Penn football will host fan festival before Friday's game

If Penn football hosts a game under the lights and nobody is there to see it, does it really happen?

With the Quakers’ contest this weekend slated as a Friday primetime affair at Franklin Field, Penn Athletics is working to ensure that students can have an experience similar to what might be found at a school more passionate about football.

Prior to the Red and Blue’s first nationally televised home night game in program history, Penn will host a three-hour pregame fan festival on Moravian Street. Free for all participants, the event will include music, giveaways and food and refreshments from nearby restaurants.

“This is an awesome opportunity for our fans to have a full gameday experience,” coach Ray Priore said. “It will make a great pregame atmosphere for all our alumni, fans and students and will strengthen our homefield advantage when all that energy and enthusiasm pours into Franklin Field at gametime.”

Beginning at 4 p.m., the festival will feature food from New Deck Tavern, Baby Blues and Doc Magrogan’s, all three of which border Moravian Street. Other refreshments from Coca Cola and Little Debbie’s will be on-hand, as will live music from WXPN.

While the event is restricted to those over 21, underage students can attend a barbecue in the Palestra before the Red and Blue’s matchup with Yale kicks off at 7 p.m.

Beyond this weekend’s game, the Quakers are also planning to host a pregame festival prior to the team’s Homecoming contest against Princeton on Nov. 7. Penn is coming off its second win of the season after defeating Columbia, 42-7, yet hasn’t captured a victory at Franklin Field in over a year.

“I really want to thank the Penn community and all of the sponsors who have made this possible," Priore said. "I can’t wait to see everyone at Franklin Field."

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