UF College of Medicine alumni had a homecoming of their own this past weekend. Gator medical grads celebrating milestone reunions met up with former classmates while showing that their spirit for orange and blue still thrives.

Organized by the office of UF Medical Alumni Affairs, the Alumni Reunion weekend began Friday, Nov. 6 with a class party held at the UF Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Institute where more than 200 alumni from the classes of 1964, 1969, 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999 and 2004 came together.

The weekend events continued Saturday afternoon with a late lunch catered by Hill’s BBQ at Wilmot Gardens. Alumni and their families were outfitted in “Beat Vandy” stickers and professionally painted Gator-themed faces as a prelude to the Florida-Vanderbilt game. More than 600 alumni, faculty, staff and students turned out for the event and enjoyed music by Bella Luna – some of whom are COM faculty by day and jazz musicians by night.

On Sunday, alumni and their families were bid a fond farewell with a big breakfast before returning to homes as far away as Oregon and Maine and some from right here in Gainesville and Ocala.