Headed to the Celebration Bowl? Check out these events leading up to the game.

For 10 years, the Cricket Celebration Bowl has stood as the national championship for the top two historically Black college and university football teams.

This year’s matchup at Mercedes-Benz Stadium pits Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion South Carolina State University against Southwestern Athletic Conference’s Prairie View A&M University.

In the week leading up to Saturday’s noon showdown, there are several events to give fans time to acknowledge the contributions HBCUs have made to sports and society. Here are some events themed around music, safety, community, legacy and competition to check out this week.

Diversity in Aquatics HBCU Celebration Week and Water Safety Festival

Swimmer Cullen Jones (back), who has two Olympic gold medals and two silver medals, will be in Atlanta this week. (Courtesy of USA Swimming Foundation 2016)

Diversity in Aquatics, a nonprofit organization that supports drowning prevention and access to pools, is hosting a series of events dubbed HBCU Celebration Weekend.

Programming is geared toward educating communities on how to keep their head above water.

Beginning Thursday, there is the Tour of Champions, featuring Olympic medalists Cullen Jones and Maritza Correia McClendon, HBCU swimmers and community leaders talking to local elementary, middle and high school students about safety and representation in nontraditional sports. Morehouse College’s Ray Charles Performing Arts Center is hosting a screening of “When Everyone Swims,” a documentary about creating equity in swimming, at 6 p.m.

“Pool: A Social History of Segregation,” a traveling installation that chronicles and connects Black communities’ relationship to aquatics, is on display in the Omni Atlanta Hotel lobby at Centennial Park on Wednesday through Saturday. Morehouse College is featuring pieces from the exhibit Dec. 12-13 from 9 a.m.-9 p.m.

"Pool: A Social History of Segregation," a traveling exhibit that spotlights Black communities' connections to aquatics, will be on display in the lobby of Omni Atlanta Hotel at Centennial Park on Wednesday through Saturday and Morehouse College on Friday and Saturday. (Courtesy of Diversity in Aquatics)

At 5 p.m. Friday, Morehouse College is having the Water Safety Festival, a series of workshops that uses the pool to teaches lifesaving skills and expose youths to activities like rowing and scuba diving, and a development swim meet for novice swimmers.

The HBCU Alumni Swim Meet — which features Olympic medalists and former and current collegiate swimmers competing in relays and exhibition matches — concludes the festival at 7 a.m. Saturday.

Celebration Splash is HBCU Celebration Weekend’s official after-party at One Street Over at 6 p.m. Saturday.

HBCU Celebration Weekend and Water Safety Festival. Wednesday-Saturday. diversityinaquatics.org

Red Lobster Band of the Year

This year, Southwest DeKalb High School's Oluwamodupe “Dupe” Oloyede (center) became the first female head drum major for Florida A&M University's Marching 100 band. (Tia Mitchell/AJC)

The Red Lobster Band of the Year competition turns homecoming halftime performances into their own national championship Friday.

Now in its third year, Band of the Year allows two Division I and two Division II marching bands to compete on the field.

Florida A&M University’s Marching 100, last year’s Division I champ, is having a showdown against Southern University’s Human Jukebox. The reigning Division II champion, Miles College’s Purple Marching Machine, is going against Fayetteville State University’s Marching Bronco Xpress.

Red Lobster Band of the Year. 7 p.m. Friday. $20.70-$118.06. Mercedes-Benz Stadium, 1 AMB Drive NW, Atlanta. bandoftheyear.com

Coca-Cola Fan Experience

The Coca-Cola Fan Experience reimagines the atmosphere of campus during homecoming week at Georgia World Congress Center’s Hall C ahead of kickoff Saturday.

The pep-rally-meets-block party combines pride and school spirit with live entertainment. Attendees of all ages can enjoy food, performances and marching band jamborees and participate in interactive stations. It’s a free, family-friendly event.

Coca-Cola Fan Experience. Saturday. 8:30-11:30 a.m. Georgia World Congress Center Hall C, 285 Andrew Young International Blvd. NW, Atlanta. thecelebrationbowl.com

Ice Cold Alphas Tailgate

On Saturday, the Alphas of Atlanta, a collective of 10 metro area Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity chapters, is turning the 432 Beckwith Street parking lot into space for fellowship.

Tickets for the Ice Cold Alphas Tailgate on Saturday cost $40 and cover food, beverages, a DJ, giveaways and heated areas.

Attendees can also sample Greenwood Whiskey and cigars from an on-site vendor. The tailgate party is open to the public and members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council.

Contact the Alphas of Atlanta through Instagram direct messaging for additional information.

Ice Cold Alphas Tailgate. Saturday. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. $40. 432 Beckwith St., Atlanta.

Celebration Bowl Day Party

The mango martini at Café Circa reflects the menu's Caribbean influences. (Courtesy)