Virginia Spring Football Festival Set for April 10

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Charlottesville, VA – The annual Virginia Spring Football Festival is set for Scott Stadium on Saturday, April 10. A variety of pregame activities will start at noon on the field and in the stadium’s concourse. The Cavalier football team will take the field at approximately 12:30 p.m. for warm-up period and the team’s annual Orange vs. Blue scrimmage is set to start at 2 p.m.

A live webcast of the event will start at 2 p.m.

This year’s scrimmage will give Cavalier fans the opportunity to see first-year coach Mike London’s 2010 squad that features 15 returning starters and 43 letterwinners from last year’s team.

All events are free to the public and free parking is available in the lots adjacent to Scott Stadium. Free parking is also available at the Emmet/Ivy Parking Garage. The Central Grounds Parking Garage will also be available (hourly rates apply). Accessible parking will be available for fans in Scott Stadium’s West parking lot.

Gates will open at noon on the east, west and north sides of the stadium. The Festival activities will be held on the field and at the north side of the stadium. On the field level, fans of all ages can participate in a series of football skills challenges. Activities include a 40-yard dash, agility stations, field goal kicking station and target throw. Events on the field will close at 12:45 p.m.

From noon until 2 p.m., the Pergola Plaza will host inflatable games, feature face painting and tattoos, balloon artists, caricature artists and appearances by Cavman with his horse, Sabre. Fans will be able to pick up posters and schedule cards at all gates. In addition, fans will be able to enter to win prizes from Virginia Athletics on their way in to Scott Stadium.

Fans will also have an opportunity to see the $99 UVa faculty and staff season ticket reserved seat locations offered in sections 514 and 515 and the $175 upper level end zone season ticket reserved seat locations in sections 518-522. Look for ticket office representatives at a table inside the west gate and in these sections for more information.

Game-worn Virginia road (white) jerseys will be on sale for $75. At least one of each number (1-99) will be available at the sale. Jerseys are from the 2000-2006 seasons. The sale takes place at the north end of the stadium in the Pergola Plaza, near the George Welsh statue.

Several former Cavalier players will hold a Question and Answer session in section 125 of Scott Stadium from 12:45 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. Featured players are expected to include Pete Allen, Darryl Blackstock, Brad Butler and Chris Long.

All students, eighth grade and under, are encouraged to write an essay on the topic, “How do the qualities of good sportsmanship help me with my everyday life?” Kids with submissions to the Cavalier Essay Contest will also be able to hand their essay in upon entering the stadium. Entries will be reviewed and judged by the UVa Athletics Academic Affairs staff. This year, winning essays will be chosen from elementary and middle school participants. Each of these winners will receive prize packages from the Virginia Athletics Department. Essay forms can be downloaded here.

During the Festival fans will have the opportunity to purchase food and beverages from the concession stands located on the east and west sides of the stadium. Ben & Jerry’s will also be serving ice cream from locations on the east and west sides of Scott Stadium. On the Pergola Plaza there will be portable carts serving drinks and snacks. The Cavalier Team Shop merchandise locations inside the east and west gates will be open. Fans will be able to purchase the 2010 Virginia football official fan t-shirt by Nike as well as other Cavalier football merchandise.

Prior to the 2 p.m. start of the Orange vs. Blue scrimmage, a number of annual football student-athlete award winners will be announced in addition to the 2010 team captains. At the conclusion of the scrimmage, fans will be able to obtain autographs from the student-athletes on the field.

Click here to download the Spring Game Program.