I am looking forward to our first family weekend. What can I expect from the festivities? What is worthwhile?
All we do is go to the concerts my daughter is in. We have taken hikes on Saturday. One to East Rock and one to Sleeping Giant state park. She also gave us a good tour the first year to lots of places we would not have seen before like the RC basement. The art museum is great too. But we have never done any activities scheduled by the university. Oh, and going out to eat - lots of options for that.
Do a lot of families go to the football game? I know it’s not a big football school but I was thinking it would be fun.
Football is fun. The tailgating is fun. It’s not Big10 or SEC football – not even close. But I find it thoroughly enjoyable. The bowl is very unique – you get a chance to see what cutting edge sports architecture was in the early 20th century. Pull for Yale, enjoy the half time, eat some crummy stadium food with your kiddo. What’s not to like? (well, if it’s rotten weather — then maybe ditch it)
@Musicmom2015 we will be at the game. We bought season tickets. Granted I am much more interested in the cheerleaders than the game itself but we will be there! 
We are new this year so dont know what to expect but if it is anything like Move-In, it will be great. Looking forward to the reception at the college and the Sat night concert. Apart from that we are leaving it open to S’s ideas. Surprisingly he may not want to spend every waking moment with us (and his younger siblings). 
So we – I – am preparing myself to keep it loose and give him space. We can enjoy ourselves at the Yale Farm, seeing the Song of Songs exhibit and maybe St John’s Bible exhibit and touring the Art Museum.
This will be a first for us too. The football game sounds like a good idea - I think it would be worth going just to see the Yale Bowl and hopefully will be a good game too.
So it looks like we probably can’t make the football game after all. But if we were to try to make an hour or so, how hard/time consuming is it to get back and forth from the stadium? Is it walkable or do they run shuttles? I need to check online, but could we just buy tickets that day if we are able to make it? Thanks! Looking forward to visiting.
From what I hear, it’s usually only the Harvard game that may sell out, so I would assume you could get tickets day of at the stadium if you can make it. It’s a big stadium compared to the number of Yale students. It’s about a mile outside the main campus but from what I understand there are shuttles from Payne Whitney, and also parking at the stadium.
The stadium isn’t really conveniently walkable. Check the info, but I imagine parents can ride the shuttles.
@musicmom2015 let me guess… need to get back for a 2:30 concert? LOL (we are in the same boat)
@memmsmom. Yes! Very excited for the concert but wonder why the groups perform right in the middle of the game? We have three concerts on Saturday so it will be hectic! How does your daughter manage to cheer and sing at the same time - very talented lol!
Well that football game on Saturday was well worth attending. Thoughtful of the team to provide a thrilling last minute win for the parents in attendance.
Oh, wasn’t it great? And it couldn’t have been a prettier weekend in New Haven.
Here is some info. I wish I had known before.
We thoroughly enjoyed our first Yale football game. Parking lot D is the $5 parking lot for game day parking without a pass. We had a bit of trouble getting to the right one (started on the Chapel Street side and had to go around to the Route 34 side). We were impressed that we got 5 of us into the game for $10. D was free, could take in two guests free, and then $5 for each guest after that. We were expecting to pay $15 each. We all got a little sunburn, but it was a beautiful day to be outside. And a very exciting game! We enjoyed the cheerleaders doing “pushups” in the air after each touchdown. If you are in the student section, be aware that the students stand on their seats in the front, so if you want to sit and see the game, pick a seat that is at least half way up.
The Saturday night concert was awesome, as usual. We really enjoyed the special guest - the Jerusalem Youth Chorus. For future readers, many get dressed up for this concert, but many don’t. We were some of the more casually dressed. So just come as you are and enjoy the music. People also come and go between groups. There is a fair amount of time setting up between each one.
We really enjoyed our weekend. Sadly next year will already be our last.
Yes it was such a beautiful weekend in New Haven and we had such a great time at our 1st parents weekend. We didn’t make it to the game but we attended our son’s three concerts on Saturday which were great. We also got to meet many students and parents. Everyone was so friendly. I think, maybe, I can relax a little now knowing my son really is fine!
Our only hiccup was with parking. The Grove Street garage was on the website list of lots but apparently was closed. But the gates were left open so we thought we could park there(thinking it was open). Later when we went back, the gates were closed and we had to call the emergency number for someone to get us out. No big deal and my daughter thought it was comical.
@musicmom2015 One trick I have found for parking- go to the pay lot on Broadway across from Barnes and Noble. I have yet to have issues parking there. That way you are also not tied to the two hour rule. On Sundays you don’t pay for street parking and so if you come the opposite way down Church (heading into campus) you can usually find a spot next to Old Campus.
We loved the football game (and cheerleaders of course) and we really enjoyed the friendliness of those tailgating in the parking lot. Everyone was so generous offering their food and talking to us. It made us feel very welcome.
We too went to the concerts that afternoon. We actually made it to both that my D was in and we didn’t expect that. Beautiful job!
I tried to make it to the Peabody on Sunday. It was only for an hour from 12:30-1:30 but my daughter twisted her foot the night before so Tylenol and a trip to the pharmacy took priority. I swear she gets hurt and sick only when she knows I am coming. Instead she gave her little brother tours of RC’s and the libraries with a stop of course to Insomnia for cookies.