Gator Growl


Gator Growl, produced by Florida Blue Key with artists funded by Student Government Productions, is a student-run pep rally at the University of Florida that was founded in 1924. It marks the culmination of Homecoming Week at the university.
Designated as the largest student-run pep rally in the world, the show is held annually on Flavet Field at the University of Florida. Before 2014, it was held in the University of Florida football stadium.
Gator Growl is credited with inspiring Orange Peel, a similar event held annually at Oklahoma State University after a group of students, faculty and alumni traveled to Gainesville in 1995 to witness the event.

History

Gator Growl has been a University of Florida tradition for almost 100 years. Gator Growl has its roots in the tradition of "Dad's Day," a turn-of-the-century tradition in which fathers of the then all-male student body were invited to visit the new campus. In 1916, a pep rally replaced Dad's Day and "Gator Growl" was born., known as "firing up" enthusiasm for the next day's football game. In 1923, the tradition grew as skits, musical performances and guest speakers expanded the rally into a variety show. Students & alumni continued to express their Gator spirit by participating in cheers and enjoying performances by UF's Marching Band, Cheerleaders, and Dazzlers.
Over time, the Gator Growl production grew with the advancement of technology to its current scale. Today, it is a showcase of athletic talent and spirited tradition; a spectacle of fireworks, light displays, live music, and comedy. More than 500 student volunteers work for thousands of hours to coordinate the night of festivities for the University of Florida community. Producers, directors, assistant directors, and staff members are in charge of the production, execution, promotion, and dismantling of the show. These student volunteers earn Gator Growl its beloved nickname, "the world's largest student-run pep rally!"
The majority of the manual labor associated with this major production, however, is provided by University of Florida students who work at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center, the University of Florida's indoor sports arena. The event takes more than a week to physically set up and requires more than 200 student employees to do so. Because Gator Growl is always held the night before a home football game, these students must work all night to remove every trace of the event by the following morning. Like all aspects of Gator Growl, the physical construction is also student-run with primary responsibility falling on the Production Lead—the student technician charged with coordinating and supervising all of the other student employees. The Production Lead and the Head Electrician will typically serve as an apprentice to the position the year prior.
As a longstanding tradition at the University of Florida, Gator Growl is a show produced by students for students and alumni. With a vision to reinvent the spectacle into a more interactive, exciting and intimate show while still remaining true to its origins, the event was moved from the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to Flavet Field in 2014, which offers an environment conducive to executing this vision. The venue change also reduces the need for an extensive single-stage setup, thus making the event tremendously more cost-effective.
In its long history, Gator Growl has been recognized by Good Morning America, Comedy Central, Entertainment Tonight and was even featured as an answer on Jeopardy!.

Content

The main purpose of the pep rally is to motivate the Florida Gators to victory in their Homecoming football game. The show features performances from the UF Dazzlers, the University of Florida cheerleaders, and The Pride of the Sunshine marching band.
In addition to the cheers, there are performances from guest comedians, musicians, and entertainers who perform for the assembled students and alumni.
A special portion of the show is reserved for celebrity cameo appearances. In the past, cameo appearances have included countless entertainment icons such as David Letterman, Katie Couric, "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, Jonah Hill, and B.o.B.

List of comedians and performers

YearComedian and Performers
1977Gabe Kaplan
1978Helen Reddy
1979Bob Hope
1980George Burns
1981Rodney Dangerfield
1982Robin Williams
1983Bob Hope, Irene Cara
1984Bill Cosby, Herbie Hancock
1985The Smothers Brothers
1986Billy Crystal
1987Jay Leno
1988Steven Wright, Jerry Seinfeld
1989Richard Jeni, Paula Poundstone
1990Paul Provenza, Jeff Foxworthy
1991Brian Regan, Tom Parks
1992David Alan Grier, Larry Miller
1993Garry Shandling, Dennis Miller
1994Sinbad, Bobby Slayton
1995Kevin Pollak, Anthony Clark
1996Paul Rodriguez, Craig Shoemaker
1997Howie Mandel, Jeremy Hotz, Michael Buffer, Sister Hazel
1998Ray Romano, Dave Chappelle, Carlos Mencia, Larry the Cable Guy
1999Pablo Francisco, Carrot Top, Craig Shoemaker
2000Mitch Hedberg, John Pinette, D. L. Hughley
2001Daniel Tosh, Dave Attell, Jim Breuer
2002Bill Cosby, Harland Williams
2003Sugar Ray, Christopher Titus, Arnez J
2004Bill Engvall, Dane Cook
2005Greg Giraldo, Wayne Brady
2006Jim Gaffigan, Gabriel Iglesias
2007Frank Caliendo, Lynyrd Skynyrd
2008Jon Reep, Steve Miller Band
2009Dana Carvey, O.A.R., JabbaWockeeZ
2010Aziz Ansari, Kevin Hart, Dan Levy
2011Joel McHale, Goo Goo Dolls
2012Tracy Morgan, Josh Turner, Dara Torres
2013The Fray, Sister Hazel, New Directions Veterans Choir
2014Brooks Wheelan, Foster the People, Ludacris
2015Jana Kramer, Echosmith, T.I.
2016Passion Pit, Timeflies, Maddie and Tae, Waka Flocka Flame
2017Snoop Dogg, Daya
2018Walk the Moon, Ty Dolla $ign
2019Chase Rice, Lanco, Blanco Brown