Family Weekend will host a series of events for students and their families starting Friday at several locations on Eastern’s campus.

Students can check in and receive additional information about the schedule of events from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Java B&B and Bookstore at the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union on Friday.

Beth Dunahee, assistant director for new student and family programs, said Family Weekend will include a movie night, a family breakfast, a murder mystery dinner, several volunteer projects, a creation station, Family FUNfest, the football game, bowling night, bingo and other events.

Dunahee said everyone is welcome to the events for Family Weekend, and all but three of the events are free.

“(There are) events that free for anyone to attend, and then there are also events that you have to purchase the tickets to,” she said.

Everyone who wants to attend the department of music’s concert hall and the murder mystery dinner will have to purchase tickets, but students will receive two free tickets to the football game—one for them and one for a family member or friend, she said.

The murder mystery dinner, movie night, concert, bubble show, rock ‘n’ bowl and family bingo will be on Friday, Sept. 21.

According to Eastern’s website, the murder mystery dinner will start at 5:30 p.m. and end at 9 p.m. at the University Ballroom in the Union.

The murder mystery dinner will have an 80’s style, and tickets are available to order online at Eastern’s website, Dunahee said.

The family movie will be showing Incredibles 2 at 7:30 p.m. on Friday in the Martinsville room in the Union and 7 p.m. on Saturday at the Charleston/Mattoon Room in the Union, and refreshments will be provided, according to Eastern’s website.

The department of music collage concert will start at 7:30 p.m. at the Dvorak Concert Hall in the Doudna Fine Arts Center, and tickets are also available to purchase on Eastern’s website, Dunahee said.

Bob’s bubble show will go from 8 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the Grand Ballroom in The Union.

Rock ‘n’ bowl games are $2 per game including free shoe rental, and it goes from 8 p.m. until 10 p.m. at the Bowling Lanes in the Union on both Friday and Saturday.

Family Bingo will go from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. at McAfee south gym.

Dunahee said bingo has been a favorite of families for years, and people take the game very seriously.

“(Family bingo) is just a popular event that people get really into,” she said. “There’s a lot of free prizes … They have everything from gift cards to big prizes.”

The events for Saturday, Sept. 22 include the volunteer programs, the Tarble Arts Center Extravaganza, the Panther football game, Family Funfest and more.

The volunteer programs include the Fit-2-Serve community garden off-campus service project and the fleece blanket service project.

Volunteers will leave from campus at the Panther Pantry located in the Union for the community garden project at 8:30 a.m., and volunteers should RSVP at [email protected].

The fleece blanket service project begins at 10 a.m. and ends at 12 p.m. in the university ballroom at the Union.

Family breakfast with Eastern President David Glassman starts at 9 a.m. at the Grand Ballroom in the Union.

The Tarble Arts Center Extravaganza starts at 1 p.m. at the atrium and Tarble galleries.

Kickoff is at 2 p.m. for the Panther vs. Tennessee State football game at O’Brien Stadium, and tickets are available for purchase online.

There will also be other weekend activities and events during family weekend available on Eastern’s website.

Dunahee said she encourages all students to attend family weekend to have a good time with their families and relax.

“(Family weekend) is a fun weekend for everyone to come and get involved,” she said. “There’s a lot going on, and there’s something for everyone to enjoy.”

Logan Raschke can be reached at 581-2812 or at [email protected].