-
UK press athletics
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Dec. 30, 2020 – Wolfpack and Wildcats fans will celebrate 2021 in Jacksonville as their teams’ face-off in the 76th TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. The 2021 Game will feature #23 North Carolina State University and the University of Kentucky and takes place Saturday, January 2nd at TIAA Bank Field with a Noon kickoff.
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl New Year’s Eve Run: Kick off the game week with the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl New Year’s Eve Run to benefit Gator Bowl Charities! The 5K, which is part of the Jacksonville Grand Prix, can be run in-person or virtually. The in-person 5K race will take runners through Downtown Jacksonville starting at 2:00 p.m. on New Year’s Eve – the start line is at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. Proceeds from the race will support the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl Dream Team in partnership with Dreams Come True. The Dream Team represents a group of 12 local children who are battling life threatening illnesses. When you cross the finish line of the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl New Year’s Eve Run, you will know that every step you ran is helping to raise funds to care for sick and injured children. In-person runners should register on-site on race day; virtual registration is available at 1stplacesports.com.
New Year’s Eve Fireworks: The City of Jacksonville invites residents and visitors downtown to ring in the New Year with fireworks over the St. Johns River. The traditional fireworks show will begin at midnight on January 1. Fireworks will be launched from a barge on the river just east of the Main Street Bridge, between the Hyatt and DoubleTree hotels, and high above the river from the Acosta Bridge. More information available at https://specialevents.coj.net/Special-Events/New-Year-s-Eve.aspx
Music on Main: Mama Blue: Head to Springfield on New Year’s Day for a festive evening featuring a special edition of Music On Main. Springfield Preservation and Revitalization (SPAR) will be hosting Music On Main featuring Mama Blue from 5:30 pm until 8:30 pm. Bring a blanket and picnic or enjoy some of SPAR’s favorite local food vendors! Social distance squares will be marked for safe viewing and enjoyment. Music on Main is located in Susquicentennial Park (1527 N. Main Street, 32206) and is FREE and open to the public.
Stadium Capacity and Social Distancing Guidelines: In compliance with City of Jacksonville guidelines, the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl will seat approximately 25 percent of the stadium capacity for this year’s game. To ensure fans can still enjoy the event with family and friends, limited capacity seating will be grouped in pods of no more than six. Fan health and safety, along with that of the participating teams, coaches, and stadium personnel, is our number one priority. New protocols are in place to help minimize the risk of contracting COVID-19 when coming to TIAA Bank Field, including required face coverings. The TaxSlayer Gator Bowl has also instituted mobile ticketing, cashless concessions and enhanced cleaning protocols to keep fans safe. More information on stadium policies and procedures can be found at https://www.taxslayergatorbowl.com/game-week/stadium-policies/.
TIAA Bank Field Security: Fans attending the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl should download their mobile ticket to their Apple Wallet or Google Wallet to ensure expedited entry at the gates. Additionally, all patrons will be required to enter the gates through a metal detector. No food or drink will be permitted from outside of the stadium. The NFL Clear Bag policy will be in place for the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. Any clear bags measuring 12x6x12 or smaller may be carried into the facility. Ticketholders are permitted to bring seat cushions and blankets inside, umbrellas are a prohibited item.
TIAA Bank Field stadium gates will open at 10:00 a.m. with kickoff scheduled for Noon.
Stadium parking is available on game day for $35 in Lots J and E by credit card only. Stadium lots will open at 9:00 a.m. Tailgating is discouraged in TIAA Bank Field Parking Lots. Additional safety measures include physically distanced parking. A drop-off area will be available on both the east and west side of the stadium on game day for persons with disabilities. Patrons should enter Lot C or Lot M to access the drop-off area.
Parking is also available on game day at the Jacksonville Fairgrounds. Fairground lot opens at 8:00 a.m. and $35 parking is available by cash or credit card. Fairgrounds parking can be purchased at jacksonvillefair.com.
Game Day Transportation: The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) has bus routes serving the Downtown and Stadium area and the Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center at LaVilla. Schedules are available by visiting www.jtafla.com or by downloading the NextBus app for smart mobile devices.
In addition to JTA bus routes, the Skyway will be open extended hours on New Year’s Eve from 6 a.m. – 1 a.m. The Skyway is closed on New Year’s Day, but will be open for TaxSlayer Gator Bowl fans on Saturday, Jan. 2 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. with service to eight stations on the Northbank and Southbank. The Skyway is complimentary.
*Please note: Skyway service over the Acosta Bridge will be suspended during the fireworks show on New Year’s Eve. To reduce the spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and in accordance with City of Jacksonville requirements, all JTA customers, visitors and employees must wear face coverings on board any JTA transit service and at all JTA facilities.
Acosta Bridge Lights
This year, the JTA is introducing a new TaxSlayer Gator Bowl tradition, giving both teams the chance to “Win the Bridge.” Utilizing the state-of-the-art LED lighting system, the JTA will light the Acosta Bridge with both team’s colors on Jan. 1. The winner will get the entire bridge lit in their team’s colors on Jan. 2. The Acosta Bridge lights shine each night from 6 p.m. – 6 a.m.
St. Johns River Taxi: The St. Johns River Taxi will start service at 9 am on Saturday, Jan 2 to take fans to/from the big game! Folks can buy a round trip/all day River Taxi pass online with a credit card by clicking the link below. Round Trip/All Day wristbands will ONLY be sold online through January 1 and orders can be picked up on any River Taxi boat starting at 9 am Jan 2.
On Game Day, only one-way passes will be sold and it will be cash only - $10 each way. The River Taxi will be operating multiple boats on game day and restricting passenger capacity on board. River Taxi will stop at Friendship Fountain Park, Doubletree Hotel, Southbank Marriott Hotel (formerly the Lexington), Metro Park/TIAA Bank Field and the Hyatt Dock, just east of the Main Street Bridge on the Northbank.
For more information on the St. Johns River Taxi, visit www.rivertaxiandtours.com. To purchase an all-day wristband, visit https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/rivertaxiandtours/items/264138/?full-items=yes&flow=169867
Traffic Patterns: Traffic patterns leading into kickoff will remain the same. For anyone traveling to the stadium for the game, please plan ahead and leave extra time for increased traffic downtown prior to kickoff. Traffic patterns will allow inbound traffic throughout the game until post-game when traffic will be pointed outbound.
Uber / Lyft will have a designated pick-up and dropoff location on both the east and west sides of TIAA Bank Field. Request a rideshare from you preferred vendor and then proceed to the designated pick-up areas.
Game Tickets: #23 NC State will play Kentucky in the 76th Annual TaxSlayer Gator Bowl on Saturday, January 2 at 12:00 p.m. Noon at TIAA Bank Field. Tickets begin at $40 and are available at TaxSlayerGatorBowl.com. Box office opens for new sales as well as will call at 9:00 a.m. on game day.
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl Play & Win: TaxSlayer Gator Bowl Play and Win is a new, exciting way to enjoy the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl experience from the stands or at home. On game day, tune into the action on your big screen and go to TaxSlayerGatorBowl.com/PlayandWin on your phone or other connected device to play along! The grand prize of $3,125 will be given away during the game and up to $250 cash per quarter! To learn more or pre-register to play, visit http://www.taxslayergatorbowl.com/playandwin.
For more information on the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl or ancillary events, visit www.taxslayergatorbowl.com.