The City of Knoxville is waiving game day parking fees at the Market Square Garage and State Street Garage in downtown Knoxville for the remainder of the University of Tennessee's football season.

The Volunteers clash with the University of Florida on Saturday, September 20, in Knoxville. Football fans and fans of downtown are encouraged to arrive early and stay late on Saturday to take advantage of all that downtown has to offer - including great places to eat, drink, shop and be entertained - both before and after the game.

Both free garages are located close to restaurants and shopping opportunities, from Market Square to Gay Street to the Old City. The State Street Garage is located between Central Avenue and State Street with additional entrances on Clinch Avenue and Union Avenue. The Market Square Garage is just west of Market Square with entrances on Wall Avenue and Walnut Street.

In the past, both garages offered paid parking during UT's home games. Free parking was offered for the first time this season during last week's game against the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

"We're using free parking at Market Square and State Street as an opportunity to introduce downtown Knoxville to UT football fans," said Madeleine Weil, deputy director of the city's Policy and Communications Department. "It worked well last week, and we're hoping that downtown merchants continue to see an increase in orange-clad foot traffic on game days through the end of the season."

If you don't make it downtown early enough to get a parking spot in one of the free garages, please check out the convenient paid parking opportunities in other city and county-owned parking garages including the Locust Street Garage, Main Avenue Garage, Dwight Kessel Garage, the Poplar Street Lot and the City County Building Garage.

From downtown, anyone can ride Kat's football shuttles to and from Neyland Stadium. For more information about downtown shuttle stop locations and prices please visit www.cityofknoxville.org/kat.