kids playing jenga at family weekend

Family Weekend 2025

We're excited once again to welcome families this Fall! Join us for Family Weekend Thursday, September 11th - Sunday, September 14th! Family Weekend is a time when the campus invites students, faculty, staff, and their families, friends, and guests to visit campus and reconnect. Anyone can be family. Parents, siblings, guardians. All are welcome!

Some activities you can expect at Family Weekend include Family Bingo, Friday Night Filmworks, Shafer Bell Tower recital and tours, Cardinals Football vs University of New Hampshire (September 13th), Dean's List Receptions, and much more. 

Family Weekend Events

FAME (Fall Arts and Music Extravaganza) | 5PM | Brown Family Amphitheater | Free and Open to all Event link: FAME – Sept. 11

 

14th Annual School of Music Showcase Concert hosted by the School of Music 
Friday, September 12 at 7:30 PM in Sursa Hall

  • Support student scholarships and witness the range of what the School of Music has to offer! This concert features most of our major ensembles and a wide range of the music we make, from classical to pop to jazz. Tickets are $20 in advance / $25 at the door. All tickets for this concert are the same price and are General Admission. Proceeds go towards the Bravo! Scholarship Fund. Link for tickets. Contact Ricky Bennett for accommodations for this event.

Songs for a New World

  •  7:30 PM | Korsgaard Dance Studio in Ball Gym | tickets at CFA box office

Spirit and Traditions

Friday Night Filmworks presents: Monsters University + Movie Trivia hosted by Spirit and Traditions
8:00–10:30 p.m. in Pruis Hall

  • Kick off Family Weekend with a campus favorite! Test your knowledge during Monsters University with trivia as you watch the film. Laughs for the whole family and perfect for all ages. Free admission; seating first-come, first-served. Rated G. For accommodation requests, contact Olivia Vecchiolli.

Planetarium Shows

  • Accidental Astronauts – 5:00 p.m.
    Follow the adventures of Sy, Annie, and their dog Armstrong as they embark on an unexpected journey into space! Perfect for families with children in Kindergarten through 3rd grade, though all ages are welcome.
  • Living Worlds – 6:30 p.m.
    Narrated by Daveed Diggs, this program explores how life makes Earth livable, where it might be found elsewhere in the cosmos, and what new technologies may help us discover it. Best suited for adults and ages 10+, though all are welcome.
  • Location: Charles W. Brown Planetarium, Cooper Science Building, 2111 W. Riverside Ave., Muncie, IN
    Admission: Free; no reservations or tickets required (donations accepted at the door)
    Program length: ~50 minutes including a live sky tour
    Accommodation requests: Please contact the Charles W. Brown Planetarium in advance

Deans List Ceremonies

  • Teachers College
    Time: 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
    Location: Teachers College, First Floor
    Description: Join us for an open-house style reception celebrating our Dean’s List students. Students and their families are invited to drop in at their convenience, enjoy light refreshments, and connect with the Deans and faculty in conversation. An RSVP option will be available in the near future, but it is not required to attend. For accommodations contact CJ Smith at least one week prior to the event. 

Pollinator Party

  • 10am - 3pm
  • What's the buzz? Could it be bees, bats, butterflies, or even birds? Find out at the Pollinator Party at the BSU Nature Lab, Rinard Orchid Greenhouse, and Christy Woods from 10-3pm! Families and visitors can learn all about pollination from experts in our community and see examples firsthand.

    Plus, this year will be our first Sunflower Showdown during the Pollinator Party! Visitors are encouraged to bring in the biggest sunflower head from their garden. The largest (by diameter) sunflower heads brought in for measuring will receive a prize! A total of four prizes will be available, two for adults and two for children. Contact our Educator Erica Oliver at
    765-285-8103 to learn more.

Ball State Cardinal Football vs University of New Hampshire 

  • 2pm Kick Off
  • Scheumann Stadium

CharlieTown Tailgate at Family Weekend

Calling all Ball State Alumni, fans and friends: celebrate your Cardinal pride before our home football game against New Hampshire!

There will be food, fun, entertainment, and camaraderie two hours before kickoff outside the Alumni Center. Each CharlieTown tailgate will feature local food trucks and drink vendors. Stop by and support local businesses!

Two hours and fifteen minutes before kickoff, you’re invited to line up along Cardinal Drive to cheer on the football team and coaches as they walk down Cardinal Drive from the parking lot to the stadium.

One hour before kickoff, join the Ball State Cheer Team, Code Red Dancers, Pride of Mid-America Marching Band, Charlie Cardinal, and special guests for a pep rally before heading into the stadium.

For more information, visit here. 

Tapestry, The Carole King Songbook 

7:30 PM | Pruis Hall | tickets at Pruis box office

Songs for a New World

Spirit and Traditions Events through the Office of Student Life

  • Family Bingo
    Time: 9:00–11:00 a.m.
    Location: University Green
    Description: Grab a card, pick a seat, and get ready to cheer—prizes will be popping up all morning long. A laid-back way for families to relax together and meet other Cardinals. For accommodation requests, please contact Olivia Vecchiolli. 

  • Bell Tower Recital & Tours
    Time: 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m for the Recital, with tours beginning at 12:00p.m 
    Location: Shafer Tower (The Bell Tower)
    Description: Enjoy a mid-morning recital and learn the history and traditions surrounding the iconic Bell Tower. Great photo ops and a meaningful slice of Ball State heritage.  For accommodation requests, please contact Olivia Vecchiolli. 

  • Cardinal Family Bash
    Time: 5:00–7:00 p.m.
    Location: University Green
    Description: An evening on the Green with music, games, and hands-on activities for all ages. Bring your crew to mingle, play, and soak up the campus vibes as the sun goes down. Free to attend; come and go as you please.  For accommodation requests, please contact Olivia Vecchiolli. 

Planetarium Shows

  • Accidental Astronauts – 3:30 p.m.
    Join Sy, Annie, and their dog Armstrong on a surprise adventure into space! Designed for K–3rd grade learners, but enjoyable for all ages.

  • Dynamic Earth – 5:00 p.m.
    This immersive show traces energy from the Sun into the atmosphere, oceans, and biosphere to reveal how these systems shape our climate. Recommended for adults and ages 12+, though all are welcome.

  • Living Worlds – 6:30 p.m.
    Take a narrated journey with Daveed Diggs to discover life’s role on Earth, where else it may exist, and how scientists may find it beyond our planet. Recommended for adults and ages 10+, though all are welcome.

  • Location: Charles W. Brown Planetarium, Cooper Science Building, 2111 W. Riverside Ave., Muncie, IN
    Admission: Free; no reservations or tickets required (donations accepted at the door)
    Program length: ~50 minutes including a live sky tour
    Accommodation requests: Please contact the Charles W. Brown Planetarium in advance

Deans List Ceremonies

  • College of Health
    Time: 9:00 am – 10:30 am
    Location: College of Health Lobby 1615 W. Riverside
    Description: Congratulations on your outstanding academic achievement! Please join us in celebrating your success at our special Dean’s List Open House. Refreshments will be served. RSVP/registration or ticketing details (if any) | RSVP by 9/5 to the College of Health. For accommodations contact Krista Hayes at 285-5811. 

  • College of Communication, Information, and Media
    Time: 10am-11:30am
    Location: Emens Auditorium
    Description: This ceremony recognizes the exceptional dedication on the part of our CCIM students who have been selected to be a part of the dean's list. We have notified and asked students to RSVP on our Eventbrite by August 27th at 5:00pm. Tickets are free.  For accommodations contact Kim McClure.  

Faculty Artist Series 

James Helton | 3PM | Sursa Hall | FREE

Songs for a New World

Plan Your Visit