UA Family Weekend is coming up — and fast. The annual event is scheduled for Sept. 25 to 27. While many UA parents are familiar with Family Weekend, others might be learning about it right now for the first time.
“It’s a time for the parents to come and the students to show off their new home,” said Dana Bekurs, director of Parent and Family Programs. Her department organizes Family Weekend each fall, encouraging students and their families to experience UA together.
“They talk about their classes, they show them their residence hall, they get to meet their friends, and then experience events that are happening all weekend,” Bekurs said.
Parent and Family Programs plans about 40 separate activities during a typical Family Weekend. They include open houses for UA colleges, schools and departments, so parents can meet professors and see the classrooms, labs and other facilities their students use. They also include a kickoff concert, outdoor activities on Lake Nicol, a home football game at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium and a jazz brunch to cap off the weekend.
Jamie Peacock, a Tuscaloosa native who now lives in Dothan, attended Family Weekend her son’s sophomore year. And she’ll be back this fall.
“It just really makes you feel connected to the University and you got to see what your kids were doing, you know, on a daily activity and going to all the colleges,” she said. “It was a really fun experience for me.”
Michelle Harper of Birmingham isn’t just a UA parent, she’s also a UA alumna. This year, she plans to volunteer at Family Weekend, helping orient other parents and give them information. She was drawn to volunteering through the Parent Advisory Council.
“I’ve made so many new friends and I’ve loved my entire experience with the council,” she said.
Harper said Family Weekend is a valuable way to get to know other parents and family members and help them discover and embrace The University of Alabama.
“I love this university and being able to talk about it and answer questions is just very fulfilling to me,” she said. “To help families get acclimated and learn more about the university that I have loved for many years.”
Jackie Harrison lives in Vernon, about fifty miles northwest of Tuscaloosa. She’s another Family Weekend return visitor. She loves attending the football game, which this year will feature the Tide hosting South Carolina Saturday, Sept. 26. Harrison said the experience is unbeatable.
“Oh, it’s always Alabama football,” she said, laughing. “It’s the best. You know the atmosphere; you can’t beat the atmosphere at the Alabama football game.”
Planning Family Weekend and managing its logistics is a lot of work. It’s a busy time for Dana Bekurs and her colleagues. In 2025, the weekend drew 9,600 people. But she says it’s also satisfying.
“It’s the students and the parents getting to see each other. The students don’t always admit it, but they do miss their parents. And the parents, of course, miss their students,” she said. “So it’s a time for just them getting here, and then the students get to show off everything. That’s what’s exciting to me.”
Information about UA’s Family Weekend, plus ticket information, can be found online at the Parent and Family Programs website. Information is also shared through the Crimson Connection e-mail newsletter for parents and families.