In light of the men’s basketball Final Four games in Houston, the topic of the Lone Star State has taken Syracuse University’s campus by storm over the last week.

With the announcement that SU would be offering affordable tickets to the Syracuse game for student season ticket holders and that Student Association would be offering over 150 students a free bus to Houston, many have made the choice to venture to the land where “everything is bigger.”

If you happen to be one of the students, alumni or fans lucky enough to find yourself soaking up the sun and bleeding orange in Texas this weekend, the NCAA has you covered for entertainment beyond the court.

Four the Fans
Fans will be able to head to the NRG Stadium on Friday and experience “Reese’s Final Four Friday.” While there will be plenty of basketball-related events from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., the highlight of the day is sure to be the Reese’s College All-Star Game, where the best college seniors in the country will be invited to play for one last time. There will also be open practices throughout the day, where the Final Four teams will showcase their skills in front of fans.

Jam Session
For fans who don’t desire “all basketball, all the time,” Friday will also be the beginning of the March Madness Music Festival at the Discovery Green, starting with the AT&T Block Party. This first day of music will take place from 4 to 10 p.m., and will feature artists Fall Out Boy, Panic! At The Disco and Lukas Graham.

Courtesy of Alan Gilbert

The music then continues Saturday with Coca-Cola Music from noon to 9 p.m. featuring Twenty One Pilots, Jason Derulo and Conrad Sewell. Finally on Sunday, the CapitalOne Jamfest will bring names such as Maroon 5, Pitbull, Flo Rida and Aloe Blacc to the stage from 3 to 10 p.m.

The best part of the whole festival is that it’s free.

Kid Zone
If you happen to be traveling with a kid in the third through eighth grade, they will be able to check out the Powerade NCAA Youth Clinic on Saturday. They NCAA website said that participants will learn “fun drills and healthy active lifestyle tips,” from current college coaches and players. The clinic is free for anyone to sign up for online and all participants will receive a free T-shirt.

On Your Mark
You will also be able to show off your own athletic prowess in the Final Four 4 Miler, which takes place Saturday. The run will begin at 8:30 a.m. and winds throughout downtown Houston. All proceeds from the race go to the Lone Star Veterans Association.

Everyone who runs will be given a T-shirt, a medal and a complementary ticket to the Final Four Fan Fest, which will be taking place all weekend at the George R. Brown Convention Center.

Published on March 31, 2016 at 7:21 pm