Families of Penn State Berks students will experience life on campus, while alumni will reconnect when the college hosts its annual Family and Homecoming Weekend Friday, October 17-Sunday, October 19, 2014. This year's event has a country western theme. The program will include activities for the entire family, with educational, social, and athletic events that showcase the campus. Most events are open to all attendees, but preregistration is required for the Alumni Reunion BBQ.
The festivities begin on Friday with a float-building party from 1 p.m.?9 p.m. at the Beaver Community Center parking lot in preparation for the next day?s Homecoming Parade. The night?s activities conclude with a bonfire, sponsored by the Student Government Association, at 10 p.m. on the Luerssen lawn.
On Saturday, the events begin at 11 a.m. with a dedication ceremony for the new artificial turf field, located behind the Beaver Community Center. Families may check-in and pick up meal tickets and souvenir gifts from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. at the event check-in table on the Perkins lawn. Event schedules will be available along with tickets to purchase for THON bingo.
Faculty, staff, students, and families are invited to attend a picnic at noon on Saturday in the tent on the Perkins Plaza lawn. Register online here.
Other Perkins Plaza activities include carnival rides, a mechanical bull, miniature golf, pluck-a-duck, car show, old-time photos, petting zoo, gemstone mining, and more.
The Homecoming Parade will begin at 12:30 p.m., before the men's and women's soccer games. Floats built by student and alumni organizations will be on display. Presentation of the Homecoming Court, where the 2014 student queen and king will be crowned, will take place at halftime of the women's soccer game. The Penn State Berks women's volleyball team will host a home game at 2 p.m. in the Beaver Community Center.
Alumni are invited to the Alumni Reunion BBQ and program with special recognition of Dr. Blaine Steensland under the alumni tent on the Luerssen lawn at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday. Attendees are asked to purchase tickets to the reunion BBQ by completing the registration form online here. Country line dancing lessons under the tent on the Perkins lawn will follow the BBQ.
Rounding out the day's events are THON Bingo at 3 p.m., Tie-dyeing with the Blue and White Society at 4:30 p.m., dinner at Tully's starting at 4:30 p.m., and a showing of the movie "Muppets Most Wanted," hosted by the Penn State Berks Alumni Society and Berks County Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association at 7:30 p.m. under the tent on the Perkins lawn.
On Sunday, Berks Benefitting THON will host a 5K run/1 mile walk. Proceeds will benefit THON, the annual University Park IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, which is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, raising funds and awareness for pediatric cancer.
For more information about Family and Homecoming Weekend, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 610-396-6052 or the Office of Campus Life at 610-396-6076. Register for all events online here.
