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Family Weekend is held each fall to introduce parents of undergraduate students to their son's or daughter's campus life and help them become more familiar with Northwestern.  The focus of this annual weekend is welcoming parents as members of the Northwestern community. Classroom visits, meetings with University administrators and deans, a president's convocation, receptions, and a Saturday Wildcat football game are among the planned activities. Below you'll find some parent-provided suggestions for the weekend, and tips for parking on campus, and a tentative schedule of events.

Family Weekend registration is encouraged; click here to register.

Click here to see a tentative schedule of events.  If you are interested to see what other events are happening during this weekend on campus, please visit Plan-It-Purple and select the dates of interest on the calendar at the left side of the screen.

Suggestions for the Weekend

• Get a glimpse of student life! Join your student for classes and meals, and attend information sessions, open houses, and campus tours to learn more about the many resources and services available to students. If you wish to attend a class with your student, please request that your student ask permission from his or her professor before making plans to attend.  Class visits are subject to individual faculty approval.
• See and hear student talent. For the best in music and the performing arts, look no further than Northwestern's student music and performance groups!
• Enjoy the Block Museum. Through exhibitions, educational programs, and its Block Cinema film series, the Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art is where the Northwestern community experiences excellence in the visual arts without leaving campus.
• Enjoy free admission to Northwestern's fitness facilit—the Henry Crown Sports Pavilion, Norris Aquatics Center, and Combe Tennis Center—including the Olympic-size pool, tennis courts, fitness classes, state-of-the-art exercise equipment, and a suspended track overlooking Lake Michigan. Find out more by visiting www.northwestern.edu/fitness-recreation .
• Explore Evanston and Chicago. Visiting families are encouraged to sample the restaurants, theaters, shops, parks, and other attractions that Evanston and Chicago have to offer. Selected destinations and events are highlighted at the Chicago North Shore Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Chicago Office of Tourism . Evanston guidebooks will also be available at Family Weekend check-in.
• Cheer for the Wildcats! On Saturday, have brunch in the dining halls or just grab a hot dog at Ryan Field and then watch the Wildcats take to the gridiron in a traditional fall rite. Come an hour before kickoff to the pregame pep rally at Wildcat Alley, featuring local performers and music by the Northwestern University "Wildcat" Marching Band. Click here for to learn for to pre-order tickets to Saturday's game and for parking tips.

Parking on Campus During Family Weekend

Visitors may park in most campus lots after 4:00 PM weekdays and all day on the weekend. See the Evanston Campus Parking Map to find a lot closest to your student's place of residence.

For Family Weekend, weekday parking restrictions will be waived in three lots on Friday:

• South Beach (located on Campus Drive just east of Fisk Hall; entrance near the bend in Sheridan Road)
• North Beach (located on Campus Drive just west of the sports pavilion)
• Garrett (located on east side of Sheridan Road, just south of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and north of Foster Street)

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