CanesFest at new UM Schwartz Center

CanesFest, one of the biggest events of the UM year is back this Saturday, August 23, it's free and open to the public. It's the kickoff event for UM's football season. The event is from 4 to 7 pm

This year the event is moving from the BankUnited Center to the Schwartz Center in the brand new athletics building. There will be tours of the new Greentree practice fields, locker room and there's an autograph session with the athletes and coaches. Autogrphs will only be given on the CanesFest poster.

Also on Saturday's agenda: Interactive games for kids, including a baseball radar gun, a timed 40-yard dash competition, soccer, volleyball and rowing stations spread across the athletics facilities, as well as inflatables.

A photo booth will be set up and photo opportunities with Sebastian the Ibis will be available also with the Miami Maniac. And there will be a “Dress Like a Cane” station where fans can try on the football uniforms new for the 2014 season.

A really fun thing is the one-of-a-kind opportunity to run through the smoke out of the Miami helmet, a tradition unlike any other. Feel what it’s like to be a Hurricane on game day!

An interactive picnic area will be set up on the Schwartz Center patio including food trucks, official Miami Hurricanes merchandise for sale, ticket sales tables and Hurricane Club representatives. The UM Sports Hall of Fame, adjacent to the Hecht Athletic Center on San Amaro Drive, will be open for all visitors from 3-7 pm.

Hurricane greats including Joaquin Gonzalez, Sherko Haji-Rasouli and K.C. Jones will be signing autographs and taking pictures with fans from 4-5 pm.