Reasons to Attend
1) Meet your student's friends and their families.
2) Get to know the university — including a tour of the football stadium!
3) Become part of your student's college experience.
4) Get paid for telling stories as a family.
This is a wonderful opportunity to see your student once they have gone off to college. Your student will have been at the university long enough to tell you how things are going, what classes are like, and update you on new friends. During the weekend, you'll have an opportunity to catch up, participate in fun activities, meet other Husker families and create memories together.
All family members can attend the weekend. However, please note that there is a lot of walking. In case you have a very small child or someone who may need assistance with walking, you may find a stroller or wheelchair to be helpful.
Activities are free of charge unless otherwise noted.
Lodging
Hotel room blocks have been arranged at local hotels near the Lincoln airport, in the Haymarket as well as in Downtown Lincoln (all near campus). To access the special Family Weekend rates, you must register to participate in Family Weekend. There is no registration fee. Your registration confirmation email will provide you with hotel information and links to reserve rooms. Please note that hotel rooms must be booked prior to August 30 at 5 p.m. to secure discounted University rates. Hotel room availability is not guaranteed, so please reserve your room early.
2019 Schedule of Events
Thursday, Sept. 19
St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
Lied Center for the Performing Arts, 7:30 p.m. | Discounted tickets available
Opening night of the Lied’s 30th Anniversary Season features the return of the GRAMMY® Award-winning St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) following its landmark Firebird collaboration at the Lied. Gershwin’s beloved An American in Paris is conducted Stéphane Denève, who begins his tenure as SLSO Music Director in the 2019/2020 season. The program also showcases Debussy’s colorful La Mer and piano virtuoso Jean-Yves Thibaudet with Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G.
Save 50% off adult tickets (Orchestra Rear and Balcony Seating)
Purchase tickets
Friday, Sept. 20
Family Weekend Reception
The Graduate Hotel (141 North 9th Street), 4-7 p.m. | Sponsored by Student Affairs & Student Involvement
Meet and mingle with other Husker families as you enjoy some snacks and play Topgolf while waiting for your student to join you. Representatives from the university can answer any questions you have about the weekend, the university, or the local area. Courtesy of The Graduate, guests staying at the hotel will receive a complimentary drink ticket for each adult to use at the reception.
Comedy Mentalist Sean Bott
Nebraska Union Auditorium, 7:30 p.m. | Sponsored by UPC Nebraska
Sean began his love of entertaining crowds growing up on an Army base in Saudi Arabia. With appearances on HBO, the Sci-Fi Channel, the CW, and NBC, Sean’s innovative and distinct brand of comedy mentalism has enthralled audiences worldwide. During the show, a handful of pocket change will melt, time will travel on watches and smartphones, and participants will feel themselves pushed as Sean stands clear across the stage from them. Minds will be read, objects will move with no physical contact, and your audience will freak out! You’ll gasp, you’ll laugh, you’ll love it!
Saturday, Sept. 21
Memorial Stadium Tour
Memorial Stadium/Osborne Athletic Complex near gate 12, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. | Sponsored by Student Affairs and hosted by Athletics
Wear your favorite Husker gear and experience a tour of the legendary Memorial Stadium. Fans will enjoy a guided tour of the Osborne Athletic Complex where you can view the stunning 40-foot waterfall in the lobby, the Heisman Trophy room, the Suh Strength and Conditioning Center, Athletic Medicine areas, and Hawks Championship Center. Your tour will end with a family Tunnel Walk and selfie on the field.
Reservations are required. Sign up for your tour when you register for Family Weekend. Space is limited and is expected to fill.
Tours are filled.
Smithsonian’s 15th annual Museum Day Live
Morrill Hall, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m | Sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution
Enjoy free admission to the University of Nebraska State Museum at Morrill Hall on Sept. 21, as part of Smithsonian’s 15th annual Museum Day Live. Visitors must present the Museum Day Live ticket available here. Visitors who present the ticket will gain free admission for two. One ticket per household and per email is permitted.
Husker Watch Party
Memorial Stadium Gate 24, 1 hour before kickoff | Sponsored by Campus NightLife
Join your student and other Husker families for a watch party inside Memorial Stadium as Nebraska football takes on Illinois. Bring a blanket to sit on as you enjoy the game on the big screen from the field! Family members must be registered for Family Weekend to participate. Simply show event staff your Family Weekend confirmation (via a printout or your phone) for admission.
In the case of inclement weather, the watch party will be held at the Nebraska Union, Centennial Room.
Husker DogFest
South of Memorial Stadium and Manter Hall, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. | Organized by the Canine Cognition and Human Interaction Lab in the Department of Psychology and the Center for Brain, Biology and Behavior
Bring your family to tour the new Canine Cognition and Human Interaction Lab (501 building); watch demonstrations of dog obedience, police dogs, and dog frisbee tricks; view dog-related products and services. More information available at https://dogfest.unl.edu/.
FTKids on the Block
Meier Commons, 3:30-7:30 p.m. | Sponsored by University of Nebraska Dance Marathon (UNDM)
This September, UNDM is hosting its very first back-to-school bash: New FTKids on the Block. This FREE campus-wide event will feature live music, tasty food, carnival games, and more. Join us to get to know other students and families, interact with our Miracle Families, and learn more about our wonderful cause.
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Multicultural Greek Stroll Off
Lied Center, 7 p.m. | Sponsored by OASIS
Come see the strolls from chapters in the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) and Multicultural Greek Council (MGC). You can cheer on your favorites and see who will win this year's competition. This event is open to all!
Sunday, Sept. 22
Breakfast or Lunch in a University Dining Hall
University Dining Halls, view hours | Sponsored by Student Affairs & University Housing
Join your student and other families for a meal in one of the following university dining facilities: Cather, Harper, or Selleck. To view meal options, encourage your student to download the free dining app.
More to See
City Campus
- Campus Recreation
Available with a Family Weekend printable pass as your admission ticket. Includes access to the recreation equipment, pool, Outdoor Adventures Center and the Recreation and Wellness Center on East Campus. - Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center
Visit the nation's largest multicultural center with meeting and conference rooms, student organization offices, a music room, a kitchen and computer lab. - Morrill Hall
Check out the University of Nebraska State Museum and visit the new Cherish Nebraska exhibit on the fourth floor. - Sheldon Museum of Art
Open Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday from 10 am. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday from Noon-5 p.m.
East Campus
- UNL Dairy Store
- International Quilt Study Center and Museum
Free admission with your Family Weekend printable pass. - Larsen Tractor Test and Power Museum
Free admission; donations accepted. - Nebraska East Union
Attractions include the Loft Gallery and Lanes'N Games bowling alley.
Around Lincoln
- The Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center
- Historic Haymarket
Farmers market, art exhibits, restaurants, shopping and more. - Lincoln Chamber of Commerce
- The Railyard
Entertainment district across the street from the Pinnacle Bank Arena. - Religious Services Available
Near Lincoln
WILL YOUR FAMILY BE HERE FOR PARENT’S WEEKEND OR HOMECOMING?
SIGN UP AND GET $75 FOR TELLING STORIES AS A FAMILY!
My name is Jody Koenig Kellas and my colleague, Toni Morgan, and I are conducting a research study on family storytelling through the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Department of Communication Studies. The purpose of the study is to better understand the content and process of family storytelling in order to better understand how families connect, create a sense of family identity, socialize one another, and make sense of life through the practices of family storytelling. To participate, you must:
- Be 14 years or older (parents must participate with and provide parental consent for family members under 19 years of age).
- Be a member of a family (no fewer than three members, no more than eight members) who is willing to (a) complete questionnaires about you and your family, and (b) find a common time to gather (at your home or at UNL’s social interaction lab) to write about and tell family stories.
Participation should take about two hours total (30 minutes for survey completion and 90 minutes for the storytelling session).
If you would like to participate, please email me at jkellas2@unl.edu to receive information about the study and to sign up for a time to participate. Each family will be paid $75 for its participation and receive a copy of the video recording of the family storytelling session as a keepsake.