For the fifth straight year, the Falcons will take to a high school and scrimmage during the annual Kia Motors Friday Night Lights tonight. This year's scrimmage will take place at Peachtree Ridge High School in Suwanee, Ga. The event will be open to the public and admission is free.
Those on hand can watch a live scrimmage-styled practice by the Falcons that will include tackling. Additionally there will be a fan fest with interactive inflatable games, sponsor activation, a post-event autograph session and a fireworks show.
Gates open at 6 p.m. and the Falcons take the field at 6:45 p.m.
General parking is free but limited at Peachtree Ridge High School located at 1555 Old Peachtree Road, Suwanee, Ga.
Once this lot is full, there is free satellite parking available at the Arena at Gwinett Center located at 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth, Ga.
There are free shuttle buses that will take fans from satellite parking to Peachtree Ridge High School starting at 5 p.m.
The highlight of the evening will be a full-speed session that will feature competition between the offense and defense. A scoring system has been devised by head coach Mike Smith to ensure competition. Points are awarded for touchdowns, consecutive first downs, driving the ball inside the 25-yard line, three-and-out possessions and turnovers.
Although some players won't participate in the live-contact portion of the event, including quarterbacks, most players will come to play Friday night with a intensity that rivals a game. For most players, it will be the first opportunity of training camp to wear pads and tackle.
"We want to have some competition and someone is going to have bragging rights at the end of the night," Smith said of the scrimmage. "I think it'll be competitive, and I think the closer we get to the end of that practice and scrimmage the more competitive it will be."
The intimate setting will allow Falcons fans to get closer to their team and during the live scrimmage many players, including quarterbacks, will be mic'd. At halftime, a fan field goal contest will take place with $5,000 in cash as the prize for the kicker plus another fan from the Falcons' Facebook page.
