GAINESVILLE, FL (352today.com) – A sea of orange and blue will block the streets of downtown Gainesville on Friday, Oct. 6, for the University of Florida’s (UF) annual homecoming parade.
The Gators take on the Vanderbilt Commodores in this weekend’s match-up. To get students and alumni psyched for the game, mascots Albert and Alberta, along with the UF marching band, players and cheerleaders, will parade through Gainesville’s streets.
UF’s homecoming parade kicks off at noon, but city streets will be blocked starting at 10 a.m. to prepare.
The city of Gainesville says following portions of roads will be closed from approximately 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.:
- 13th St./US 441 from SW Archer Rd. to NW Third Ave.
- University Ave. from NW 15th St. to Main St.
- SW Sixth St. from SW Second Ave. roundabout to W. University Ave.
- S. Main St. from S. Second Ave. to University Ave.
Parking
UF and Gainesville City lift parking restrictions for homecoming weekend. On campus, the closest places to park are Garages 4, 5, and the Reitz Union.
If you don’t want to fight the traffic, you can watch the parade live on television. Gainesville PBS affiliate, WUFT, will live broadcast and live stream the event starting at 11:45 a.m.
Homecoming Game
The Gators take on SEC rival Vanderbilt at 4 p.m. on Saturday at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Gates open at 2:30pm. All fans are encouraged to wear blue to the game.
Florida (3-2, 1-1) has the advantage against Vandy (2-4, 0-2 SEC) which comes to The Swamp on a four-game skid including three by at least 16 points. The Commodores are 18 1/2-point underdogs according to FanDuel.com Sportsbook. The Gators squad is reeling from one of their worst losses in recent memory. Florida looks to avenge last year’s upset loss in which Davis – yes, the same guy who ran roughshod over them in Lexington – rushed for 122 yards in Nashville. Obviously, they’ll face a much different Vandy squad, one that’s averaging just 97.3 yards rushing per game.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.