City of Gainesville staff work to make UF Homecoming weekend a success
Published on October 16, 2025
While tens of thousands of Gator fans arrive in Gainesville to attend the slate of weekend events marking this year’s University of Florida Homecoming, dozens of city employees are working behind the scenes to keep the celebration safe, clean and moving.
“Homecoming unites our city and university in a celebration of pride and tradition,” said Gainesville Mayor Harvey L. Ward. “Every City of Gainesville employee who works this event—whether managing traffic, directing buses, patrolling streets or responding to emergencies—helps show what community partnership looks like in action.”
In this case, the action begins late Thursday and early Friday, as City of Gainesville Public Works crews start installing barricades, signage and message boards along 27 streets, in advance of Gator Gallop and the UF Homecoming Parade. The parade route covers two of Gainesville’s busiest thoroughfares—University Avenue and 13th Street—making the closures at cross streets a substantial operation. To ensure safety as crowds begin to gather Friday morning, officers from the Gainesville Police Department (GPD) remain on location to direct traffic and provide security.
Also in the picture is Gainesville Fire Rescue (GFR), which works alongside UF Emergency Management and other partner agencies to monitor events and coordinate any necessary emergency response. For injuries or medical incidents, GFR keeps two of the city’s Mobile Response Units (MRUs) on standby. Each is staffed with an EMT and a paramedic and will be stationed near high-traffic areas during the parade, Gator Growl and Saturday’s matchup against Mississippi State.
“Homecoming is one of Gainesville’s great traditions, and it takes teamwork at every level,” said Gainesville Fire Chief Shawn Hillhouse. “Our first responders consider it a privilege to help create an environment where students, alumni and all Gator fans can celebrate safely, and we appreciate our partners across the community who make that possible.”
Along with supporting parade safety, Gainesville’s first responders are proud to appear in the lineup, as well. The GPD Honor Guard and Motorcycle Unit will roll at the front of the parade, joined by representatives from fellow Alachua County law enforcement agencies to demonstrate their collaborative commitment to community safety. GFR will appear with two of the department’s heavy vehicles—a tower truck and a hazmat truck—carrying the UF Dazzlers and Cheerleaders.
After the festivities are over, Gainesville’s Public Works Department reappears to immediately deploy the city’s sweepers, dump trucks and loaders to clear debris and reopen streets. Two teams of 20 staff members walk each side of the route, removing litter, trash and recycling containers, and the portable signs, barricades and other temporary traffic control devices. This is a large-scale effort and the cost is one indicator of the labor involved. In 2024, Public Works devoted more than $44,000 in staff hours, equipment and materials to supporting the parade, a cost repaid to the city by the parade organizer, Florida Blue Key.
As the calendar flips to Saturday, the entire process begins again as GPD, GFR and Public Works close the roads and provide security for game day. To assist with traffic and parking, the city’s Regional Transit System (RTS) supplies roundtrip GatorAider shuttle service for fans to travel to and from campus. Park-and-ride stops include the UF Health Professional Park at 3300 SW Williston Road; 3450 Hull Road and Celebration Pointe. (Tickets are required to ride. For more information, visit the RTS GatorAider webpage.)
It’s no surprise the city organization is filled with Gator fans who celebrate alongside our university community. Memories will be made, friends will reunite, and the City of Gainesville is here for it. From the first barricade going up to the last fan stepping off an RTS shuttle after the big game, city departments will pull out all the stops to make sure every Gator fan has a safe, happy and (hopefully) triumphant homecoming in the City of Gainesville.