This past weekend, Ohio University offered numerous events and festivities as Mom’s Weekend made its in-person return to Athens for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
Moms from all over began checking in to hotels all across the county Friday. Restaurants became flooded fulfilling reservations made months in advance Friday evening but remained less busy during the early afternoon hours.
“We just walked right in, they sat us right away,” Kristin Beatty, a mother of an OU student, said. “We were one of maybe three groups that were there so getting here early on Friday helped for sure. It was not busy at all at that time.”
Many mothers participated in the Mom’s Weekend Campfire, which took place both Friday and Saturday at The Ridges from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Also Friday night was the Mom’s Weekend Voice Concert, which featured OU singers including Bella Voce and the Singing Men of Ohio in a concert held at Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium.
“I spent time with my daughter and her roommate, and we had a nice relaxing weekend,” Megan Layton, a mother of an OU student, said. “We enjoyed some good takeout from Casa Nueva. We had pizza last night from Avalanche pizza.”
Other moms caught up with their children over drinks at many Court Street bars, despite the mass crowds filling each establishment to capacity.
“We waited in line and got into Pawpurrs and it was just wall to wall people; we were packed in like sardines,” Beatty said. “It took a long time to even get up to the bar and then we wound up not staying for too long because it was so packed.”
All throughout Saturday, many Bobcat moms took part in events such as the Mom’s Weekend Hike at Hocking Hills State Park and the first-ever Paint and Sip, an event put on by the University Program Council, allowing moms to relax while painting and enjoying light refreshments and pastries.
Not all Bobcats were able to see their own moms in town over the weekend, forcing them to create new plans in order to not feel left out of the excitement.
“My mom’s not in town so I’m forced to spend the evening with my roommate’s mom,” Charlie Heidinger, a junior studying information systems and management, said. “I wish my mom was down here.”
Saturday night was just as busy as Friday night on Court Street, with restaurants having long waits and bars packed to the brim.
Although the weather brought colder temperatures and lots of rain during the Saturday’s afternoon hours, it was Sunday that featured much nicer weather with lots of sunshine and warmer temperatures.
“I just wish the weather would have cooperated because I'd like to have done the International Street Fair, but the hail and rain, we decided to go someplace where we were inside,” Beatty said.
The nicer weather allowed Beatty and her daughter to take advantage of seeing the cherry blossoms along the bike path on the Hocking River.
Sunday morning saw many moms and their sons and daughters grabbing breakfast at many popular establishments such as Bagel Street Deli, 27 S. Court St., and Brenen’s Coffee Cafe, 38 S. Court St. Despite the festivities winding down, OU hosted the Mom’s Weekend Day Paddle from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Hocking River.
Overall, both Beatty and Layton believe OU handled the first in-person Mom’s Weekend since 2019 very well.
“I think OU always does a great job,” Layton said. “My intention was to go and spend some good time with my daughter, and I certainly was able to do that."
