As your student transitions back to school and UMD, we invite you to join them and other Bulldog families for UMD Family Weekend, Friday, October 13 - Sunday, October 15.
Family Weekend creates time for you to spend with your student, experience programs unique to our campus, attend athletic events, and learn Bulldog traditions. We have a full lineup of programs and activities for you to enjoy like a guided hike, indoor rock climbing, brunch, a tour of Glensheen, and discounted athletic tickets.
Below is a list of events and activities currently scheduled for Family Weekend 2023. Information about purchasing tickets can be found here.
* Registration for some activities may not open until later so check back soon!
Events
Friday, October 13
The Spitfire Grill Musical | Marshall Performing Arts Center | Tickets TBD | 7:30 PM
Following Percy — a woman with a shadowy past who shows up at Gilead, Wisconsin’s lone diner looking for a job — this musical’s folk-inflected songs weave a heartwarming and inspirational tale of redemption, perseverance, and family.
UMD Women’s Hockey Game | AMSOIL Arena | Time: 2:00 PM
UMD Men’s Hockey Game | AMSOIL Arena | Time: 7:00 PM
“The Martian” Film Screening | UMD Planetarium | Time: 3:30-6:00pm | FREE | RSVP
Join other families for a screening of "The Martian" in the planetarium. The screening will be followed up by a discussion on Saturday at 2:00 PM. You can view more details on this event on the Saturday schedule below.
Planetarium Show: Adventure to the Edge of the Universe | UMD Planetarium | Time: 7:00-8:00 PM | Tickets: https://www.tickets.umn.edu/UMDMWAP/Online/
Planets and stars and galaxies, oh my! Jump in the MWAP spaceship as we take off for an epic journey to see all our universe has to offer. We’ll journey to other planetary systems, fly through giant gas clouds, and find out how many galaxies are out there. Join us as we Adventure to the Edge of the Universe. Each show will be followed by a live presentation of Tonight’s Sky. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door.
To purchase tickets in advance visit https://www.tickets.umn.edu/UMDMWAP/Online/ Shows last about an hour. Doors open 30 minutes before showtime. Planetarium staff kindly request all guests wear a mask while in the planetarium There is no food or drinks allowed in the planetarium. Please have proof of purchase ready to show at the door. UMD students will also be required to show their Student ID.
Saturday, October 14
Solar Eclipse Viewing Party | UMD Planetarium | Time: 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM | FREE
Join Planetarium staff to safely view the solar eclipse on October 14! We will have special solar telescopes on hand and will pass out eclipse glasses to guests (while supplies last).
Tweed Museum Fall Exhibition | Tweed Museum of Art | FREE | 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Tour of the UMD Greenhouse | UMD Greenhouse | FREE | 10:00 - 11:00 AM
Tour the UMD Greenhouse as a family and enjoy the unique tropical plant collection! The Greenhouse Manager, Matt Jahnke will be available to answer any questions.
Games in Kirby Student Center (Terrace if weather permits) | Kirby Student Center | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM | FREE
Join the Kirby Student Center for board games and lawn games in the Kirby Lounge and Terrace.
Hike in Bagley | Bagley Nature Area Classroom | $3/ticket | 10:00 - 11:30 AM
Calligraphy Workshop | ELWS Reading Room: Humanities 420E | $10/individual, $20/family up to 4 | 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Experience the process of creating calligraphy like a Medieval Scribe: An introduction to the basics of broad-edge calligraphy with Dr. Krista Sue-Lo Twu, Assoc. Professor of Medieval & Renaissance Studies.
Indoor Rock Climbing (Morning Session) | North Shore Climbing Wall | $10/individual, $15/family 4 and up | 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Rock and ice climbing have a long history here at UMD. Climbers were the first official student club on campus (they offered free doughnuts to organizers!) Here is your chance to see why so many students fall in love with climbing at UMD. It's fun for the whole family. Challenge yourself to see just how high you can make it!
UMD Football Game | Malosky Stadium | 12:00 PM
Indoor Rock Climbing (Afternoon Session) | North Shore Climbing Wall | $10/individual, $15/family 4 and up | 1:00 - 2:00 PM
Rock and ice climbing have a long history here at UMD. Climbers were the first official student club on campus (they offered free doughnuts to organizers!) Here is your chance to see why so many students fall in love with climbing at UMD. It's fun for the whole family. Challenge yourself to see just how high you can make it!
“The Martain” Faculty Discussion Panel | Kathryn A. Martin Library Rotunda 260 | FREE | 2:00 - 3:00 PM | REGISTER
Learn together as a family! An expert panel of faculty will discuss the science, psychology, and human endeavor of going to Mars. The discussion will be based on the movie/book “The Martian.”
Panelists include:
- Dr. John Schwetman (Literature - Science Fiction)
- Dr. Marshall Hampton (Math - Orbital Dynamics)
- Dr. Briana Gross (Biology - Botany)
- Dr. Kyle Mann (Psychology)
Moderated by Dr. Krista Sue-Lo Twu
*Note, if you haven’t seen the movie, “The Martian,” we will be showing it on Friday, October 13 at 3:30 PM in the Planetarium. Registration is required.
The Spitfire Grill Musical | Marshall Performing Arts Center | Tickets TBD | 2:00 PM
Following Percy — a woman with a shadowy past who shows up at Gilead, Wisconsin’s lone diner looking for a job — this musical’s folk-inflected songs weave a heartwarming and inspirational tale of redemption, perseverance, and family.
UMD Volleyball Game | Romano Gym | 4:00 PM
UMD Womens Hockey | AMSOIL Arena | Time: 2:00 PM
Second Saturday Sensory Friendly Planetarium Show: Spooky Space | UMD Planetarium | Time: 4:00-5:00 PM | Tickets: https://www.tickets.umn.edu/UMDMWAP/Online/
Enjoy a special sensory friendly planetarium show! Looking for cosmic fun this Halloween season? Would you like to meet the stars -- the stars of Halloween? Monsters, zombies, and ghosts -- and their far more terrible counterparts in space? Oh yes, space has its monsters: Black holes, zombie stars, and spectacular ghostly nebulae! Watch a trailer here. Each show will be followed by a live presentation of Tonight’s Sky. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door.
To purchase tickets in advance visit https://www.tickets.umn.edu/UMDMWAP/Online/ Shows last about an hour. Doors open 30 minutes before showtime. Planetarium staff kindly request all guests wear a mask while in the planetarium There is no food or drinks allowed in the planetarium. Please have proof of purchase ready to show at the door. UMD students will also be required to show their Student ID.
Planetarium Show: Phantom of the Universe | UMD Planetarium | Time: 7:00-8:00 PM | Tickets: https://www.tickets.umn.edu/UMDMWAP/Online/
Discover the first hints of the existence of dark matter through the eyes of Fritz Zwicky, the scientist who coined the term “dark matter.” Watch the astral choreography witnessed by Vera Rubin in the Andromeda galaxy and then plummet deep underground to see the most sensitive dark matter detector on Earth, housed in a former gold mine. From there, journey across space and time to the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, speeding alongside particles before they collide in visually stunning explosions of light and sound, while learning how scientists around the world are collaborating to track down the constituents of dark matter. It is narrated by Oscar-winning actress, Tilda Swinton. Watch a trailer here. Each show will be followed by a live presentation of Tonight’s Sky.
Tickets can be purchased online or at the door. To purchase tickets in advance visit https://www.tickets.umn.edu/UMDMWAP/Online/ Shows last about an hour. Doors open 30 minutes before showtime. Planetarium staff kindly request all guests wear a mask while in the planetarium There is no food or drinks allowed in the planetarium. Please have proof of purchase ready to show at the door. UMD students will also be required to show their Student ID.
The Spitfire Grill Musical | Marshall Performing Arts Center | Tickets TBD | 7:30 PM
Following Percy — a woman with a shadowy past who shows up at Gilead, Wisconsin’s lone diner looking for a job — this musical’s folk-inflected songs weave a heartwarming and inspirational tale of redemption, perseverance, and family.
Sunday, October 15
Family Weekend Brunch | Greysolon Ballroom | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM | Tickets:$25/individual
Join Intermin Chancellor, David McMillan and Vice Chancellor, Dr. Lisa Erwin for a brunch in the heart of Duluth! Guests will take in the beautiful sights of Duluth while mingling and meeting other Bulldog families. Each ticket includes breakfast and a complimentary ticket to tour the Glensheen Mansion.