Starting on December 31, the annual Fresh From Florida parade will kick things off from 11am-2pm in downtown Orlando.

On January 1, from 12:30pm-2pm, head on over to The Peabody Orlando for the Capital One Kickoff Luncheon. Warm up your cheering skills later that afternoon at the Capital One Bowl Pep Rally from 4pm-5:30pm at Pointe Orlando (off International Drive).

January 2 is Game Day! You can start things off right at the Capital One Fanfest at McCracken Field (Citrus Bowl Stadium) starting at 9am. This pre-game tailgate party will feature interactive games, live music, entertainment, and much more!

If you're looking for a tailgate party with luxurious style instead, the Kuykendall Gardner Tailgate Terrace is the gathering you won't want to miss. These festivities offer high end, gourmet food and entertainment, and it's all in a climate-controlled environment. Tinker Field (Citrus Bowl Stadium), 10am-1pm.

The Capital One Bowl will be held at Citrus Bowl Stadium with kickoff at 1pm, with the game expected to end at 4:30pm.

More information on all the Capital One Bowl festivities can be found by clicking http://fcsports.com/CapitalOneBowl.aspx">here.

Should you happen to be looking for something to do on January 1 that doesn't involve football, why not visit Universal Citywalk to see the legendary BB King live in concert? This Grammy-award winning blues legend will take the stage with Kaleigh Baker at the Hard Rock Live Orlando at 8pm. Tickets: $65 reserved first two rows; $47.50 reserved main floor and lower balcony; $37.50 reserved upper balcony; $28.50 general admission. For more information, call 407-351-5483 or check out the http://www.hardrock.com/live2/Calendar.aspx?LocationID=115&MIBEnumID=3">Hard Rock Live website.

After a wild night of partying to usher in 2009, there is no doubt revelers will want to take it easy on January 1st. And what better way is there to relax and have fun at the same time than with a rousing game of football? No ordinary game will do though – it is the beginning of the New Year, after all. Thankfully, the Capital One Bowl is anything but ordinary; this heated battle between two powerhouse champions from the Southeastern Conference and the Big Ten Conference will keep fans on the edge of their seats at the Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium at 1 pm on January 1st.

This year, the Capital One Bowl will feature the University of Georgia and Michigan State University in their second meeting ever between the two schools. The Bowl will be televised nationally on ABC and is sure to be a heated battle, with both teams vying for their tenth win.

“This will be a showcase for two of the best running backs in the country,” said Steve Hogan, the Executive Director of Florida Citrus Sports. “Both Michigan State and Georgia have something to prove at 9-3 and conference bragging rights are on the line with the Big Ten winning the bowl’s last four games to bring the head-to-head record to 8-8 over the last 16 years.”

The Georgia Bulldogs finished the season 9-3 after suffering losses against two of the nation’s top teams, Alabama and Florida. Meanwhile, the Michigan State Spartans finished 9-3 after a loss to Penn State that killed all hopes of a Big Ten title, yet they still posted their highest finish in the league since 1999. The Spartans are returning to Orlando for the second consecutive year after playing in last year’s Champs Sports Bowl.

Not only will New Year’s Day promise a great game, but sports fans can also gear up for the Bowl in the days preceding it. It starts as early as December 30th at 11 am with the Spherion Orlando Citrus Parade in Downtown Orlando and the Bowl-a-Palooza Fanfest at Pointe Orlando on International Drive. Part of a weeklong festival that includes the Champs Sports Bowl on December 27th, Bowl-a-Palooza gives bowl fans a chance to unite and enjoy music, food, entertainment, and college football excitement.

The fun continues on December 31st at noon with the Capital One Bowl Kickoff Luncheon at SeaWorld Orlando’s Renaissance, and with the final Capital One FanFest at 9 am on January 1st at McCracken Field. True fans can also ring in the New Year with their favorite teams at the Capital One Bowl’s official New Year’s Eve Party at Universal Orlando. The Michigan State Band will perform at 2 pm at the park, and Georgia’s Band will perform at 3 pm.

Since 2006, more than 100,000 fans flock to Central Florida for the all the Bowl festivities. Though many other cities host bowl games, only Orlando offers this much fun and entertainment in one week. Don’t miss all the action as the Capital One Bowl delivers a fun day of college football that will make for a memorable start to your year.