October Family Weekend Frequently Asked Questions
Big Orange Professional Photography (BOPP) was on-hand at the Big Orange Tailgate Party on October 4 taking pictures of all guests and attendees at the tailgate party. To view the event proofs and purchase photos of the event, click here.
The Information below applies to 2008 October Family Weekend. For information on the November Family Weekend event, please click here.
- What events are offered during Family Weekend?
- What are the costs associated with registering for Family Weekend?
- How do I pay for Family Weekend?
- If I do not purchase football tickets, or if I purchase them outside of the Parents Association, can I still come to the tailgate before the game?
- What are the chances of being able to purchase football tickets?
- How many football tickets can I purchase through the Family Weekend Group Ticket Window?
- Can I choose my seat during the Family Weekend football game?
- Can my family sit with another family at the football game?
- Can my family bring another current UT Student with us to Family Weekend?
- How do I get my football/tailgate tickets?
- What time is the Big Orange Tailgate Party and/or football game?
- When and where is Family Weekend check-in and packet pick-up?
- What do I need to bring when I pick up my packet?
- Where is the tailgate?
- Can I get a refund for my packages?
Family Weekend offers your family a chance to visit campus, see your student(s), hear from University staff and officials, as well as attend seminars, a Big Orange Tailgate, and the Tennessee vs. Northern Illinois football game. For a more detailed schedule, visit our Schedule page.
Family Weekend registration costs $35 for adults, and $20 for children (under
12) and UT students. Family Weekend registration includes access to most programming
on Friday night (see Schedule page), a Family Weekend t-shirt, and admission
to the Big Orange Tailgate Party on Saturday (beginning three hours prior to
football game kick-off).
Tickets to the UT vs. Nothern Illinois
football game are available for $40. Please see the Registration and Football
Ticket Information page for more information on purchasing football tickets.
Parents Association members can register for Family Weekend online on a first come, first served basis. You may pay for the events using a Visa or MasterCard. The website payment process is secure and your information will be confidential and safe.
Yes. If you do not purchase football tickets, or purchase them through another means, you can still register for other Family Weekend events including the Big Orange Tailgate.
Football tickets are sold on a first come, first served basis. Registration for Family Weekend packages will begin September 3rd. The Parents Association works with the UT Athletics Department to offer tickets for Family Weekend, and chances of being able to purchase tickets depends upon the number of families desiring to purchase tickets.
Parents Association members can purchase up to six (6) football tickets at the time they register for Family Weekend. If you desire additional football tickets, please visit www.utsports.com. Tickets purchased through www.utsports.com will not be seated with the Parents Association Family Weekend block.
When you complete your Family Weekend registration and log into the Group Ticket Sales Window, your seat assignment(s) will be automatically assigned within the block of tickets reserved for Parents Association Family Weekend. All tickets purchased in a single order (i.e. one family) will be in the same row. Seating assignments will be first-come, first-served and will progress from the bottom of the reserved section to the top based on availability in the rows.
Unfortunately, the Parents Association has no control over seating assignments at the football game. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis and are assigned at the time of purchase. Thus, families will be unable to arrange to sit with one another during the football game.
Yes! If the student's parents cannot attend Family Weekend, or if the student's parents are not members of the Parents Association, please call our office. We will be happy to update your membership information to allow you to register your student's friend as you register your family for Family Weekend.
Packet pick up will be Friday, October 3 in the University Center. If your student is picking up the packet for you, he or she will need a valid UT Student ID and a copy of your receipt.
The time of the football game is set no later than ten (10) days prior to the date of the game. The game time is dependent on television and other scheduling variables. The time of the Big Orange Tailgate Party is dependent on the time of the football game. The Tailgate Party will start three (3) hours prior to game kick-off. We will advertise both of these times heavily on the Family Weekend website as well as through email communication when they are set.
Check-in and packet-pick up will take place on Friday, October 3 from 3:00-7:00
PM in rooms 221-224 of the University Center. Due to other events taking place
in the University Center on October 3, Family Weekend check-in and packet pick-up
will not begin before 3:00 PM. Please plan travel accordingly.
Please bring your receipt that you will receive via email after you have completed the registration and payment process. If your student is picking up the packet for you, he/she will need a valid UT Student ID and a copy of your receipt.
The tailgate is in Circle Park, which is located in front of the Student Services Building just up Peyton Manning Pass from Neyland Stadium. You can enter Circle Park by the Torchbearer statue.
No. Due to the fast turnaround time of the registration and payment system and the date of the event, and the non-refundability of football tickets from UT Sports, we will be unable to issue refunds.
Please Note: Due to the nature of processing, planning, and event coordination, the Parents Association is unable to offer refunds to any Family Weekend registrant at any time.
The Parents Association Family Weekend will take place except in the most severe weather conditions. In the event of rain, all activities will take place as scheduled, possibly in alternate locations. However, in the event of severe weather such as lightening, the Parents Association, together with the University of Tennessee may elect to delay or cancel any part of Family Weekend at any time. Due to the nature of event planning and coordination, the Parents Association will not offer any refunds, in full or in part, to any participant due to weather. For more information on the University of Tennessee's Inclement Weather Policy, please click here.