Gainesville Throws Its 110th Homecoming, and Comedy Comes Back to Gator Growl

This weekend in Gainesville, the University of Florida celebrated its Homecoming — a tradition that's now 110 years old — with a parade, a fun run, a festival, and the 103rd Gator Growl. And for the first time in over a decade, Gator Growl brought comedy back to the stage, which is exactly the kind of news worth smiling about on a Friday in October.

What happened

Per Mainstreet Daily News, which covered the festivities this week, UF's 2026 Homecoming celebration rolled on Friday with a slew of events on and around campus — a multi-week celebration that brings together students, families, faculty, staff, alumni and the Gainesville community through shared traditions. Friday morning started with the Homecoming Festival at the Plaza of the Americas, an event that celebrates and supports area businesses and student-run organizations, and the plaza also served as the starting point for the Gator Gallop, a two-mile fun run through campus — the 103rd year of that community activity.

At noon, crowds in orange and blue flocked to the streets of Gainesville for the Homecoming Parade, which traveled down University Avenue to Bo Diddley Plaza, with spectators waving shakers and towels and doing the Gator Chomp. Friday concluded with the 103rd rendition of Gator Growl, claimed to be the largest student-run pep rally in the nation, held at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.

Comedy is back at the Growl

Here's the part longtime Gators have been waiting on. This year's Gator Growl featured the return of comedy for the first time in more than a decade — the first time since 2012 — with Emmy-nominated comedian Nikki Glaser headlining. ESPN personality and UF alumna Laura Rutledge and two-time national champion former Gators linebacker Brandon Spikes served as co-hosts. The show featured 90 minutes of live programming, including sports team recognitions, live skits, videos and celebrity cameos.

That's a real homecoming, in the truest sense. Gator Growl was founded in 1932 and is famous for bringing in world-class entertainers — Robin Williams, Bob Hope, Jerry Seinfeld, Billy Crystal and Dave Chappelle have all played it. Putting a comedian back on that stage isn't a gimmick; it's a restoration.

A tradition older than the stadium

The Independent Florida Alligator ran a look back at Homecoming history this week, and it's a good one. Florida's Homecoming game was originally dubbed "Dad's Day," created as an opportunity for students' fathers to come to campus — but in 1916, it became the school-spirited event modern Gators recognize. That first Homecoming game took place October 21, 1916, at Fleming Field, which has since been replaced by the stadium Gators call home today. As WUFT put it this week, 110 years after UF's first Homecoming, many of its traditions continue in 2026 alongside newer additions.

Why it matters

Plenty of things in Florida change fast. This one doesn't. A two-mile fun run that's been going 103 years, a parade that ends at a plaza named for Bo Diddley, a student-run pep rally that once booked Bob Hope — that's regional culture with roots. It's the kind of thing we think about constantly when we're designing our Florida collection: the state isn't just beaches and theme parks. It's college towns in October, orange and blue on every porch, and generations of people showing up for the same weekend their parents did.

Go see it for yourself

If you missed this year, put next October on the calendar. The parade is free, it runs right through downtown Gainesville, and the whole town leans into it. Make a weekend of it — the festival at the Plaza of the Americas is built around local businesses and student groups, so your morning coffee money stays in town. Wear comfortable shoes, wear orange and blue if you've got it, and if you want something that says you get what this state is actually about, the Welcome to Florida Tee travels well from the parade route to the tailgate.

Common questions

What is Gator Growl?

Gator Growl is claimed to be the largest student-run pep rally in the nation, and it's presented by Florida Blue Key and was founded in 1932. It caps off Homecoming week the Friday before the game.

When did UF Homecoming start?

The first Homecoming game took place on October 21, 1916, making 2026 the 110th anniversary of the tradition.

Can the public attend Homecoming events?

Yes — the parade and festival are open community events, and registration for the Gator Gallop is open to students and the general public, with the course open to participants of all ages.

Reported by Mainstreet Daily News. Details as published at the time of writing.