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New Student and Family Programs

Welcome Fresno State Families!

Family Weekend - October 25-27, 2024

Family Weekend returns to Fresno State! Reservations for Family Weekend will be available starting on Thursday, September 12, 2024.

We hope you can join us to celebrate Fresno State and all your student's accomplishments at the university. In a weekend devoted to student families and supporters, we hope you are able to take some time to explore the Fresno State community. Catch up with your student, tour the campus, and enjoy all Fresno State has to offer.

Families can register for Family Weekend using the form below. Participating family members over the age of 10 must each register separately although your Fresno State student can participate free of charge with a registered family member. Tickets to the football game can be purchased through Athletics. Football tickets are not included in the Family Weekend packages. 

SCHEDULE

You can view the current Family Weekend schedule below. Check back in the coming weeks as we add more events and activities to the Family Weekend schedule!

REGISTRATION 

You can register and pay for Family Weekend by visiting the eMarket website. Online Family Weekend reservations will close at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 23, 2024. Late reservations can still be made by contacting the Office of New Student and Family Programs at 559-278-4885.

          eMarket

PAYMENT

Payment for Family Weekend can be made using one of the methods below.

In-Person

Check or Cash, preferably check, can be brought to the Office of New Student and Family Programs office in the Joyal Administration Building, room 131. 

Checks should be made out to Fresno State and Family Weekend placed on the memo line.

Mail

Check or Cash, preferably check, can be mailed to the Office of New Student and Family Programs office address below.

  • Dog Days
  • 5150 N Maple Ave M/S JA62
  • Fresno, CA 93740-8026

Checks should be made out to Fresno State and Family Weekend placed on the memo line

Online

Online payments can be made through the eMarket using a credit or debit card.

 

  • Staff at the Red Booth
    Family Weekend volunteers in front of the Joyal Administration Red Booth
  • Staff and Spirit Squad during Family Weekend
    Family Weekend staff and cheerleaders during Family Weekend
  • Family enjoying the tailgate
    A Fresno State family enjoying the Family Weekend tailgate
  • Staff at tailgate
    Family Weekend staff during the tailgate
  • Sunday Brunch
    Families enjoying the Family Weekend Sunday brunch
  • Family Weekend family picture
    Family taking a picture with TimeOut

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS for 2024

Friday, October 25

9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. - Family Weekend Check-In

Stop by the Joyal Administration Building to pick up your Family Weekend materials. We'll be in the New Student and Family Programs Office in Joyal 131 from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Grab your bag with your info packet, t-shirts, and name badge.

9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. - Kennel Bookstore 

Stop by the Kennel Bookstore on campus to be entered in the Family Weekend raffle. Fill out a raffle ticket and grab some gear for your student and the game! Show off your Bulldog Spirit!

10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. - Close to Home: Fresno State Student Publications & Art

Stop by the Fresno State Library and make your way to the Special Collections and Research Center on the 4th floor south wing in Lib 4203. There will be an exhibition of art and publications all by Fresno State students.

2:00 p.m. - Meet in front of the Fresno State Library

Join us for a guided library tour to see some of the best kept secrets of the library. See hard to find gems of the library including the historical timeline of Fresno State.

5:00 p.m. - Amendola Family Student Cupboard in the Industrial Technology Building, Rm 144

The Student Cupboard has become an essential support system for Fresno State students. Students can go to our food pantry Monday - Friday to get items such as fresh fruits, dairy products, and hygiene items.

As a part of Family Weekend we'll be collecting hygiene items to donate to the food pantry. Bring your donations when you check-in and receive one additional raffle ticket for the giveaways during the tailgate and Sunday brunch. We'll be collecting items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorants, and bars of soap. 

4:00 p.m. - Viticulture and Enology Building

Join the Fresno State Wineclub party and enjoy some Fresno State wine along with other Family Weekend attendees. There will be live music, charcuterie, and two tasting bars. Sure to be a good time.

5:30pm - Peters Educational Center Auditorium in the Student Recreation Center

Cineculture conducts in-person movie screenings to promote cultural awareness through film.

The film being shown is Floyd Abrams: Speaking Freely. This documentary follows the 50-year career of First Amendment lawyer and legal expert Floyd Abrams. Learn how his landmark cases helped define free speech as it is known today.  Fresno State professor Douglas Fraleigh will be on hand as a discussant.

Trailer

6:00 p.m. - Save Mart Center

Make your way to the Save Mart Center as the Women's Basketball team takes on CSU Monterey Bay in this exhibition game. 

  • Photo Booth
    Pictures from the Photo Booth
  • Wine Tasting
    Families wine tasting at the Farm market
  • Ice Cream
    Enjoying some Fresno State Ice Cream at the Farm Market
Saturday, October 26

8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. - Speech Arts, Rm 153 and 154

Do you have an artistic side? Join us for a mosaic art class with a Central Valley artist. Limited to the first 40 people who arrive. Participants will pick up their completed masterpiece at the Sunday Brunch. You can learn more about hte artist and see examples of her work on the website below.

artist website

9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Family Weekend Check-In

Stop by the Joyal Administration Building to pick up your Family Weekend materials including your t-shirt. We'll be in the New Student and Family Programs Office in Joyal 131 from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. - Rec Center Open House

Stop by the Student Recreation Center to work out. Family Weekend attendees will be able to utilize the gym facilities and get your heart racing. The Rec Center is located on the southeast part of the campus next to the Save Mart Center. Be sure to bring your Family Weekend name badge.

9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. - The Edge: Pluto and Beyond

Join us at the Planetarium on-campus to watch The Edge.

DESCRIPTION

Beyond the orbit of Neptune there is a mysterious “third realm” of the Solar System which remains almost entirely unexplored. This realm is the likely home to many thousands of small, icy worlds of which Pluto is the most famous member. Discovered in 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh, Pluto remained a mystery until it was visited by the New Horizons spacecraft in 2015. Desite its demotion to dwarf planet status, Pluto remains one of the most interesting worlds of the solar system with five moons, mountains 10,000 feet tall, and a possible underground ocean of liquid water!

12:00 p.m. - University Dining Hall

Does your student live on-campus in the dorms? You can join them for lunch on Saturday, October 26th for a free meal. Experience Fresno State dorm food at it's finest. Grab a bite and experience the University Dining Hall. Ask for a dorm ticket when you check-in if you are interested.

1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. - Farm Market Tour

Great chance to pick up those Fresno State goodies from the Farm Market. They’ll be free Fresno State ice cream for Family Weekend attendees.

3:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. - Family Weekend Check-In

Stop by Margie Wright Stadium to pick up your Family Weekend materials. We'll be right outside the softball stadium where the tailgate will take place. 

3:30 p.m - 6:00 p.m. - Family Weekend Tailgate

Good food, good company, and a bunch of good people. Stop by the Family Weekend tailgate fill up on food and drink before heading out to the game. The tailgate will take place at the Margie Wright Softball Stadium on the concourse. Located near the intersection of Cedar and Barstow, we're close to the football stadium when it's time to cheer for the Dogs!

Parking during football games can be hectic. Normally parking is free on the weekends but during football games, athletics has a separate charge. Arrive early to avoid the crowds and challenges of parking during a football game.

5:00 p.m. - Fresno State football vs San Jose State

The Bulldogs will take on the Spartans in this Mountain West matchup. 

Everyone over the age of 2 will need to purchase their own football ticket to attend. Football ticekts will need to be purchased separately through athletics for everyone interested in attending. 

GoBulldogs.com

 
  • Family Photo
    Picture time with Time Out
  • Family Photo 2
    Time Out is a local celebrity
  • Family Photo 3
    Time Out and Victor E getting some love.
Sunday, October 27

9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. - Family Weekend Check-In

Stop by the Smittcamp Alumni House to pick up your Family Weekend materials including your t-shirt if you haven't already. We'll be inside the Smittcamp Alumni House where brunch will take place.

9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. - Sunday Brunch - Smittcamp Alumni House

Join us for a relaxed Sunday Brunch. After a late night of football a little breakfast is just what the doctor ordered. No mimosas but there will be raffle prizes and the Victor E. will be present for pictures. 

We'll also be having an art project for anyone interested in partaking. We'll be painting rocks to add to our upcoming Rock Garden on campus. Have some fun with art as you mingle and enjoy brunch.

Anyone who participated in the Saturday Mosaic class will be able to pick up their grouted masterpiece during the brunch.

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER

For those of you coming from out of town we will also be adding information about other events going on in the Fresno community. It will be a fun filled weekend in Fresno in case you'd like to check out other things going on off-campus. Here are some other things to keep in mind when planning your visit. 

Homecoming

October 21-25 is Homecoming Week at Fresno State. There will be several student events happening during the week so the campus will have a little more energy than normal.

You can visit the Homecoming website for more information. 

Parking 

Registered families will receive a parking permit code to use for events taking place on Friday, October 25th. Parking is normally relaxed on the weekend at Fresno State except for football. Parking is relaxed on Friday evenings after 4:00pm.

Be prepared for a little traffic and a separate fee to park for football unless you arrive early, usually before 12:00 noon.

Campus Map

Special Accommodations

Does anyone in your group need special accommodations? Contact our office at dogdays@mail.fresnostate.edu or call 559-278-4885.