Each family is different and Ohio University’s Parents Weekend caters to that with its wide range of activities. Every year, Athens plays host to numerous parents visiting their children from out of town.
This year, sports fans can kick off the weekend with the Ohio Hockey Green vs. White Game on Friday. The Bobcats will take the ice at 7:30 p.m. at Bird Arena. Tickets are $6 for students with Ohio IDs, $7 for children and $9 for adults.
Bobcats and their families can cheer on the football team as they take on Kansas at Peden Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Tickets are available starting at $25, and students get in free with an Ohio ID.
“We’ve gone to the football game before, so we’ll probably go, and we always go to the hockey game on Friday night,” Holly Corns, a senior studying integrated language arts, said. She said she enjoyed taking her parents to Athens-based eateries such as Brenen’s Coffee Cafe and Union Street Diner in between events.
Instead of attending sports events, students can also bring their parents to a quiet bonding event.
Pamper Your Parents is making its Ohio University debut Saturday in Baker University Center. Starting at 1 p.m., students and parents can create their own locally-sourced sustainable bath products. Free coffee and tea will be served, and families can come and go as they please.
“Not everyone likes sports,” Vicky Kent, the sustainable living coordinator, said, emphasizing the importance of Parents Weekend providing a diverse itinerary filled with activities everyone can enjoy.
Kent hopes the event will provide quality time for students to spend with their parents. The event is a new and relaxing activity catered toward families that aren’t interested in attending the sports games, she said.
Students and parents looking for other relaxing options can also attend a campfire and a stargazing adventure at The Ridges on Friday at 7:30 p.m. A professor from the astronomy department will share fun facts, and campfire snacks are also included for the price of $10 per person.
“It’s a unique way for the parents to engage in a part of Athens that they otherwise wouldn’t,” Judd Walker, the assistant director of outdoor pursuits in the Division of Student Affairs, said.
He said the outdoor beauty of Athens is often overlooked because of the hubbub of the bars and restaurants Uptown.
“For us to be tucked away on The Ridges, it’s more of an intimate feel and a step away from the norm of what’s happening on family weekends,” Walker, who has been running the event for the past three years, said.
Other recreational activities students can enjoy with their parents are Conkle’s Hollow Day Hike at Hocking Hills and a zip line adventure at The Ridges, both taking place on Saturday at 10 a.m.
After packing their weekend with fun, students and parents can unwind at The Second City’s Cure for Common Comedy annual show at 8 p.m. in the Templeton-Blackburn Memorial Auditorium.
Over the years, The Second City Touring Company has been home to comedy legends such as Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, Amy Poehler, Steve Carell and Bill Murray.
Students and parents can enjoy an engaging show with the next big things on the comedy scene, made up of both improv and scripted scenes. All tickets are $20, and seats are first come, first serve.
“It’s the first time that some parents will have seen their kids since they dropped them off at college,” Kent said. “So, we’re just trying to create an environment that’s relaxing where students can enjoy some quality time with their guests.”
