On Friday, September 13th, 2024, parents and families were welcomed to campus, marking the beginning of a weekend full of bonding, connection, and school spirit. Students exuded excitement as they strolled familiar paths with familiar people and parents jumped at every photo-op to document important moments and places. The campus was filled with love and good energy as families were reunited. Freshman Charlotte Johnson was especially excited for family weekend because of her strong ties to Fayetteville. Although she’s originally from Little Rock, a lot of her extended family lives in Fayetteville and her parents are both University of Arkansas alumni who have maintained a connection to the university. Johnson said her parents are always ready to participate in events at
the school, whether that’s coming to see the bid day festivities, going to the football games, or visiting for family weekend.
“It’s so cool to go where they went to school,” Johnson said. “It’s part of why I chose Fayetteville. I just grew up being excited to come to Fayetteville because they were. It’s always felt like home to me.” Sophie Rector, a freshman from Southlake, Texas was just as grateful to be reunited with her family, even without prior connections to the school. Her hometown is about 5 hours away, and
her parents made the trek to see campus for the first time since move-in.
“I’ve been looking forward to [family weekend] since I got here,” Rector said. “I was really excited to show them where my classes are and what I’ve been up to. I liked showing them the Greek theater. I just really love that area and I spend a lot of time over there. That’s where the pep rally was too, so I actually got to go to an event with them which was fun.”
U of A hosted a variety of events, including the pep rally the night before the game, a casino themed Cardinal Nights event and a family weekend tailgate party. Rector and Johnson both attended the tailgate party, Saturday afternoon just before the game started. Rector said she appreciated it because there was no stress about setting up, they could just kick back, relax and get excited for the game with food and live music. Johnson enjoyed Cardinal Nights, held on

Friday night at the Union Mall, which had classic casino games, food, and prizes.
Students and families also participated in events beyond those hosted by the university exclusively for parents’ weekend. From student-led tours of the campus to exploring the Fayetteville Farmers Market, students and their families were entertained all weekend. Johnson and her parents went to a cookout hosted by her sorority, as it was their Dad’s Weekend. The experience was even more special because her mom was in the same sorority, and visiting the house brought back memories. “They were telling stories about their experiences there and getting to see them light up while walking into the house was really cool,” Johnson said.
Sophomore Elise Hankins took a different approach to family weekend, inviting a childhood friend to join her as her parents came and visited her last year. Hankins chose a more self-guided weekend, taking her friend around campus and around Dickson. The most eventful experience tailgating, as it was both of the girls’ first times. “It was really fun because there was so much going on,” Hankins said. “I’d always seen it from afar but had never been. It was so busy and everyone was just excited to be there.” Whether they were playing games, exploring campus, or cheering on the Razorbacks, families were ecstatic to be reunited and have an opportunity to spend some quality time with the people that matter most.