This year’s Family Weekend will be filled with a variety of different activities for students and their families, such as a concert and a comedy show.

Pastabilities: All-you-care-to-eat-buffet will be on Friday from 6 p.m.to 8p.m. in the University Ballroom in the Martin Luther King Jr., University Union. The dinner will include a choice of a variety of different pastas and desserts. It is $9.85 for Eastern students and adults, $5 for children 6-10 years old and free for kids 5 years of age and under. Tickets for this event can be purchased on Eastern’s website.

Comedian and magician Justin Kredible is set to perform Friday at 7 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom in the union. There is no cost for attending this event.

The University Union Bowling Lanes is hosting Rock ‘n’ Bowl Friday at 8p.m.-midnight in the basement of the union. Students and their families can cosmic bowl and enjoy snacks. Rock ‘n’ Bowl is $2 per game and shoe rentals are free.Bingo Bonanza will be on Friday at 9 p.m. in the McAfee South Gym. This event is free and prizes will be given out to the winners.

Students and their families can check out the moon during the Observatory Open House Friday at 9:30 p.m. The event is free of charge and participants will need to meet under the walkway at the union.

For Family Weekend, the Student Recreation Center will be open Friday from 4 to 10 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to10 p.m. The Student Recreation Center will be free of charge and a waiver needs to be signed for admission. Students and their families are welcome to participate in Rec Center activities and even get a tour.

“Toy Story 3” will be showing in Buzzard Auditorium for Family Movie Night. Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. The Pixar movie will be shown free of charge.

Color photo buttons are back by popular demand. Students and their families can make color photo buttons and magnetic buttons ($4 per picture) in the Bridge Walkway Lounge in the Second Floor of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union starting Saturday at 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. through Sunday 10 a.m. to noon.

Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m., a free continental breakfast will be offered. Parents Club Continental Breakfast is located in the Vending Lounge on the first floor of the union.

The Fourth Annual EIU “Run for a Reason: Run Red” event will be Saturday. Check in will be at 8:30 a.m., and the race will start at 9:15 a.m. at the Campus Pond and Panther Trail. There is a $25 entry fee and tickets can be purchased on Eastern’s website. All proceeds for the Fourth Annual EIU “Run for a Reason: Run Red” event will go to helping the local American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. T-shirts will be given out to all participants of the event.

Face painting will be available on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon in the Bridge Walkway Lounge on the second floor of the union and is free of charge.

Football Game Pick-Up-and-Go Lunch will be on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the O’Brien Field tailgate Area. The lunch costs $6.50 per person, and tickets can be purchased on Eastern’s website.

Billy’s Backyard features games and many different activities for everyone to enjoy. The event is Saturday from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the O’Brien Field tailgate area and is free for participants.

A wine tasting will be on Saturday from 1 to 1:45 p.m., 2:15 to 3 p.m., and 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. It is located in Room 1895 on the second floor of the union and is free.

Eastern football will kickoff at 1:30 p.m. at O’Brien Field. Tickets are $17 for adults and free for Eastern students. Eastern will be playing against Southeast Missouri.

Get Your Grill On: All-you-care-to-eat-buffet will be from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the Grand Ballroom on the second floor of the union. Tickets are $11 for adults and Eastern Students, $5.50 for kids 6-10 years old and free for children 5 years and under. Tickets can be purchased on Eastern’s website.

Kool and the Gang (Family Weekend’s main event) will kick off Saturday at 8 p.m. in Lantz Arena. Tickets are $20 and can still be purchased on Eastern’s website. “Kool and the Gang runs a pretty big show and I’m excited. I hope it goes over as well as the Styx concert and the Drake concert,” University Board concert coordinator Eddie Smith said.

Wrap Up the Weekend Breakfast will be on Sunday from 9 to 11:30 a.m. in the Grand Ballroom of the union. This buffet style breakfast will be $10.50 for adults and Eastern students, $5.25 for children 6-10 years old and free for children ages 5 and under. Tickets can be purchased for Wrap Up the Weekend Breakfast on Eastern’s website.

Samantha Bilharz can be reached at 581-7942 or slbilharz@eiu.edu

Ricky Phillips, James Young and Tommy Shaw perform with their band “Styx” during the first of two family weekend concerts in Lantz Arena Oct. 3, 2009. (File Photo: Eric Hiltner

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