Big Blue Families Gather for Family Weekend

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 25, 2015) — One week from now, thousands of strangers will swamp the University of Kentucky campus. Well, strangers to most, but loved ones for others. It’s Family Weekend, Oct 2-4, and also Homecoming Weekend.

“The Family Weekend schedule is bigger and better than it has ever been for the newest members of our Big Blue Family, at last count 44 events and attractions. We’ve included all sorts of activities, highlighting the best of campus and Lexington. Some are on campus and others take families out into the community. We’re confident everyone will find something that interests them,” said Nancy Stephens, associate director of New Student and Family Programs and coordinator of the Parent and Family Association. The offices recently changed their names – from New Student and Parent Programs and from the UK Parent Association.

“Families come in all sorts of forms these days. We felt that by changing from ‘parent’ to ‘family’ it better reflects our students’ support systems at home,” Stephens said.

The star of the weekend’s on-campus schedule is, of course, the UK vs. Eastern Kentucky University football game with kick-off at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 2, at Commonwealth Stadium. But the biggest event of Family Weekend is two and a half hours before kickoff, at 5 p.m. That’s when the thousands who have already purchased tickets can attend the sold-out Family Weekend Tent Party, next to the Gluck Equine Research Center on Farm Road, off Nicholasville Road.

“The Tent Party definitely has the biggest attendance of all our events, but other events have their own unique charms,” Stephens said.

From 6-9 p.m. Oct. 2, for example, families can stop at the Family Weekend and Homecoming Celebration at William T. Young Library for a family portrait in a photo booth.

Visitors can travel the stars at the $1 million MacAdam Student Observatory from 8-10 pm. Friday or visit the very strange mindset of “Being John Malkovich” at the Late Night Film Series.

If a family is an early-rising group, they can begin exploring the city of Lexington Saturday with “Breakfast with the Works” at Keeneland Race Course on Versailles Road, near the airport. While world-famous Thoroughbreds do their morning workouts, visitors can enjoy a 7 a.m. breakfast in the Equestrian Dining Room.

On Sunday at 10 a.m., don’t forget “A Taste of Kentucky Doughnut Trail,” an event that seems to grow in popularity every year and is sold out again this year. It’s a taste testing of the best sugary goodness Lexington’s finest bakeries have to offer.

Last year, organizers were overwhelmed by the generosity of the Big Blue Family at one of the newer events, the Big Blue Pantry Food Drive. A new initiative, the Big Blue Pantry serves UK students experiencing food insecurity by distributing non-perishable food items.

“We asked for a single can of food or a small monetary donation. Instead of one can, people brought in grocery bags full of food for the less fortunate of our community,” said Stephens. “That expression of concern is the best definition I can think of when someone asks me, ‘What is the Big Blue Family?’”

For a detailed description of all Family Weekend events and activities, visit http://www.uky.edu/StudentAffairs/ParentAssociation/familyWeekend.html

MEDIA CONTACT: Gail Hairston, 859-257-3302, gail.hairston@uky.edu