August 25, 2017
Saluki Family Weekend Includes Football, 5K race, movie and more
CARBONDALE, Ill. – Saluki Family Weekend, a time for fun and making great memories, is set for Sept. 29 to Oct. 1 at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
The weekend’s activities include campus tours, a craft sale, an outdoor movie, crafts, rock-climbing, photo opportunities, a brunch, a 5K race, tailgating, football and much more. “It’s Good to be a Saluki” is a fitting theme for this year’s fun-filled celebration.
Family weekend registration is set for 6-8 p.m. on Sept. 29 at Saluki Stadium and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sept. 30 at the Student Center. Check in, regardless of whether you’ve registered in advance, and pick up pre-ordered T-shirts and football game tickets.
Catch a free outdoor showing of “Despicable Me 3,” a family friendly movie, at 7 p.m. on Sept. 29 in Saluki Stadium. Or, anyone age seven or older may enjoy climbing the Student Recreation Center’s rock wall for free. The wall will be available from 7 to 9 p.m. on Sept. 29 and 2-4 p.m. Sept. 30.
The Saluki 5K kicks off the schedule for Saturday, Sept. 30. Registration for the 7th annual Saluki 5K, sponsored by Saluki Athletics and The Southern Illinoisan, is 7:30-8:15 a.m. at Saluki Stadium. The race begins at 8:30 a.m. and the course gives participants a scenic view of the campus, including Saluki Athletics facilities, Campus Lake and more. Register in advance at www.thesouthern.com. The cost is $25 for SIU students or $30 for other people in advance; registration is $5 higher at the event.
You can also hop aboard a tram for a tour of campus. Tours will depart from the main entrance of the Student Center every half-hour from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sept. 30. Climb into the nearby “Big Red Chair” between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. for a great photo to commemorate your weekend.
Fitness students from Recreational Sports and Services will lead a Saluki Family Walk for Health at 10 a.m. that Saturday morning. It’s a leisurely two-mile stroll around campus beginning and ending at the south side of the Student Recreation Center. Afterward, join in hour-long family yoga class taught there by a certified instructor at 11 a.m.
The popular 82nd annual Greek Sing is also at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 30, on the steps of Shryock Auditorium.
The big free Saluki Family Tailgate kicks off at 3 p.m. on Saluki Row. Everyone is invited to enjoy a complimentary meal and participate in the Family Fun Zone activities until about 5:45 p.m. Kickoff for the big football game is at 6 p.m. and the SIU Salukis will face off against the Panthers from the University of Northern Iowa in Saluki Stadium.
Throughout much of the weekend, families can enjoy making wax hands or jewelry or get henna tattoos at the Craft Shop on the lower level of the Student Center for $5 or less. Or, create Raku pottery, enjoy bowling and billiards at the Student Center, visit the craft show at the Student Center, and, when accompanied by an SIU student, utilize the Student Recreation Center facilities at no cost.
Visitors are invited to stay for the Family Weekend Brunch on Sunday, Oct. 1, too. Visitor tickets will be available for purchase at Trueblood and Lentz dining halls.
Register online for Saluki Family Weekend at www.familyweekend.siu.edu. Families can also access the full schedule of events and additional details, purchase keepsake family weekend T-shirts for $10, and order advance tickets for the football game on the website as well. Game tickets are priced at $20 for adults and $15 for children. SIU students are admitted to the game free with valid student ID and the family tickets are for the section adjacent to the student section.
In addition, you can sign up on the Family Weekend website for the chance to be the Family of the Weekend. The Lyle and Angela Gross family of Centralia won the honor last year. The 2017 winning family will receive a special prize package.
For additional information, email familyweekend@siu.edu or call 618/536-3393.
Saluki Family Weekend sponsors include the Student Center, New Student Programs, Admissions, the Office of Student Engagement, Saluki Family Association, University Housing, Recreational Sports and Services and SIU Athletics.