ASU families ready to celebrate the Sun Devil experience during Family Weekend

When the Sun Devil Football team sprints out onto Frank Kush Field on Saturday night in Tempe, a sea of gold-clad fans will be there to cheer loudly for Arizona State University to wallop the Pac-12 rival USC Trojans.

And among the crowd inside Sun Devil Stadium will be thousands of ASU families, soaking in the electrifying game experience as part of a three-day celebration of Sun Devil spirit, pride and tradition.

It’s ASU Family Weekend.

Dozens of family-friendly events are scheduled for Friday, Nov. 5, through Sunday, Nov. 7, giving ASU families an opportunity to experience campus life alongside their Sun Devils during an exciting football weekend. The jam-packed Family Weekend schedule will feature academic college gatherings and fun campus-specific activities on Friday; spirit-filled events like the ASU Family Block Party leading up to the football game on Saturday; the Spirit Hike up “A” Mountain and family yoga on Sunday and more.

This cherished annual tradition is at the heart of ASU’s mission to ensure that parents and family members of Sun Devils have an opportunity for engagement with the university. Through attending events such as Family Weekend, families learn more about their students’ experiences and contribute to their growth and success at ASU.

“This weekend family members will experience campus life right alongside their Sun Devil. They’ll get to see how their student has decorated their room, visit their favorite hangouts, connect with their academic college and experience the excitement of an ASU game day together,” said Joanne Vogel, vice president of ASU Student Services. 

“Attending Family Weekend is a great way for families to show support for their students, to start creating their own experience with ASU and have a lot of fun along the way,” Vogel said.

Some of the highlights of Family Weekend include: 

• Academic college events: With casual welcome events, live performances, contests and lectures, these events provide a great chance for families to learn more about what their student is studying.
• Campus-specific events: From the Family Weekend Car Show at ASU’s Polytechnic campus to the Tapas on Taylor event at ASU’s Downtown Phoenix campus and the Create Your ASU Memories photo-booth event at ASU’s West campus, there’s something happening at each location on Friday.
• Gold Rush Obstacle Race: Early Saturday morning, families who pre-registered for this Sun Devil Fitness and Wellness event will stretch their legs during a fun competition with their students.
• ASU Family Block Party: Family Weekend registrants will enjoy tailgate-style barbecue food and a variety of interactive games and fun for all ages in an outdoor setting around the Memorial Union and Student Pavilion on ASU’s Tempe campus. The event begins at 4 p.m., three and a half hours before kickoff of the football game.
• ASU vs. USC: Thanks to discounted pricing for Family Weekend registrants, thousands of ASU family members plan to head to Sun Devil Stadium to attend this key Pac-12 football matchup between the Sun Devils and the Trojans. The game will feature a Salute to Service celebration and is a gold game, so don’t forget to wear your ASU gold proudly.
• Spirit Hike: Sun Devil families can enjoy a brisk hike up Tempe Butte on Sunday morning. Taking a family selfie in front of the “A” on the mountain is a must for this time-honored Family Weekend tradition.
• ASU Family Yoga: Later Sunday morning, many families will bring their yoga mats to the Coca Cola Sun Deck at Sun Devil Stadium for an in-person ASU Family Yoga session, a program in partnership with ASU 365 Community Union. This will be an all-ages event, and no experience is necessary.

Visit the complete schedule of events online. While registration for Family Weekend has closed, there are a number of activities that don’t require registration, including virtual activities and events happening before and after the weekend for all families to enjoy.