Family Weekend

Family Weekend 2009 is scheduled for October 16-18. There will be numerous activities planned by on-campus and community organizations including: free Wilderness Pursuit trips, music performances, and athletic events. This is a great weekend to plan on visiting your student!

Please visit our Family Weekend website for a complete list of scheduled events during the weekend or download the 2009 Family Weekend brochure.  If you have any questions about any of these events, please call the College Center front desk at (970) 943-2066 or email Sara Phillips at sphillips@western.edu.

2009 Family Weekend Highlights

(some events subject to change)

October 16

• Volleyball Game: WSC vs Metro State
  7 pm, Paul Wright Gym
• An Evening of Music in Quigley
  7:30 pm, Quigley Recital Hall
  WSC students and faculty will present a program of vocal and instrumental music. Please join the performers for a cake and punch reception in the Quigley Lobby following the concert. Free Event!            

October 17

• Community Pancake Breakfast and Dixieland Jazz
  8 am - 10 am, Webster Hall (117 N. Iowa)
  Start the busy day off with WSC family and friends while enjoying a filling breakfast of homemade pancakes and "High Altitude" Dixieland Jazz. Your meal will be prepared for you by WSC staff and students. Free Event!
• Family Weekend Excursions
  *Sign up for these trips on Friday, October 16 at the Family Weekend welcome table in Ute Hall. Space is limited, so first come, first served. 
  9 am - 11:30 am, Trips depart from Webster Hall
  Choose from:
• “W” Mountain Tour
  The first inhabitants of the Gunnison Valley were thought to be the Archaic people, hunters and gatherers who inhabited Gunnison more than 8,000 years ago. Join Casey Dukeman, WSC Anthropology faculty, on a tour of “W” Mountain and listen to how WSC students are excavating one of the oldest villages in North America. Free Event!
• High Country Tour
  After a full meal of warm and fluffy pancakes, enjoy this scenic guided tour traveling north through the Gunnison Valley to Crested Butte. Get a small glimpse of what the area has to offer to students and tourists. Free Event!
• Outdoor Adventures with Wilderness Pursuits
  *Space is limited and these trips fill quickly, so reserve your space at the Family Weekend welcome table in Ute Hall, beginning at Noon pm on Friday, October 16. 
  9 am - Noon, Trips depart from Webster Hall
  Be adventurous with Wilderness Pursuits, Western State’s own student-led outdoor program. All trips are designed, planned, and led by trained student instructors. Transportation and technical equipment will be provided. Free Event!
  Choose from: 
• Hartman Rocks, family-centered Rock Climbing
  This adventure will take you to Gunnison’s outdoor-enthusiast paradise, Hartman Rocks. This desert landscape offers the perfect environment for beginner and advanced rock climbers.
• Bambi’s Trail Scenic Hiking
  This is a three-mile round trip hike on a gentle up and down trail. This is one of the most scenic areas at Hartman Rocks, providing excellent views of the Gunnison Valley. Bring a snack, raincoat, warm clothes, water, sunscreen, comfortable (closed-toed) shoes, and of course, your camera. 
• Taylor Canyon, family-centered Rock Climbing
  Explore the gate of Taylor Canyon, Mike & Annie’s Crag, on this rock climbing trip. The location is beginner-friendly, so take up the challenge. 
• 60th Annual W Mountain Race
  10 am, Base of W Mountain
  This is the longest-running race in the state of Colorado. Don’t worry, we’re talking time, not mileage. 2009 marks the 60th anniversary of this annual event hosted by the WSC Mountaineers. Join us in the journey to the top of W Mountain and back. The $10 entry fee includes a free t-shirt. For more information or to pre-register, contact the Track Office at 970.943.3257 or cbradford@western.edu.
• Oktoberfest Luncheon
  11 am - 1 pm, Keating Hall Lawn
  Enjoy good German food and listen to great tunes by local band “Sweet & Sour.”  Parents of students with meal plans receive a complimentary lunch. Meal prices for additional family members and/or guests are $8.
• Football Game: WSC vs. Mesa State College
  1 pm - 4 pm, Mountaineer Bowl

  Come cheer on the WSC Mountaineers as they take on the Mesa State Mavericks. Purchase tickets at the gate. Prices are $6 for adults, $3 for students and senior citizens; WSC students with valid ID and children under 5 are free

• Concert: “The Civil War Remembered in Song”
  7 pm, Savage Library
  Performed by Rex Rideout, this program is sponsored by the Gunnison Country Libraries, celebrating the life and times of Abraham Lincoln. Free Event!

• Volleyball Game: WSC vs. Colorado Christian
  7 pm, Paul Wright Gym

• Play: "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change"  
  7:30 pm, Taylor Studio Theatre
  I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change is about more than just relationships; it's about us. It's about finally finding that special someone who we know right from the start will be the one and only special one for you, knowing that person is perfect in every way and that you love them unconditionally no matter what, and then spending the rest of your life trying to change them. This lighthearted musical comedy covers it all and has something for everyone, from wishing to waiting, first date to marriage, sex to children, and everything in between. Directed, performed and produced almost entirely by WSC students, this musical is sure to have you laughing, crying, and thinking. Tickets are $6 for students with valid ID and $10 for family members. Tickets are available ½ hour before performance or in advance through the Gunnison Arts Center, www.gunnisonartscneter.org, or 970.641.4029. 

• Tim Gabrielson, Comic Magician
  8 pm, Taylor Auditorium
  Tim Gabrielson has one goal when he steps on stage: Keep It Funny. Hosted by Program Council. Free Event!