Family Weekend
Family Weekend 2025 is scheduled for September 12-14, 2025! Registration is now open!
2025 Family Weekend Schedule
Here's the schedule for Family Weekend! Keep coming back for any updates we may have.
All Weekend Long
| Event | Time and Location | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Join the Goosechase! | Download the Goosechase App | Join the chase! Submit photos of your Family Weekend experience in Goosechase and earn points! Families who earn the most points by 10 p.m. on Sunday, September 13th will earn Panther prizes, including a UNI Bookstore gift card! Download the Goosechase app and enter experience code R9F4WU. Create a team for your family so all members can contribute photos. All photos can be used to complete the UNI Traditions Challenge. |
| Explore Rod Library | Friday: 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. Rod Library | Explore Rod Library—Spaces to visit:The Library has some great spaces to relax and spend time with your family, including comfy bean bag chairs. Take a look at the first Rod Library Art Invitational, which boasts art from handpicked UNI students. Things to do: Play board Games, large Jenga, and Legos or create crafts in the Markerspace. Color on the large whiteboard wall, check out hammocks or bikes to enjoy the campus outdoors. |
Friday, September 12th
| Event | Time and Location | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Cool Cats Carts & Water Stations | multiple locations around campus | Catch one of the Cool Cats Carts driving around campus and win UNI Swag for participating. Answer two questions correctly and win something for the whole family. |
| Extended Hours at the UNI Botanical Center | 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. UNI Botanical Center | Explore this unique campus greenhouse with your family. Our staff will be present to answer questions about the diverse plant collection and point out interesting plants in each room. Meet the 2 tropical birds and bearded dragon! |
| UNI Carillonneurs The Guild of Carillonneurs' Friday Lunch Concert | noon - 1 p.m. The Campanile | Join us for our weekly Friday lunch concert at the Campanile! Come enjoy this week's theme of some of Taylor Swift's top hits played on the university's carillon. Feel free to sing along, dance, bring your friendship bracelets, and invite all your friends to join us in our Panther Era! |
| UNI Meet and Greet | 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center (GBPAC) | This is an opportunity for Campus Faculty and Staff to meet with families and welcome them to our beautiful UNI Campus. This is an activity you can select to attend when you register for the weekend! |
| PTSD/SUICIDE 3K Walk/Run | 4 p.m. - 7p.m. The Campanile | Military and Veteran Student Service are hosting a PTSD/Suicide 3K Walk/Run to bring Awareness to those who may not understand the severity. The event will host snacks and drinks and well as a fun area. We invite you to come and support our campus veteran community as they have served this great nation. Just a small gesture to say we see you and we support you. |
| Ice Cream Social | 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Maucker Union Coffeehouse | Enjoy meeting fellow Panther Families with ice cream and music, make friendship bracelets, or relax and color. This will be total vibe all in itself...the music will have you on your feet dancing to a song before you know it. |
| CAB Bingo | 8 p.m. - 9 p.m. Maucker Union Coffeehouse | The Campus Activities Board is excited to host Bingo (with UNI prizes) on the Friday of Family Weekend. Event is free and open to all ages. This is an activity you can select to attend when you register for the weekend! |
| Student Involvement Karaoke | 9 p.m. - 11 p.m. Maucker Union Coffeehouse | Join us for a fun-filled night of music, laughter, and unforgettable performances at Karaoke! This is an activity you can select to attend when you register for the weekend! |
Saturday, September 13th
| Event | Time and Location | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Cool Cats Carts & Water Stations | multiple locations around campus | Catch one of the Cool Cats Carts driving around campus and win UNI Swag for participating. Answer two questions correctly and win something for the whole family. |
| Welcome to Family Weekend | 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Maucker Union Coffeehouse | We hope all families will join us for the Welcome with an introduction of the 2025 Forever Family sponsored by the Alumni Association and opening remarks from President Nook at 9:00 a.m. |
| Applied Engineering Demonstrations | 9 a.m. - noon Applied Engineering Building (AEB) | Applied Engineering & Construction Management will have hands-on activities in robotics; co-bot operations with stamping; family pictures; foundry-in-a-box; construction materials transportation; and electrical engineering demonstrations. |
| Business, Breakfast, and Balloons | 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. Curris Business Building (CBB), Hall of Flags | Business students and their families are welcomed to Curris to join the Wilson College of Business for a morning of food and fun activities for all ages. Current students - come break a balloon to win a prize and a chance to win one of our scholarships! We look forward to getting to know you and your families better. This is an activity you can select to attend when you register for the weekend! |
| Induction Ceremony for the Iowa Gamma Chapter of Pi Gamma Mu Honor Society | 10 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Seerley Hall | This ceremony in for initiates and guests only. |
| College of Education Teacher Education Convocation | 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Maucker Union Ballrooms | Newly admitted UNI Teacher Education students and their families are invited to the 62nd Teacher Education Convocation and Celebration. This special ceremony honors the formal induction of students into UNI Teacher Education and their commitment to the teaching profession. Faculty and staff are welcome to attend! Students should check their email for registration information. This event is invite only. Newly admitted teaching students should check their email for an invitation to this event. |
| Honors & Scholars Open House | 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Bartlett, 3rd Floor | Visit Honors & Scholars Programs for light refreshments and a tour of their space! |
| Biology Open House and Demonstrations | 10 a.m. - noon McCollum Science Hall | The Biology Department will have an open house featuring a tour of the SynDavers, alligators and turtles and more. |
| University Bookstore Hours | 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. University Bookstore | The UNI Bookstore is having a fun family event during Family weekend. Stop by the UNI Bookstore for your chance to win free items. Stop in to get the new TC's tee. |
| Physics Demonstrations and Tour | 10:30 a.m. - noon 114 Begeman Hall | Demonstrations of low-temperature phenomena and tour of Begeman Hall. |
| Family Pictures and Putting | 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. West Towers Lounge (Second Floor of Towers Center) | Housing & Dining is excited to host a casual come-a-go event on the 2nd floor of Towers Center. Come enjoy a round of mini-putt and test your skills for a chance to win various prizes. Families will also be provided a space to take a fun group picture with a UNI backdrop and props included. This is an activity you can select to attend when you register for the weekend! |
| Chemistry Magic Show | 11 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. Lantz Auditorium | The student chapter of the American Chemical Society will be performing a series of entertaining and informative chemistry demonstrations. |
| White Coat Ceremony | 11 a.m. - noon Lang Hall Auditorium | The White Coat Ceremony at UNI is a prestigious event that marks the transition of nursing students into the profession, signifying the start of their clinical education and commitment to ethical, patient-centered care. The ceremony is an important milestone at the beginning of their journey toward becoming compassionate healthcare professionals, emphasizing the program's commitment to professionalism and excellence in patient care. This event is intended for nursing students, their families and friends. |
| Tailgate Lunch at the Dining Centers | 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Piazza & Rialto | Join us for a Panther Tailgate and enjoy the #1 Best College Food in Iowa! $10 tickets can be purchased in advance or at the door paid by credit or debit card. This is an activity you can select to attend when you register for the weekend! |
| Family Freeze | noon - 2 p.m. Admissions Welcome Center | Stop by the purple tent outside the Admissions Welcome Center to grab a snow cone from Panther Ambassadors and get directions if needed. |
| NSSLHA (National Student Speech Language & Hearing Association) | noon - 2 p.m. Roy Eblen Speech and Hearing Clinic | Communication Sciences & Disorders department National Student Speech Language Hearing Association will be sponsoring a department open house. |
| Panthers Marching Band (PMB) Family March | 1 p.m. UNI-Dome | Join us for a special Family Weekend PMB showcase, and then come on the field and experience the PMB from your student’s perspective as you mark a show with them! |
| Family Fun at Rod Library | 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Rod Library | Come to the library on Saturday from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. for an escape room, a chance to win a board game, and a hands-on exploration of rare books and unique university archives materials. |
| Hyvee Fan Zone | 1 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. West UNI-Dome Parking Lot | Join the UNI Alumni Association, UNI Athletics, and Cedar Falls Hyvee in the west UNI-Dome parking lot for a free family-friendly tailgate. Includes free food from Hyvee (while supplies last), games, and giveaways. This is an activity you can select to attend when you register for the weekend! |
| UNI Football vs Eastern Washington | 4 p.m. UNI-Dome | ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL!!! Come enjoy a great football game as the UNI Panthers takes on the Eastern Washington Eagles. Tickets will be available closer to August for single game sales. |
Sunday, September 14th
| Event | Time and Location | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Explore the Botanical Center | 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. UNI Botanical Center | Explore this unique campus greenhouse with your family. Our staff will be present to answer questions about the diverse plant collection and point out interesting plants in each room. Meet the 2 tropical birds and bearded dragon! |
| Panther Generations Brunch | 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. Hilton Garden Inn | Join the UNI Alumni Association for the Panther Generations Breakfast, a special gathering to celebrate all generations of Panther families. Open to all families regardless of alumni status, this event includes a buffet breakfast featuring scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, breakfast meats, griddle favorites, fruit, and pastries. The event will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn, 7213 Nordic Drive, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613. Cost is $15 per person. This is an activity you can select to attend when you register for the weekend! |
| Family Weekend Fun Day with Recreation Services | 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Wellness & Recreation Center | Recreation Services invites you and your family to play in their space! Climb the wall, enjoy some family time in the pool, or a quick game of 2 on 2 basketball. We'd love to see you in the WRC. Help us make sure we've got the event just right for you and your family and tell us how you're planning to spend your time. |
| Family Feud | 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Wellness & Recreation Center | Join us for a unique twist on Family Feud to explore wellness! Test your knowledge on the eight dimensions of wellness and mental health in a friendly competition that promotes laughter and learning. Get ready to challenge yourselves and have fun along the way! |
Visitor Information
Things to do in the Cedar Valley
Parking Options for Weekend
Family members visiting campus for Family Weekend can park in any A, B, C, or R campus parking lot. Those planning to stay overnight on Friday or Saturday night need to park in a C or R parking lots. A parking fee may apply for some of the parking lots on Saturday. If you have any parking questions, contact Parking Operations at (319) 273-3179 or (319) 273-7093.
Families participating in the Welcome on Saturday morning at the Maucker Union are encouraged to park in the Gilchrist A lot, north of University Avenue.
Accommodations
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all UNI-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact studentlife@uni.edu as soon as possible to make arrangements.
