Touchdown, Baby

Your guide for College Football Playoff National Championship weekend in Houston

In January 2024, Houston will become a hotbed for sports fans when it hosts the College Football Playoff National Championship weekend, with the big game happening on January 8.

Downtown Houston will serve as the heart of Championship Campus, providing the setting for such CFP signature events as Playoff Fan Central, AT&T Playoff Playlist Live!, the Trophy Trot 5K and 10K, Taste of the Championship, and the Allstate Championship Tailgate.

It's a lot to take in — we break down each event for you here:

Playoff Fan Central, January 5-7
George R. Brown Convention Center
Find free football fun with games, clinics, pep rallies, band performances, special guest appearances, autograph signings, and exhibits celebrating college football and its history. And we mentioned it's all free, right?

AT&T Playoff Playlist Live!, January 5-7
Shell Energy Stadium
These free concerts are the soundtrack for championship weekend, beginning with Kidz Bop on Friday, January 5. You don't need a wristband for that concert, but you do for the rest: rap superstar Jack Harlow, two-time Grammy nominee Latto, Grand Ole Opry member Jon Pardi, chart topping country superstar Jake Owen, and multi-platinum country artist-songwriter Megan Moroney.

Register for concert tickets online in advance, show the QR code on the CFBPlayoff mobile app at the convention center, and receive your wristband for entry.

Trophy Trot, January 7
Downtown Houston
This family-friendly run/walk begins at 9 am and, for the first time, will feature both 5K and 10K distances. Each Trophy Trot participant receives a T-shirt and medal, and there will be multiple opportunities to win tickets to the CFP National Championship the next day.

All proceeds benefit Extra Yard for Teachers, the College Football Playoff Foundation's primary platform that elevates the teaching profession by inspiring and empowering quality teachers. Registration is open now.

Taste of the Championship, January 7
Union Station at Minute Maid Park
A premium dining experience and fundraising event that lets attendees indulge in gourmet food and drink prepared by Houston chefs. All proceeds benefit the CFP Foundation's Extra Yard for Teachers platform, and tickets are on sale now.

Allstate Championship Tailgate, January 8
NRG Stadium
If you're lucky enough to score a game ticket, head to Blue Lots 16, 17, and 18 from 11 am-6 pm for interactive games, sponsor activations, concessions, live ESPN broadcasts, award-winning musical acts, and live performances by each team’s marching band.

We'll say it again: A national championship game ticket is required for entry to Allstate Championship Tailgate.

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Keep an eye on Championship Campus online for news and updates.

Photo courtesy of College Football Playoff

Test your skills at Playoff Fan Central.

sports concerts video celebrities fitness chefs promoted

"Here come the grannies!"

Walk through the Magic Door to experience the world of Bluey in Houston

bluey and bingo's bedroom at camp in houston

Courtesy of CAMP

Houston will soon be the home of a new CAMP store, featuring interactive installations like the house from "Bluey."

Bluey is coming to the Galleria this February “for real life” through an immersive event that invites visitors to enter the world of the famous Australian Heeler family. This one-of-a-kind experience brings the Heeler home and backyard to life with intricate details that will delight fans of all ages.

Tickets are on sale now for Bluey x CAMP, the inaugural interactive experience of the combination toy store, party venue, and immersive theater space. This is The Family Experience Company’s first CAMP location in Houston, with the business securing a 7,500-square-foot permanent retail space in the Galleria.

Through “The Magic Door,” a pivoting wall, visitors step into seasonally rotating interactive spaces beginning with a 5,000-square-foot lifesize replica of Bluey’s house.

Visitors can play games made popular by the show, such as grannies and keepy uppy, and bust a move when “dance mode” is activated. The kitchen’s fridge is covered in drawings by the Heeler puppies, while the living room TV plays Bluey.

Families can explore both a pillow fort and a cardboard castle — two-story structures complete with slides — before venturing into a playroom stocked with toys and costumes from the show. In the backyard, a recreation of the Heeler’s large tree is surrounded by charming gnomes. A photo opportunity with Bluey and Bingo tops off the visit.

Beyond the world of Bluey, CAMP offers even more for visitors in its Canteen space, with a splatter room, The Schmutz Bar (a slime creation station), a party room, and a playable truck. Customers can also shop for toys, clothing, and accessories.

Houston joins a list of CAMP’s locations in Dallas, Atlanta, New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. Installations change seasonally, with other current features including Paw Patrol, The Little Mermaid, and Encanto.

Courtesy of CAMP

Houston will soon be the home of a new CAMP store, featuring interactive installations like the house from "Bluey."

bluey galleria-houston camp bluey x camp