The Inaugural Gators Rugby Family Fall Festival

Three days of rugby, lake, tailgate, and Gators football. September 11-13, 2026.

This September, the Gators Rugby family comes together for the very first time. The inaugural Family Fall Festival is three days at UF Rugby Haven and The Swamp for everyone who has ever worn the orange and blue: alumni, current players, families, recruits, parents, and boosters. Come back, bring the family, and help us start a tradition.

Here is how the weekend comes together.

Friday: Lake Day

It all starts on the water at UF Rugby Haven in Hampton. Things kick off around noon, and earlier arrivals are welcome, so come when you can and stay as long as you like. Plan on camping, touch rugby, tubing, kayaking, paddleboarding, boating, and sunset cruises as the day winds down. Grills are on site, so bring your own food and drinks and we will fire them up.

Saturday: Game Day

Saturday moves from the pitch to The Swamp. We open with a rugby scrimmage at UF Rugby Haven from 10 to 11 AM, then roll into a Gator football tailgate at noon. Kickoff for Gators vs. Campbell is at 5:30 PM at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville.

Tickets for the football game go on sale soon. We will share the link here and by email as soon as they are available so you can grab your seat.

Sunday: Brunch and Touch

We send the weekend off at Squirrel Field in Gainesville with a 10 AM brunch, followed by a noon touch rugby pickup alongside the Gainesville Hogs RFC and the Squirrel-field regulars. One more run before everyone heads home.

What to Bring

Pack chairs, coolers, camping gear, life jackets, and your own food and drinks. Grills are provided at the lake, so you are covered there.

Where to Stay

The host hotel is the Best Western Waldo, around $148 a night and roughly 7 minutes from the lake and 26 minutes from Florida Field. There is no group block, so reserve your own room directly at (352) 468-2500 or bestwestern.com. The address is 17230 NE US Highway 301, Waldo, FL 32694.

Reserve Your Spot

The festival is free, and we are asking everyone to RSVP so we can plan the weekend around the number of Gators heading back. It only takes a minute and it helps us make this first one worth repeating.

Prefer to open it in a new tab? RSVP for the Family Festival here. Questions? Reach Noel at 678-928-1304 or Rom at 904-376-5690.

See You at the Haven

Whether you are here for the rugby, the lake, the tailgate, or just the stories, the Family Fall Festival is the weekend the whole Gators Rugby family comes together. Mark the calendar for September 11-13, 2026, and we will see you there.

Let's Go Gators Rugby.