The first Super Bowl took place on Jan. 15, 1967, and it has become an American tradition to gather with friends and family to watch the big game.

“Football is America’s sport (and) the Super Bowl is the biggest NFL event of the year,” said Caitlynn Kern, a Denver Broncos cheerleader who lives in Golden. “It’s the perfect time to come together and enjoy the game.”

Super Bowl LIII basics

Super Bowl LIII — or 53 —will be airing on CBS from the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Feb. 3. Kickoff will be at 4:30 p.m. Mountain Time. Entertainment for the Pepsi Super Bowl LIII Halftime Show will be provided by headliner Maroon 5, a pop rock band, with rappers Travis Scott and Big Boi as the special guests.

Puppy Bowl

If you’re looking for some family-friendly entertainment as you’re setting up for your Super Bowl party, tune into Animal Planet at 1 p.m. Mountain Time for the 15th annual Puppy Bowl. This year’s event features a starting lineup of 93 puppies that come from shelters across the nation, as well as a kitten halftime show and porcupine and capybara mascots.

Super Bowl commercials

From catchy slogans such as Wendys’ “Where’s the Beef?” of 1984 or the “Bud-weis-er” Frogs of 1995, to celebrities such as supermodel Cindy Crawford promoting Pepsi in 1992 or 88-year-old Betty White promoting Snickers in 2010, watching Super Bowl commercials has become a tradition of its own.

According to Adweek’s Super Bowl LIII Ad Tracker, here’s a little of what to expect during this year’s big game.

• Celebrities: Bumble, a dating app, will feature professional tennis player Serena Williams in its first-ever Super Bowl commercial. American actor Luke Wilson will star in a comedic ad for Colgate.

• Beer: Anheuser-Busch, a staple of Super Bowl ads, is expected to have eight ads that feature five brands and seven products.

• Consumer products: For its 10th Super Bowl advertisement this year, Audi will highlight its electric-powered E-Tron line. The Mr. Peanut mascot will appear in a comedic commercial, marking Planters’ first return to Super Bowl ad time in a decade.

Food and drink

Many people enjoy having their Super Bowl party catered because the caterers can take care of everything — from decorations and food and beverage prep, to serving guests during the game to packing up leftovers and cleaning up the space, said Raven Rodriguez-Degrego, the senior event coordinator for Serendipity Catering, which serves the Denver metro area.

“We take away all of the stress,” Rodriguez-Degrego said. “Our clients know we’ll show up on time and take care of all of their guests’ needs.”

Many of the parties that Serendipity caters are in the client’s home, which is perfect for Super Bowl parties, Rodriguez-Degrego said.

“We’ll deck out the whole buffet and bar,” she said, “and transform the space” into whatever type of party atmosphere the client wants.

She added that a lot of clients request that they set up the decorations, and often, the caterer will personally shop for those decorations based on the client’s wants. Serendipity can also create a custom food and beverage menu, with vegan and gluten-free options, to adhere to the client’s flavor profile and budget, Rodriguez-Degrego said.

Serendipity takes pride in being a certified green company and has 17 years of experience.

Super Bowl parties are particularly fun, Rodriguez-Degrego said.

“People are excited,” she said, “and it’s fun to witness the friendly competition among the guests during the game.”

Munchies

Whether you’re hiring caterers or preparing the food yourself, providing munchies is key to a good Super Bowl party. Setting out party platters, veggie trays, chips and dips, and snack mixes are easy snacks that will keep your guests satisfied. For something a little heartier, try sliders, chicken wings, nachos, pigs-in-a-blanket and/or pizza rolls.

There are also many opportunities to get creative with Super Bowl party food —deviled eggs and potato skins, for example, are almost shaped like footballs. Guacamole topped with sour cream in stripes and served in a rectangular dish can resemble a football field.

Get more ideas for crowd-pleasing food to serve at www.delish.com.

Beverages

As for drink, you can never go wrong with providing plenty of beer and soda. But for those who would like to prepare something a little more festive, go for a drink that can be prepared in bulk and served from a pitcher. Try to choose something that can be made with the teams’ colors. For example, if the Denver Broncos were playing, serve an orange juice-based cocktail, such as a mimosa, and Blue Lagoons — vodka, Blue Curaçao and lemonade — to represent the Broncos’ colors of blue and orange. Remember, most fancy cocktails can also be prepared as a non-alcoholic version by substituting the alcohol with ginger ale or fruit-flavored seltzer water and adding a drop of food coloring.

Dessert

Having some sweet treats available for guests is a good idea, and will be especially appreciated by the child attendees.

Super Bowl party desserts can be as simple as setting out a couple of candy bowls or baking an elaborately decorated Super Bowl-themed cake. Cupcakes with frosting in team colors and/or cookies in football-themed shapes are fun options that can usually be purchased in grocery stores or at a local bakery.