The dedication of Orange Bowl Field at Harris Field Park (1034 NE 8th Street, Homestead, FL 33030) will take place on Thursday, August 24, the 25th Anniversary of Hurricane Andrew. During Hurricane Andrew, Harris Field was used as a “tent city” for evacuees of the devastating Category 5 storm. The dedication will begin at 4 p.m. followed by the field’s inaugural high school game, Braddock v. Homestead at 7 p.m.
Built as a partnership between the Orange Bowl Committee and the City of Homestead, Orange Bowl Field at Harris Field Park has become a state-of-the-art football facility that is home of eight high school football teams as well as the Orange Bowl Youth Football Alliance’s youth football team in the region.
Orange Bowl Field at Harris Field Park is the Orange Bowl’s fourth Legacy Gift to the South Florida Community in the last eight years. After breaking ground in December of 2016, the $2.1 million renovation features new multi-purpose synthetic turf field designed for football and soccer, new video scoreboard and sound system, goal posts and nets, landscaping, and renovated restrooms, locker rooms and press box. Organizations providing additional funding include the Miami Dolphins through the NFL’s Field Grant Program and Center State Bank.
Attendees at the free opening celebration will enjoy performances by local high school marching bands, kids’ games, bounce houses, food and drinks. Following the celebration, G. Holmes Braddock High School will play against Homestead Senior High School in the inaugural game at Orange Bowl Field. Admission to the game is $5 and benefits Homestead Senior High School Athletic Programming.
The Orange Bowl first unveiled the Legacy Gift initiative in 2008-09 in honor of the organization’s 75th anniversary, which also coincided with the hosting of the 2009 BCS National Championship. All four park renovations have been cooperative efforts between the Orange Bowl, a not-for-profit organization, and various local counties and/or municipalities. In January 2011, the Orange Bowl and the City of Miami cut the ribbon on Orange Bowl Field at Moore Park. In 2013, the Orange Bowl and the City of Fort Lauderdale renovated Joseph C. Carter Park. Most recently, the Orange Bowl and Miami-Dade County unveiled the new Orange Bowl Field at Ives Estates Park in the northern part of the county.
About the Orange BowlThe Orange Bowl is a 362-member, primarily-volunteer non-profit sports organization that promotes and serves the South Florida community. With its primary mission since being created in 1935 to bring tourism to South Florida through an annual football game and events, it has also maintained a legacy of charitable contributions and community outreach. Orange Bowl community outreach efforts are comprised of four pillars: youth sports, fundraising and community events, academic programs and scholarships, and legacy gifts. The Orange Bowl features a year-round schedule of events culminating with the Capital One Orange Bowl on December 30, 2017. For more information on the 2017-18 Orange Bowl events, including promotional and volunteer opportunities through the Ambassador Program presented by Panera Bread, log on to www.orangebowl.org. Follow Orange Bowl: @OrangeBowl, Facebook and Instagram.
