Family Weekend Sessions

Open Rec
6 a.m.-11:30 p.m. |   Rec Center (Main Campus or Williams Village)
Show your Family Weekend luggage tag at the Rec Center to get in for free and take advantage of the facilities, including free fitness classes. Find a list of the class offerings on the Rec Center schedule.

Check-in and Information Tent
8 a.m.-5 p.m. |   UMC South Terrace Tent
Check in for Family Weekend, pick up your agenda, t-shirt, clear game day bag, CU giveaways, a campus map and other registration package information.

Off-Campus Living: Boulder & Beyond
9:30-10:30 a.m. |   UMC Middle Ballroom
It's never too early to start your off-campus housing search in Boulder... or is it? Join CU's Off-Campus Housing & Neighborhood Relations team to review the off-campus housing search, relevant timelines, dispel off-campus myths, dive into budgets, explore neighborhoods and learn about all of the incredible resources at your fingertips to ensure your student transitions into their new apartment or home seamlessly.

Important Conversations with Your Student About Making Friends, Dating, Sex, and Looking Out for Others
11 a.m.-12 p.m. |   UMC West Ballroom
When starting college, making friends and creating social connections is a top priority for students. Having the skills to form healthy relationships, address concerning behaviors and look out for others can make all the difference. Learn how to continue to support your student in navigating these aspects of life in college.

Ice Skating
11 a.m.-1 p.m. |   Rec Center Ice Rink
Take a spin on the only ice rink in Boulder during this open skating session. Skate rental is included for Family Weekend package holders. Show your Family Weekend luggage tag for access.

Family Weekend Photo Stop
11 a.m.-4 p.m. |   Farrand Field
Stop by the tent on the corner of Farrand Field to grab a family photo in the most Instagrammed spot on campus! We'll get your questions answered and direct you to check-in and other Family Weekend events on campus.

Bouldering
12-4 p.m. |   Rec Center Climbing Gym
Drop in to the Climbing Gym at the Rec Center for free bouldering and route climbing terrain for all skill levels. Show your Family Weekend luggage tag for access. Participants must be 12 or older to enter the gym, and anyone under 15 must be accompanied by an adult. Make sure to pick up your luggage tag at the check-in and information tent first.

History and Traditions Tour
1-2 p.m. |   UMC South Terrace
Explore our campus while learning fun facts and history about CU Boulder on this student-led walking tour. Meet at the UMC South Terrace Tent.

Off-Campus Living: Boulder & Beyond
2-3 p.m.|   UMC Middle Ballroom
It's never too early to start your off-campus housing search in Boulder... or is it? Join CU's Off-Campus Housing & Neighborhood Relations team to review the off-campus housing search, relevant timelines, dispel off-campus myths, dive into budgets, explore neighborhoods and learn about all of the incredible resources at your fingertips to ensure your student transitions into their new apartment or home seamlessly.

Education Abroad
3:30-4:30 p.m. |   UMC Middle Ballroom
Come learn about CU Boulder’s diverse options for Education Abroad, including international study, internships, research and service-learning programs. We offer hundreds of programs in more than 70 countries. With programs available for all majors and all budgets, where will you go?

Haunted Legends: Ghost Tours 
6:30-7:30 p.m. |   

Buffs After Dark: Family Game Night
8-10 p.m. |   UMC First Floor (UMC West Dining Area, Buffalo Esports and Gaming Lounge, and UMC Connection)
Come to the UMC first floor for fun games and activities (board games, card games, video games, bowling, pool, ping pong, etc.) across the UMC Westing Dining Area, the Alienware Buffalo Esports and Gaming Lounge and The Connection for Family Game Night! This event is free for all students and their families (no RSVP required!) and will include free food and drinks while supplies last!

Check-in and Information Tent
9 a.m.-5 p.m. |   UMC South Terrace Tent
Pick up your Family Weekend agenda, t-shirt, clear game day bag, CU giveaways, a campus map and other registration package information.

CU Museum of Natural History
9 a.m.-4 p.m. ​|   Henderson Building
The University of Colorado Museum of Natural History has five exhibition galleries where visitors can explore natural and human history through engaging and interactive displays. Drop by any time during open hours to check out the current exhibits. The Museum is free but appreciates donations. (As part of the Hellems renovation project, a construction fence currently encircles the building, but the Museum remains open and accessible during this time.)

Open Rec
9 a.m.-11 p.m. |   Rec Center (Main Campus or Williams Village)
Show your Family Weekend luggage tag at the Rec Center to get in for free and take advantage of their facilities, including free fitness classes. Find a list of the class offerings on the Rec Center schedule.

Solar Eclipse Viewing Party and Space Resource Fair
9 a.m.-12 p.m. |   Norlin Quad
View the partial solar eclipse with the Fiske Planetarium! Each attendee will receive special eclipse-viewing glasses.

CU Art Museum
10 a.m.-4 p.m. |   Visual Arts Complex
The University of Colorado Art Museum's growing collection and diverse exhibitions and public programs promote, inspire and generate interdisciplinary scholarship and cultural expression. Drop by any time during open hours to check out the current exhibits, including Lush: Prolific Nature and Faculty Exhibition: 2023. The Museum is free, but donations are welcome.

As part of the Second Saturdays program, you'll also have the opportunity to get creative by making paper flowers in the lobby.

Lunch on the Lawn (Gold and Silver Package registrants only)
11 a.m.-2 p.m. |   Norlin Quad
Enjoy a delicious lunch, live music, lawn games and special guests on Norlin Quad while you get to know other Buff families.

Bouldering at The Rec
12-4 p.m. |   Rec Center Climbing Gym
Drop in to the Climbing Gym at the Rec Center for free bouldering. You'll find a variety of bouldering and route climbing terrain for all skill levels. Show your Family Weekend luggage tag for access. Must be 12 or older to enter the gym, and anyone under 15 must also be accompanied by an adult.

Ice Skating
12-4 p.m. |   Rec Center Ice Rink
Take a spin on the only ice rink in Boulder during this open skating session. Skate rental is included for Family Weekend package holders. Show your Family Weekend luggage tag for access.

History and Traditions Tour
2-3 p.m. |   UMC South Terrace Tent
Explore our campus while learning fun facts and history about CU Boulder on this student-led walking tour. Meet at the UMC South Terrace Tent.

Buff Family Trivia
2-3:30 p.m. |   UMC 235
Share your random knowledge with us in this fun trivia competition.

Connect at the Connection
3-6 p.m. |   UMC, The Connection
Stop by the Connection in the University Memorial Center to enjoy free bowling, billiards, ping pong and video games with the family! Refreshments will be available for purchase.

Buff Family Bingo
4-5:30 p.m. |   UMC 235
Grab a card and play some bingo with us!

Ice Skating
6:45-8:45 p.m. |   Rec Center Ice Rink
Take a spin on the only ice rink in Boulder during this open skating session. Skate rental is included for Family Weekend package holders. Show your Family Weekend luggage tag for access.

Fiske Planetarium Show: The Science of Eclipses + Solar Superstorms (Tickets sold separately)
7-8 p.m. |   Fiske Planetarium
Join us on a solar adventure! Why do we have eclipses? How is an annular eclipse different than a partial eclipse? When is the next total solar eclipse? Did you know the Sun is becoming super active as it reaches solar maximum? Our experts will pull back the curtain on these phenomena and reveal the geometry that makes it all happen.

We'll also treat you to Solar Superstorms, narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch takes viewers into the tangle of magnetic fields and superhot plasma that vent the Sun's rage in dramatic flares, violent solar tornadoes, and the largest eruptions in the solar system, coronal mass ejections. Witness a fury building on the surface of the Sun – high-velocity jets, a fiery tsunami wave that reaches 100,000 kilometers high, rising loops of electrified gas. What's driving these strange phenomena? How will they affect planet Earth? Find the answers as we venture into the seething interior of our nearest star.

Tickets: $12 General Admission & FREE for CU Students showing a current Buff Card (only applies to this show). CU students must call ahead (303-492-5002) to reserve a ticket + tickets must be picked up the day of the event. Tickets not picked up by 6:30pm on Saturday, Oct. 14th will be released to the public.

The Revolutionists: A Play by Lauren Gunderson (Tickets sold separately)
7:30 p.m. |   Loft Theatre
Four fearless women lose their heads in this irreverent, female-powered comedy set during the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror. Playwright Olympe de Gouges, assassin Charlotte Corday, former queen Marie Antoinette and Haitian rebel Marianne Angelle fight for freedom, justice and sisterhood while trying to hold back the extremist insanity of 1793 Paris. It’s a true story. Or total fiction. Or a play about a play. Or a raucous resurrection…that ends in a song and a scaffold.

Presented by the CU Boulder College of Arts and Sciences Department of Theatre & Dance. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at tickets.cupresents.org.

Sommers-Bausch Observatory Telescope Open House
8-10 p.m. |   Sommers-Bausch Observatory
Sommers-Bausch Observatory has been exploring the night sky since 1953. Come see our twin 20” telescopes and let us show you the universe! The open houses are free and everyone is welcome. Sessions typically last 1-2 hours, depending upon the weather and the quality of the night. If it's cloudy, check our social media (Twitter/X: @SommersBausch, Facebook: CUObservatory) at 7 p.m. on Saturday or call us at 303-492-2020 after 7:45 p.m. for an observing status.

Buffs After Dark: Family Game Night
8-10 p.m. |   Kitteridge Multipurpose Rooms
Stop by for some family game time! Games and snacks will be provided.

This event is hosted by the Center for Student Involvement. Families must be accompanied by a current CU Boulder student with a valid Buff OneCard and are limited to 3 guests per student. Space for this event is limited, so families are asked to please RSVP in advance.

Fiske Planetarium Show: Laser Van Halen (Tickets sold separately)
8:30-9:30 p.m. |   Fiske Planetarium
Lead singers may change, but Eddie Van Halen’s genius guitar playing is constant. JUMP in with us and take a tour through the eras of the legendary Southern California band turned global gods of rock.

This is not just another laser show! Our cutting edge projection system from Laser Fantasy mesmerizes your eyes with vibrant colors cutting their way through the fog to our 360-degree wrap around screen – all while our laser engineers fly you through the universe in beat to your favorite jams!

Tickets: $12 General Admission (no student discounts). Seating should be reserved in advance (payment is required) by calling the Fiske Planetarium ticket office at 303.492.5002 or emailing us at fiske@colorado.edu. Tickets must be picked up at least 30 minutes in advance of showtime. You can also purchase tickets online via our website.

Fiske Planetarium Show: Liquid Sky Floyd Dark Side of the Moon​ (Tickets sold separately)
10-11 p.m. |   Fiske Planetarium
Immerse yourself in a liquid version of a musical-visual-planetarium classic.

Fiske’s mind-melting Liquid Sky is a musical, all-you-can-eat eye candy buffet. The beats & rhythms of your favorite artists coupled with the trippiest visuals digitally rendered live, all on our new 8K dome and in full surround audio. Let our Liquid Engineers take you on a live-mixed journey in Fiske Planetarium’s unique immersive theater!

Tickets: $12 General Admission (no student discounts). Seating should be reserved in advance (payment is required) by calling the Fiske Planetarium ticket office at 303.492.5002 or emailing us at fiske@colorado.edu. Tickets must be picked up at least 30 minutes in advance of showtime. You can also purchase tickets online via our website.

Buffalo Stampede 5K Fun Run (Tickets sold separately)
9-11 a.m. |   UMC South Terrace Tent
Join us for the annual Buffalo Stampede 5K Fun Run through CU Boulder’s beautiful campus. On-site registration required. All proceeds support future family and parent programs at CU Boulder through New Student & Family Programs.

Reminder: This is a fun run so walking, skipping and jogging are all welcome! We will not have an official timer, but we will have a race clock with an ongoing time. On-site registration is available Sunday morning. The registration fee is $20 and must be paid in cash.

Open Rec
9 a.m.-11 p.m. |   Rec Center (Main Campus or Williams Village)
Show your Family Weekend luggage tag at the Rec Center to get in for free and take advantage of their facilities, including free fitness classes. Find a list of the class offerings on the Rec Center schedule.

Buff Family Yoga
9:30-10:30 a.m. |   Rec Center Studio 2
Join us for morning yoga with one of CU Boulder’s Rec Center yoga instructors. We will have a limited number of yoga mats available; feel free to bring your own mat if you have one.

CU Museum of Natural History
10 a.m.-4 p.m. |   Henderson Building
The University of Colorado Museum of Natural History has five exhibition galleries where visitors can explore natural and human history through engaging and interactive displays. Drop by any time during open hours to check out the current exhibits. The Museum is free but appreciates donations. (As part of the Hellems renovation project, a construction fence currently encircles the building, but the Museum remains open and accessible during this time.)

Buff Family Sendoff Brunch
10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. |   UMC Glenn Miller Ballroom
Enjoy a delicious brunch with your family to celebrate the conclusion of Family Weekend.

Bouldering at The Rec
12-4 p.m. |   Rec Center Climbing Gym
Drop in to the Climbing Gym at the Rec Center for free bouldering. You'll find a variety of bouldering and route climbing terrain for all skill levels. Show your Family Weekend luggage tag for access. Must be 12 or older to enter the gym, and anyone under 15 must also be accompanied by an adult.

Ice Skating
12:15-2:15 p.m. |   Rec Center Ice Rink
Take a spin on the only ice rink in Boulder during this open skating session. Skate rental is included for Family Weekend package holders. Show your Family Weekend luggage tag for access.

Fiske Planetarium Show: Double Feature: Solar Superstorms & Black Holes​ (Tickets sold separately)
1-2 p.m. |   Fiske Planetarium
Join us for an epic Double Feature!

• Solar Superstorms - Narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch, Solar Superstorms takes viewers into the tangle of magnetic fields and superhot plasma that vent the Sun's rage in dramatic flares, violent solar tornadoes, and the largest eruptions in the solar system, coronal mass ejections. Audiences will witness a fury building on the surface of the Sun – high-velocity jets, a fiery tsunami wave that reaches 100,000 kilometers high, rising loops of electrified gas. What's driving these strange phenomena? How will they affect planet Earth? Find the answers as we venture into the seething interior of our star.
• Black Holes - Narrated by Liam Neeson, black holes are among the most mysterious and exotic objects in the Universe. These dark beasts are one of a few phenomenon out in the cosmos where the known laws of physics and general relativity break down. Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity explores the power and grace of these cosmic beasts.

CU's own Dr. Andrew Hamilton was the science advisor for the program. "Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity is for me the culmination of a dream many years in the making," said Hamilton. "The show marries science and art in a new way that compromises neither. In particular, the show breaks new ground in visualizing accurately what Einstein's equations predict about what really happens inside black holes. What actually happens looks nothing like, but is at least as fantastic as, any Hollywood rendering."

Tickets: $12 General Admission, $8 Students. Seating should be reserved in advance (payment is required) by calling the Fiske Planetarium ticket office at 303.492.5002 or emailing us at fiske@colorado.edu. Tickets must be picked up at least 30 minutes in advance of showtime. You can also purchase tickets online via our website.

The Revolutionists: A Play by Lauren Gunderson​ (Tickets sold separately)
2 p.m. |   Loft Theatre
Four fearless women lose their heads in this irreverent, female-powered comedy set during the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror. Playwright Olympe de Gouges, assassin Charlotte Corday, former queen Marie Antoinette and Haitian rebel Marianne Angelle fight for freedom, justice and sisterhood while trying to hold back the extremist insanity of 1793 Paris. It’s a true story. Or total fiction. Or a play about a play. Or a raucous resurrection…that ends in a song and a scaffold.

Presented by the CU Boulder College of Arts and Sciences Department of Theatre & Dance. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at tickets.cupresents.org.

Fiske Planetarium Show: Stars & Galaxies​​ (Tickets sold separately)
2:30-3:30 p.m. |   Fiske Planetarium
Many civilizations have looked at the night sky and envisioned constellations to tell stories important to their culture. We can use the planetarium to look at some common patterns of stars in the night sky tonight so that you can find them on your own! But in the blackness between those stars there are an unimaginable number of distant wonders. We are located around just one star of many in an entire galaxy called the Milky Way. And if we look even further, we find billions of other galaxies out there in the universe, each holding billions of stars. Join us in this live talk to explore other galaxies and get a sense for the size of our universe!

Tickets: $12 General Admission, $8 Students. Seating should be reserved in advance (payment is required) by calling the Fiske Planetarium ticket office at 303.492.5002 or emailing us at fiske@colorado.edu. Tickets must be picked up at least 30 minutes in advance of showtime. You can also purchase tickets online via our website.

Doctoral Student Recital: James Morris, Piano
4:30 p.m. |   Grusin Music Hall (Imig Music Building C112)
The stars of tomorrow are on stage today at CU Boulder. The students of the College of Music present degree qualifying recitals which are free and open to the public for in-person attendance.

Join us for a piano performance by doctoral student James Morris.