which was literally a galvanized bucket full of ice with bottles or cans of your favorite beer. And when a patrons teams scores, they have a choice of a Jell-O shot, pudding shot or a Washington apple shot.

“We have fun every year on this day,” she beams.

Across town at the Nugget Bar & Casino, Stephanie White has been a bartender for nine years and bartended at least half of the Super Bowl parties during her time there.

“We have Jell-O shots for when any team scores to make it easy and more fun for everyone. It’s a potluck as everyone said they would bring something and they sure did,” as tables were full of food under TVs. Once again, a ticket for everyone who enters with crazy and fun prizes if theirs is drawn at the end of each quarter.

“We also did a bunch of Super Bowl boards so there’s a bunch of prize money for that, too.”

“This is the first time we’ve made plans for a Super Bowl party,” said Kindra Fuller who is the bar manager at the River Edge Resort & Steakhouse in Alberton. “We’ve been trying to involve the community more with game days and fun menus.”

A pavilion and large outside deck will be under construction next to the restaurant soon which will be another dining facility overlooking the Clark Fork River.

Raised in Philadelphia John Zunski just might be the biggest Eagles fan in the county. With his face painted silver and massive bogus muscles in a Kansas City Chiefs jersey while wearing silver boxing gloves, mixed signals were obvious.

“I’m invoking the curse of Rocky (Balboa). We’re going to destroy the Chiefs to show that we are superior,” he bellows.

A smaller more intimate crowd of friends were seated at the bar with some vittles in the corner.

“I knew Jimmy was going to bring some treats to influence the crowd to be cheering for Kansa City,” he laughed.

Drink specials and giveaways were to be held with a novel prize if the Philadelphia Eagles were to win.

“I will give anyone a free ride in a shopping cart up and down Railroad Avenue while I serenade them with 'Fly Eagles Fly’” as the patrons all howled with laughter.

His last Eagles game in person was in 1999 which he shares was the same game that Donovan McNabb played quarterback for the first time.

The Trax Bar has been owned by Dave Hurliman and his wife for six years.

“We do this every year. Everybody just gets together and brings food to share. We’ve got TV screens all over. You know, it’s a small town and everybody comes out and cheers.”

Hurliman said that without a doubt, most of his crowd was rooting for Kansas City. We’ll see if Super Bowl LVIII is as much fun as this year’s.