

2024 GATOR BAND ALUMNI REUNION WEEKEND

Friday, October 18 - Saturday, October 19, 2024
Gainesville, FL
Registration has closed for this event.
All events include musicians, FVE and Gatorettes.
Please email gatorbandalumni@gmail.com with any questions.
REUNION SCHEDULE
Friday, October 18
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11:00AM Homecoming Parade Line Up and Float Decoration: Wear orange and blue and get ready to cheer for our ride on the Alumni Band Homecoming float - we will follow behind the band in the parade! The float will arrive around 10:00AM.
Location: Museum Road & 13th Street
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The parade will start at the intersection of Museum Road and 13th Street. Parking is available in Garage 4 (Museum and Newell) until 10:00am as roads will be closing for the parade. Enter bottom floor and you will have access to all floors and Newell. You can walk from there to the band float which will be in front of the Delta Gamma house (across from Beatty Towers).
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12:00PM Homecoming Parade: Let’s help kick off UF Homecoming Weekend! Go Gators!
Following the parade, float participants will either walk back to campus (approx. 1 mile) or catch a shuttle back to staging area. You can also plan to be picked up at the end of the parade route but please pay close attention to scheduled road closures.
Location: Parade Route​
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5:00PM Donor and Scholarship Recipient Meet & Connect
Special event for scholarship donors to connect with Gator Marching Band Scholarship recipients. Invitations were sent from the College of the Arts Development team. For questions regarding scholarships, please contact Lula S. Dawit, Director of Advancement, College of the Arts, at ldawit@arts.ufl.edu.
Location: School of Music Atrium
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6:00PM Check-in and Equipment Checkout
We are so excited you are here! Get your Reunion weekend materials and head on down to the rehearsal hall, reconnect with other alumni, or take your picture with Big Boom!
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Registration will be in the Lower Lobby. If you are borrowing a UF brass or percussion instrument, you can pick them up in the Rehearsal Hall. (You must provide your own mouthpiece/sticks/mallets). FVE equipment will also be available for pick up at this time.
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Registration will shut down at 6:50PM so we can all make it to rehearsal on-time
Location: Steinbrenner Band Hall
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7:00PM Evening Rehearsal for Musicians, FVE, and Gatorettes
Following rehearsal, all UF instruments and personal instruments (if desired), will be put on the truck to go to Gator Band Field for outdoor morning rehearsal
Location: Steinbrenner Band Hall
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Immediately Following Post-Rehearsal Meet & Greet
An area at Gators Dockside has been reserved for Alumni Band members. Food and beverage orders will be covered at your own expense.
Location: Gators Dockside, 3842 Newberry Road
Saturday, October 19
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7:30AM Check-in​
Parking is available at the Transportation and Parking Building across Gale Lemerand Drive.
Instrument and equipment checkout will take place at the field and don’t worry, we will have coffee and donuts!
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As this is a classroom, only registered/ticketed GBAA members and ticketed guests will be allowed
within the fence on Gator Band Field. All other visitors may watch rehearsal from the boardwalk.
Location: Gator Band Field, 1237 Gale Lemerand
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8:00AM Music & Field Rehearsal with Gator Marching Band ​
* Saturday morning rehearsal is MANDATORY as this is when everyone is assigned their spot on the field for halftime.
Section pictures will be taken immediately following rehearsal. Please listen for instructions on where your section will be located as the current Gator Band is on a tight game day schedule.
Following rehearsal at the practice field, all instruments must be loaded onto the equipment truck; instruments will not be allowed into the stadium. ​
Location: Gator Band Field, 1237 Gale Lemerand
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10:30AM Alumni Tailgate
Brunch served to registered/ticketed GBAA members and ticketed guests – you will receive wristbands.
Big Boom will be available for photos!
Location: Alumni Band Pavilion, 1237 Gale Lemerand
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Shuttle service from Gator Band Field to Stadium - TBD
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4:00PM - 7:15PM UFAA Tailgate
Gator Nation Tailgates offer a fantastic way for members of the University of Florida Alumni Association
(UFAA) to enjoy pre-game festivities. Tailgates are complimentary for anyone holding a current UFAA
Membership. Access your membership card through the Gator Nation App. Enjoy live music, face painting,
food and merchandise for purchase. Guest Policy: Life Members are permitted to bring two (2) complimentary
guests, while Annual Members can bring one (1) guest each. Children under 17 years old are free and
additional guests can the fun for just $10 each per tailgate.
Location: Emerson Alumni Hall, 1938 W. University Avenue
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​Pre-Game Schedule:
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5:25PM Gator Walk - Current Gator Band (Ben Hill Griffin Stadium – North Lawn)
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6:15PM Gates Open at stadium
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7:00PM Gator Band Alumni, be in your seats to cheer on the Gator Band during pre-game!
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7:25PM Gator Band Pregame Show (Ben Hill Griffin Stadium)
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7:45PM Kick-off for Florida vs Kentucky. You must have a ticket to the game (either in the Alumni Band block or elsewhere in the stadium) in order to participate in the halftime show
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No purses or backpacks are allowed, only clear bags. Approved Bags:
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Clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bags that do not exceed 12"x6"x12"
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A logo no larger than 4.5"x 3.4" can be displayed on one side of a permissible clear bag.
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A clear bag shall be clear from top-to-bottom and up to a 2” trim/border on the bag is generally acceptable.
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One-gallon clear, re-sealable plastic storage bag
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Small clutch bags no larger than 4.5"x6.5", approximately the size of a hand, with or without a handle or strap
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Medically necessary items (after proper inspection)
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Halftime:
Depart seats at the start of the 2nd quarter. You must wear the wristband you received with your registration packet to access the field. You must wear the NEW official Gator orange Alumni Band polo shirt, khaki bottoms (shorts, skort, skirt, capris, or long pants), and closed toe shoes to march.
Retrieve instruments from the Rental Truck and line-up outside of the South Endzone Tunnel (SEZ). After the visiting team clears the tunnel – Alumni Band enters field via SEZ tunnel, moves into place on the back sideline to perform halftime. Exit to the West sidelines.
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After Halftime:
Exit stadium through SEZ and return all UF instruments to the truck. Personal instruments will be placed in the Florida Gym. You must show your wristband to re-enter the stadium through Gate 9 & 12. You must show your wristband to re-enter the stadium.
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After the game (or any point after halftime), pick up your personal instrument from Florida Gym on an individual basis. All Alumni are responsible to pick up their personal instrument from the Florida Gym.
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Following the game, we invite you to listen to the Gator Band in front of Turlington Hall – a fun way to say goodbye to friends and wait for the game day traffic to lighten up near campus.​​
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Shuttle:
Shuttles will leave from the Gator Band Field parking lot and drop you off at the Reitz Union. There will be two shuttle times: 12:30PM & 1:15PM.
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There will be two shuttles after the game at 11:00PM & 11:30PM. Pick up for the shuttle will be on the Northwest corner of Gale Lemerand and Stadium Drive (the O'Connell Center corner). Shuttles will return to the Gator Band Field parking lot.
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FAQs
Where do I get my tickets?
Tickets will be sent electronically. You will receive a direct email from FEVO Enterprise on how to accept your DIGITAL game tickets. Accept your tickets before Saturday! At registration prior to rehearsal on Friday or Saturday, you will receive your lanyard which will contain your wristbands – we will be available to help you troubleshoot. Please note, UPD requires that you have a wristband for access to the field for halftime.
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Do I have to attend rehearsal both Friday and Saturday to be eligible to march?
We recognize that people have other obligations that may prevent them from attending the Friday evening rehearsal, so it is not mandatory that you participate on Friday. The Saturday morning rehearsal, however, is mandatory as the marching rehearsal is when everyone is assigned their spot on the field for halftime. No spots will be held, so you must attend Saturday morning rehearsal to claim your spot in the halftime show.
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What about parking?
Please use our suggestions for parking; beyond those words of advice, parking is like it always has been, every Gator for themselves. Do not park in service drives, disabled spaces, loading zones, “no parking” areas, bike lanes, sidewalks, grass areas or reserved spaces (unless otherwise posted).
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Shuttles: We have secured a transportation shuttle for our alumni members who need a little extra assistance moving around campus. Please look for signs at our pickup point at Gator Band Field parking lot. Shuttles will leave Gator Band Field parking lot - Time TBD. Last shuttle from Gator Band Field - TBD.
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Don’t forget the Florida sun – please be sure to bring water and sunscreen for outdoor rehearsal.
If you have any additional questions that weren’t answered here, please contact