Inspired by Knoxville-area Vol fans this fall, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam recently signed an official proclamation designating Friday, Oct. 19, as “Big Orange Friday” throughout the entire Volunteer State.
Big Orange Friday is an initiative created to engage the community, residents and fans with Tennessee Athletics and the university by wearing orange on Friday every week.
Every Friday, fans who wear Tennessee orange will receive discounts at Knoxville-area stores, restaurants and service providers. Fans can visit BigOrangeFriday.com for an updated list of participating sponsors, discounts and activities surrounding Big Orange Friday (also seen in the graphic below; Knoxville-area locations only).
Haslam’s State of Tennessee Proclamation encourages citizens from Shelby County to Johnson County to show state pride and don their orange the day before the Volunteers football team faces historic rival Alabama on “the third Saturday in October,” Oct. 20. Kickoff for that clash is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS. A limited number of tickets remain available at AllVols.com.
The wording on the proclamation is as follows:
State of Tennessee Proclamation by the Governor
WHEREAS, formally the third Saturday in October the Tennessee Volunteers play the Alabama Crimson Tide every year, and
WHEREAS, as long as teams have represented the University of Tennessee on the field, they have carried on the name and tradition of the original Tennessee Volunteers, and
WHEREAS, Tennesseans can proudly show state pride by wearing Tennessee Orange on the third Friday in October before the annual Tennessee vs. Alabama game, and
WHEREAS, the University requests that the “Volunteer State” should turn Orange to show the pride and support of the state in the on-field football battle against its neighboring state;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Bill Haslam, Governor of the State of Tennessee, do hereby proclaim October 19, 2018 as
BIG ORANGE FRIDAY
in Tennessee and encourage all citizens to join me in this worthy observance.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the official seal of the State of Tennessee to be affixed at Nashville on this twentieth day of September, 2018.
Official State Proclamation (PDF)
Bill Haslam
Governor
Tre Hargett
Secretary of State
-UT Athletics
