Family Weekend 2019 Frequently Asked Questions
Posted on: July 1, 2019; Updated on: July 1, 2019
By Office of Parent & Family Programs, scparents@sc.edu, 800-868-6752
What is Family Weekend 2019?
Family Weekend will be held Sept. 27-29. This is a great time to visit campus to see
your student’s college home. Many fun social and educational events are planned for
the weekend so your family can have a great time together. Family Weekend is a beloved
South Carolina tradition, so you won’t want to miss it.
How do I register for Family Weekend?
Online registration for Family Weekend is required to attend events. Registration
will open Tuesday (July 2) at 10 a.m. (EDT) for families to purchase their Family
Weekend packages and their UofSC student’s package. A package is required for each
individual planning to attend and includes a wristband to access Family Weekend events,
a parking pass for the weekend, drink tickets for family members over 21 and more.
View the package options on the Family Weekend website to plan your weekend.
When should we plan to arrive for Family Weekend?
Plan to arrive to Columbia on Friday morning (Sept. 27) to take full advantage of
the opportunities available throughout the weekend. We will host educational sessions,
open classes, meet-and-greets and more throughout the day. The weekend’s events will
end in the early afternoon Sunday (Sept. 29) so you will want to plan your return
home for later that afternoon. The schedule of events is available on the Parent & Family Programs mobile app and will be updated regularly with new events throughout the summer.
Should we bring our student’s siblings or other extended family members?
Definitely. Family Weekend is for every Gamecock to enjoy, no matter their age. Any
family members over the age of 2 are required to have a Family Weekend wristband to
attend events, so individual packages must be purchased for them as well.
I need to add another family member to our party for Family Weekend, will we still
sit together?
If you need to purchase additional packages after your original purchase, you will
want to use the same email and name from your original order confirmation. This will
connect the orders through the registration platform so that football tickets are
grouped together, if applicable, and your packet at check-in will be both of the orders.
There is a group of families that want to sit together at the game, how do we do that?
Once the first family in your party registers for Family Weekend, they will receive
a specialized link in their confirmation email that they can send to you. Once you
have access to that link and check out with your family’s Family Weekend packages,
it will connect your orders together so that the football tickets are assigned next
to each other.
When can we pick up our Family Weekend packets and tickets to the game?
Families can pick up their Family Weekend packets, including wristbands to get into
the events, during check-in Sept. 27 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Russell House Ballroom
and Friday evening at Rock the Roost from 8 to 10 p.m. at the Strom Thurmond Wellness
and Fitness Center. Students can also pick up their family’s packet, but will need
their Carolina Card and a copy of the confirmation email to do so. Families arriving
Sept. 28 will be able to pick up their packets at the Family Weekend Tailgate Party,
which begins 2.5 hours prior to kick-off.
Will I be able to purchase additional packages during the weekend?
There will be an opportunity to purchase additional Family Weekend packages during
check-in. Packages will include an on-site convenience fee, and football tickets will
be available first-come, first-served. We encourage you to purchase your Family Weekend
packages online prior to the registration deadline of 4 p.m. (EDT) Sept. 9.
Where do we park during Family Weekend?
During the Family Weekend events on campus, you will receive a parking pass with information
about the lots and garages where you are able to park throughout the weekend. Bull
Street Garage will be available and is a short walking from check-in at the Russell
House.
How do we get tickets to the football game during Family Weekend?
Family members and UofSC students have the option to purchase a Family Weekend package
that includes a football ticket (“Family Member Package + Football Ticket” and “UofSC
Student Package + Football Ticket”). Your student can also go through the Student
Ticketing request process to sit in the student section during the game, however they
would not be able to join you at your Family Weekend seats.
Can I buy just a Tailgate Party ticket for my student’s roommate?
Individual tickets to Family Weekend events are not available, each person attending
must have purchased a package and have their own wristband. Families are welcome and
encouraged to include their student’s roommate in the Family Weekend festivities by
purchasing a UofSC Student Package for them as well. This can be done in advance through
online registration for $15, or on-site (which will include a convenience fee) during
Family Weekend.
Is parking available at the Tailgate Party?
Parking is not available at the Tailgate Party, but there are a variety of options
for getting to the stadium safely. There are pay lots around the South Carolina Fairgrounds and Williams-Brice Stadium, but many of those
are first-come, first-served. There is a gameday shuttle that is free for UofSC students (with their Carolina Card) and $3 for nonstudents
with pick-up outside the Russell House or by Colonial Life Arena. The shuttle stops
outside the Rosewood Drive entrance to the Fairgrounds. Families will be able to purchase
their shuttle wristband during check-in or at shuttle pick-up locations.
It is approximately a 1-mile walk from the drop-off location to the Tailgate Party at the corner of Bluff and National Guard Roads. Walking directions will be in the guide you will receive at check-in and there will be signs along the route directing you to the Tailgate Party.
Do families need to bring food, drinks or seating to the Tailgate Party?
There will be plenty of food and drinks for you and your family to enjoy at the Welcome
Reception, Rock the Roost and the Tailgate Party events. Outside beverages are not
permitted. There will be limited seating available at the Tailgate Party, but you’re
welcome to bring a blanket to sit on while enjoying the food and entertainment. Just
remember, anything you bring with you to the game must comply with stadium policies and fit in your clear bag.
We have a family member who needs accommodations, who can we talk to about that?
We want all guests to have a fun, family-filled weekend. If you need an accommodation,
please email the Office of Parent & Family Programs at scparents@sc.edu to let us know the details of your needs. We will try our best to make arrangements.
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