Family Weekend Meetup Thread

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Alabama
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<p>Given the fact that we are unfortunately dispersed into some different groups based on move-in dates, I propose we try to organize a Parent’s Weekend gathering also. Everyone game?</p>

<p>I realize even then not everyone will be making the trip even for Parent’s weekend, but it sure would be nice for us to meet as many as we can, share a cocktail or two, and further develop this ingenious business plan the collective has assembled… <grin></grin></p>

<p>Maybe Friday evening the 20th if I have my dates right? I know Saturday will be insane with tailgating and the game, etc.</p>

<p>Ideas?</p>

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<p>Friday is the best, I think.</p>

<p>So, how / when do we buy tickets for the game? I did not order the tickets that came with the pkg because CC said to wait and use StubHub to avoid nosebleed seating. What’s the best timing for that???</p>

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<p>Bumping this thread up, as we are attending Family Weekend, without son. We have tickets in a lower section to the game. Yeah! We are staying in Tuscaloosa. </p>

<p>We were hoping to do the riverboat ride on Friday, since son has never been interested and thought this would be our chance, but it is no longer being held. So sorry we missed that. Heard it was fun from other parents.</p>

<p>Anyway, we’re doing the Chocolate event without son, sorry to say, but will have to sacrifice and eat his chocolate, too. Don’t know if we’ll do the pool party. We’ve stopped by late before when things were pretty much over, so don’t know what it’s like.</p>

<p>Any idea what time the game will be? We’ll definitely get to campus early so we can watch the band practice by Arby’s, which I hope they’ll still do. After that, maybe the tailgate event, the Walk of Champions, or the Elephant Stomp, which we’ve done one or the other or combos in the past years. </p>

<p>Last year, a band parent told me about the band concert on the Old Quad. That was absolutely awesome! Don’t know if they always do that, but definitely want to see that again if they do. Also, the band alumnae were on campus, and watching them at the early morning practice was fantastic!</p>

<p>I may check out Smith Hall again, see what’s new there. I know there were some fossils found this summer, and don’t know if they’re on display yet. There was a great biology exhibit outside one year. </p>

<p>I do see that they are doing a President’s Mansion tour again this year, and I would highly recommend that. </p>

<p>Anyway, hope to meet some of y’all this weekend. I usually run into other CC parents on my walk up to the nosebleed section, but since we’re in the lower north end this year, don’t know what the crowd will be like. Either way, looking forward to making some new friends again this year!</p>

<p>A prior</p>

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<p>My alums friends think the game will be at 11. I’m hoping for 1. </p>

<p>Montegut, I will be hanging with band parent friends so I’ll be at that practice. I’ll be the one in the bedazzled crimson shirt carrying a crimson and white shaker - can’t miss me!</p>

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<p>I’m in! We will arrive in Tuscaloosa on Thursday afternoon. YEA! Friday sounds good. </p>

<p>Okay, how do we get tickets or passes to some of these Parent Weekend events? I can’t seem to figure it out. Do want the Chocolate event!!! We registered for Parents Weekend the day it opened up but do not see a box to check for each event. </p>

<p>I may have a hotel room available for that weekend. It is at the Greystone. If interested let me know.</p>

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<p>I think there are still Parents Weekend packages available. The football tickets are sold out, but you may be able to get those from stubhub or somebody not using theirs, thank you! </p>

<p>Class2012, I will look for you. I’ll be sure to wear sunglasses to I don’t get my eye poked out by the rhinestones!</p>

<p>That will be so awesome if the game is early. It’s usually around 6, though, which is why we opted for the closer hotel.</p>

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<p>We did the Parents Weekend registration back on the first day. Does that include all of the events? I could not tell if it did or if you had to check for each one. We did our football tickets at the same time so we are good there.</p>

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<p>It looks like online registration is closed, but since you’re going to be in town, I would go to the Ferguson Center Ballroom, third floor, between 11 and 6 on Friday and see what events you can still get into.</p>

<p>As for the Chocolate Festival, it is a fundraiser, and even though I bought my tickets in advance last year, since I only got 5 samples with my ticket, I went back to the entrance and bought another ticket to try out more goodies. Hey, it’s a fundraiser, and who can resist chocolate!</p>

<p>As for a la carte tickets, it seems you can get the beach party and the Sunday brunch a la carte. I would definitely recommend the Sunday brunch. It is very nice. I hope it is still at Fresh Foods. The food was very good. There was a live band, very good. It reminded me a lot of our New Orleans Jazz Brunches. We always meet new families there as well as at the other events. There are also different organizations set up inside the Ferg with informative brochures, goodies. Really a nice event.</p>

<p>As stated before, when I’ve gotten to the Beach Party, there’s been no food left, so don’t know what is included in that $15 a la carte price, other than maybe getting a chance to swim in the outdoor pool at the Rec Center. </p>

<p>I see that the chocolate festival is at Gorgas Library this year. Last year, it was at the rec center, inside. I am looking forward to seeing the library again. Haven’t been in a couple of years. I love it.</p>

<p>Looks like there are also a lot of tours of the different colleges. It doesn’t look like you need a ticket to go on those tours, so even those who didn’t buy a package will probably be able to go on those tours. Worth a try.</p>

<p>As it’s our last year, still so much we haven’t seen, and I’m looking forward to doing the tours and seeing where my kid has been spending his time the last few years.</p>

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<p>So when we registered and paid for the Parents Weekend package it does not come with the events?</p>

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<p>^^ Family Weekend Package
Family Weekend packages cost $48 and can be purchased once registration opens. A package includes admission for one person to participate in the Beach Bash, the Family Weekend Tailgate, and the Student Affairs Expo & Jazz Brunch. The purchase of a Family Weekend package also includes tickets for your UA student(s) for the Beach Bash, the Family Weekend Tailgate, and the Student Affairs Expo & Jazz Brunch. Note that if you would like to attend the Family Weekend Tailgate, you must purchase a Family Weekend package.</p>

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<p>From the Parents Programs page:</p>

<p>Registration for Family Weekend is closed.</p>

<p>A La Carte Tickets</p>

<p>A la carte ticket options are available for the following events:</p>

<p>Beach Bash (Friday) $15</p>

<p>Student Affairs Expo & Jazz Brunch (Sunday) $15</p>

<p>People attending with an a la carte ticket do not get an automatic student ticket for the event. A separate ticket for the student must be purchased.</p>

<p>Family Weekend T-Shirts</p>

<p>T-shirts are available in sizes S-XXL and cost $12. These are always a hot commodity, so be sure to place an order for your family!</p>

<p>Football Tickets</p>

<p>Football tickets for Family Weekend are sold out. Tickets may become available closer to the game based on the visiting team returns, but we are sold out at this time. Visit this page to check for availability.</p>

<p>Note about Colorado State game tickets for UA Students: Student tickets for the football games are purchased and distributed online and are available on your student’s Action Card. Depending on the football package your student purchased, your student may or may not already have a ticket in the student section for the Colorado State game. Please check with your student to see if he/she has a ticket to the Colorado State game during Family Weekend.</p>

<p>Before You Place Your Order</p>

<p>Please read through our event descriptions and Family Weekend information carefully before placing your order to ensure that your order is accurate. Note that there are no refunds available for Family Weekend purchases. Please keep a record of your tix.com username and password so that you can review your order or make additional purchases if necessary. To review your order, visit tix.com. To add to your order, follow the link below. Be sure to print your confirmation to bring with you to Family Weekend Check-In. If you have questions about any of our events or need assistance with your Family Weekend purchase, call the Office of First Year Experience and Parent Programs toll free at 1-800-392-2777 or locally at (205) 348-8404. With any questions regarding football ticket purchases, contact the Athletic Ticket Office at 1-877-TIDETIX.</p>

<p>Register for Family Weekend Today!</p>

<p>If you are going to be in town for the weekend, I would call and/or stop by the Ferg Ballroom to see what you can and cannot still do.</p>

<p>As for the chocolate festival, you will probably be able to purchase tickets to that event at that door, the Gorgas Library. That was the case last year. Since it’s a fundraiser and costs extra, I can’t imagine them turning down someone’s money. There were different vendors there, like TCBY, giving out yogurt samples, and the kids had brought in baked goods either homemade or purchased. Don’t know if it will be the same this year, as it’s in a different location, the library.</p>

<p>I don’t know if you’ll be able to buy tshirts at the Ferg ballroom, but you could ask.</p>

<p>And it seems if you want a ticket to the game, you’re on your own.</p>

<p>We always purchase the package in advance, and don’t attend all the events, like the pool party, but we’ve bought the package in the past so we could get the football tickets through Bama. Some people may not buy the package because they want to get their own tickets, but may still want to go to the events, so either buy a package or get a la carte tickets.</p>

<p>As part of the package, we usually get a nice little goodie, too, like a tote bag or a cooler bag. Also, at the registration room, there are usually goodies out, like chips or cookies and soda and water. I think the Parent Programs office does a really good job, and the kids that are Parent Ambassadors are always so sweet and helpful.</p>

<p>We usually park in the Ferguson Center pay lot and just walk around from there. There are buses running on Friday to get around campus, as it is a school day, so you can probably take a bus wherever you need to go.</p>

<p>Hope you all have fun!</p>

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<p>We are getting in late Thursday evening. I think Friday would be good, maybe at a lunch spot? I suppose dinner could work also. I have a couple of commitments in the afternoon for Parent’s Advisory Council. I guess it would be ok to have the 11AM or 1PM game, but I am betting it will be a late afternoon game.</p>

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<p>We’re doing the engineering tour and the chocolate event on Friday afternoon, and may head over to the pool party if we can get over there early enough, to check out the eats. We tend to make it an early night on Friday because we’ve already had a long day and we like to get to campus early to park and watch the band. We like to get eats at the vendors on the Quad on game day, so even if the game is late afternoon, like it usually is, we spend the day on campus snacking and enjoying the sights.</p>

<p>There is actually a restaurant next to the Hampton Harper Lee, and was wondering if anyone has ever been there.</p>

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<p>That is Baumhowers. It is actually not bad. DH and I walked over to it one night just before they closed and sat in the bar area. Only ordered 2 things off the appetizer menu. One was some chicken with the white BBQ sauce that was rather tasty. Lots of sports paraphernalia. It is rather large inside and the bar area was crowded that weeknight.</p>

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<p>I’ll go in just to see the sports paraphernalia, that is, if we can get our big toe in.</p>