Family and Friends Weekend is an annual event that brings thousands of family members to the University of Maine to reconnect with their Black Bear! This event is for families of all sizes, dynamics, and class years. It is the University’s time to celebrate the fall season in New England, honor our traditions, and enjoy the company of students and their families, faculty and staff, alumni, and members of the extended Black Bear community.
September 27 – 29, 2024
Register at this link! (Registration is now closed)
You are still able to register in person at the check in if you missed the deadline!
To continue to re-imagine our Family and Friends Weekend experiences, there will be a small registration fee for all attendees. This added cost will help to create an unforgettable experience for your family! No need to register your student as they get into all of our events (with the exception of the Paint and Sip) for free. Registration is only $25 per person, children under 10 get in for free, just let us know at the check in table!
What’s included:
- Discount on some UMaine sporting event tickets
- Entry to all non-ticketed events
- Food options throughout the weekend
- and more!
Pre-Order your t-shirt by Aug. 28 to make sure you get one! After Aug. 28, shirts will be available at check-in while supplies last. We will have a limited number of shirts for purchase at check-in – make sure to arrive early and ask about them if you missed the pre-order deadline!
Do you need to reach someone about Family and Friends Weekend? Reach out to our team at um.getinvolved@maine.edu
Family & Friends Weekend Schedule
This schedule is constantly being updated. Please check back closer to Family and Friends Weekend in case of event changes.
Friday, September 27th
- Family and Friends
- 2pm – 7pm: Check-in, Memorial Union
- 7pm – 8pm: Family and Friends Trivia (tentative)
- Campus Wide
- 8am – 4:30pm: UMaine Bookstore Open
- Come visit the Bookstore and get your UMaine merch!
- 2:30pm: 2024 Election Outlook, a lecture by Charlie Cook
- Charlie Cook is a preeminent authority on U.S. elections and founder of the Cook
Political Report. Referred to as “the Picasso of election analysis” by Al Hunt of the
Wall Street Journal, Cook has earned a reputation for accurate, nonpartisan
analysis of electoral trends and outcomes.
- Charlie Cook is a preeminent authority on U.S. elections and founder of the Cook
- 4pm – 6pm: Maine Business School Reception
- Join MBS faculty and staff for light refreshments in the DPC (Donald P. Corbett) Atrium. This casual, drop-in event is designed for students and their friends and family to connect with Team MBS! We ask the guest RSVP here so we can accommodate food allergies and purchases accordingly.
- 8am – 4:30pm: UMaine Bookstore Open
- Athletics Events
- 6pm: Women’s Ice Hockey Home Opener
- Discount code with registration
- 6pm: Women’s Ice Hockey Home Opener
Saturday, September 28th
- Family and Friends
- 9am – 1pm: Check-in, Memorial Union
- 10am – 3pm: Bus rides to/from Treworgy Farms
- Apples and activities for purchase at Treworgy
- Buses picking up and leaving from Memorial Union bus loop
- 10am – 3pm: Music, lawn games, and interactive activities on the Mall
- Free Donuts and Apple Cider (while supplies last)
- Donuts from MeMe G’s local donut shop
- Photo Booth
- Come take a photo to remember the weekend!
- Temporary Tattoo Booth run by Delta Phi Epsilon
- Show off your UMaine spirit with our custom temporary tattoos!
- Mini-Golf
- Challenge your friends and families to see who is the best mini-golfer
- Mechanical Bull
- Can you outlast a professional bull rider? Come try and find out!
- Axe-Throwing
- Axe throwing is the ultimate adrenaline rush—combine skill, focus, and a bit of friendly competition to hit the bullseye and have a blast!
- License Plate Making
- Free for registered guests! Make your own license plate (not street legal and while supplies last)
- Street Sign Making
- Free for registered guests! Come make a custom street sign to remember the weekend!
- Caricature Artist
- Free for registered guests! Get your photo drawn by our artist!
- Student Wellness Painting
- Come add your mark to our annual Student Wellness painting!
- Dunk Tank
- Support Golden Key by stopping by and testing your skills at the dunk tank!
- Small Business Fair
- Check back to see our participating businesses!
- Maine Bound Slackline
- Come chill on the slackline.
- Free Snowcones!
- Free Donuts and Apple Cider (while supplies last)
- 12pm – 1pm: Cornhole Tournament
- The first 16 teams of registered guests can sign up to play in our tournament. The winning team gets a Umaine branded cornhole set to take home!
- 6pm – 7pm: Paint and Sip
- Campus Wide
- 8am – 12pm: Orono Farmers Market
- Discover the vibrant flavors and fresh produce at our local Farmers Market, where community and quality come together. Enjoy a delightful array of seasonal fruits, vegetables, artisanal goods, and more, all sourced from local farmers and craftsmen. You can follow them on Facebook for more information!
- 8am – 5pm: UMaine Bookstore Open
- Come visit the Bookstore and get your UMaine merch!
- 10:30am – 12pm: Move Your Phi’t 2024
- Move Your Phi’t is an annual 5K run/walk through our beautiful University of Maine campus. This event is held in the fall and also raises money for The Alpha Phi Foundation. Click on the link above to sign up!
- 10am – 3pm: Page Farm and Home Museum
- Open for self-guided tours
- 10am – 3pm: Fogler Library Special Collections
- Want to learn more about UMaine traditions, such as the Stein Song, Maine Day, Winter Carnival, and history of student groups like All Maine Women and Senior Skulls, and our mascot Bananas? Stop by Special Collections in Fogler Library for a tour and a chance to dip into UMaine’s long history and even relive memories with yearbooks, old photos, and more.
- 11am & 1pm: Guided Hudson Museum Tours
- 12:30pm & 1:30pm: Guided Ferland Engineering Education and Design Center Tours
- 8pm: Comedian Bob Marley at the Collins Center for the Arts
- Get ready to laugh with Uncle Bobby, who brings the quirks of life in Maine to the stage. He’s wicked good at making you laugh, so don’t miss his hilarious show! Adult $44.50 – mature content. Get your tickets here.
- 8am – 12pm: Orono Farmers Market
- Athletics Events
- 3pm: Women’s Ice Hockey
- Discount code with registration. Join your Black Bear women’s hockey team after the game for our annual Skate with the Bears event! Meet your favorite Black Bear women’s hockey players, get autographs, and skate the ice of Alfond Arena after their game against Quinnipiac on Saturday, September 28th. Puck drop is set for 3:00 PM. Get your tickets today and say hi to your favorite Black Bear!
- 3pm: Women’s Field Hockey
- Free admission
- 3pm: Women’s Ice Hockey
Sunday, September 29th
- Family and Friends
- 8am – 10am: Breakfast with your student
- Registered Family and Friends participants receive 50% off pricing for eating in the Hilltop and York dining halls.
- 8am – 10am: Breakfast with your student
- Campus Wide
- 5am – 7pm: Navy ROTC Motsay Warrior Trek
- This is a hike to bring awareness to those who are veterans, active duty members, and/or family members of those who serve that struggle with suicide. U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Kenneth C. Motsay was a Marine Officer Instructor of the NROTC program at the University of Maine Orono who passed unexpectedly on February 13th, 2023. Cadets from the NROTC Program created the Motsay Fund, dedicated to advancing the careers and leadership experience of MIDN who show prominence and dedication within the unit. 40% of the funds raised will be used to support this fund, while 60% of the proceeds will be generously donated to The Summit Project.
- 5am – 7pm: Navy ROTC Motsay Warrior Trek
The Versant Power Astronomy Center has many shows. Please see their schedule below. Tickets are required for all shows and are $7 for adults, $6 for UMaine students or senior citizens, and $5 for children 12 and younger. MUSIC SHOWS are $9 general admission.
The planetarium seats 50 maximum so advanced purchase is recommended. Tickets available online at http://astro.umaine.edu or by calling 207-581-1341. For show
information see https://astro.umaine.edu/visit/planetarium-programs/.
Friday, September 27th
- 7:00 pm: Supermassive Black Holes
Saturday, September 28th
- 10:00 am: Worlds Beyond Earth
- 11:30 am: Arora: Tales of the Northern Lights
- 1:00 pm: MOONBASE: The Next Step
- 2:30 pm: Big Astronomy: People, Places, Discoveries
- 4:00 pm: Worlds of Ice
- 7:00 pm: (Music Show) Dark Side of the Moon – Pink Floyd
Sunday, September 29th
- 11:00 am: The Arctic: Our Last Great Wilderness
- 12:30 pm: Expedition Reef
- 2:00 pm: The Stellars: Mission Green
- 4:00 pm: (Music Show) Radiohead
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can attend Family and Friends Weekend?
Anyone you call family (parents, siblings, that aunt who pinches your cheeks every time she sees you, your neighbor down the street who shovels your driveway when it snows, I think you get the picture) is invited! If they are your family, we want them to attend!
How do I register for Family and Friends Weekend?
Register at this link! (registration will go live in July 2024)
To create greater experiences, a $25 registration fee is in effect. Students do not need to register, as they get into events for free with their Mainecard!
Why should I attend Family and Friends Weekend?
In addition to the additional programming and opportunity to explore our campus, Family and Friends Weekend is an excellent opportunity to connect to your Black Bear in their home away from home. It can be an opportunity to bridge the gap between their lives both on and away from campus.
What is the format of Family and Friends Weekend?
Family and Friends Weekend includes three days of programming and opportunities for you to engage with your student. Family Weekend is designed so you can choose how many events or opportunities you want to participate in. Each day has many activities—too many for one person—so you’ll pick what feels most relevant to you and exciting for your family.
If you are up for traveling on Friday, we will have nighttime entertainment and a chance to check in. Saturday is the busiest. Events start mid-morning and continue into the evening. Sunday is treated as a travel day, with light programming available in the morning.
Local Housing Accommodations
Below are a few local accommodations, certainly not all of them!
Orono
- Hotel Ursa at the University of Maine (Still has vacancy!)
- Black Bear Inn
Bangor
- Bangor Aviator Hotel
- Click the link above for a Family and Friends discounted price!
- Country Inn at the Mall
- Hampton Inn
- Hilton Garden Inn
- Courtyard Marriott
- Comfort Inn
- Residence Inn
- Fairfield Inn
Milford