The fallen leaves bring color to the Eastern campus as Family Weekend comes to celebrate its students’ hard work thus far.

This year, Family Weekend offers students and their families a variety of events to enjoy with everything from live music, crafts, dining, to a magic show.

The main event this year is the Styx concert, but there will be other events going on all weekend starting today.

Cassie Schnarr, a senior English major, appreciates Family Weekend because it allows her to reconnect with her family.

“Family Weekend is important because it allows my family to come down and see what I do on the weekends and it also gets my niece and nephew excited about school because they see what they can have when they get out of high school,” Schnarr said. “It allows them to see what I accomplish in a sense.”

Cathy Engelkes, deputy director of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union, encourages everyone to participate in Family Weekend.

“I think Family Weekend is great because I love seeing all of the parents with their students,” she said. “It’s a good time for everyone.”

Colleen Peterlich, assistant director for the Union, thinks Family Weekend is an exciting time for Eastern.

“I think Family Weekend is important because it brings the families of our students on campus and lets the students show their families what the EIU experience is like, meet their friends and have a fun-filled weekend on campus as a family,” Peterlich said.

Peterlich and Engelkes will be around to answer any questions during the weekend as well as making sure the events run smoothly.

“I will work in several different capacities; seating families at the different meals in the Union, I will be working in the President’s Tent and VIP Suites during the football game,” Peterlich said. “I will be at the Parent’s Club Scholarship Reception and I will try to answer any questions the parents/students may have and I will work to make sure the weekend is a success.”

Megan Tkacy can be reached at 581-7942 or metkacy@eiu.edu.