Schedule of Events

2023 Laker Family Weekend Schedule

 

 September 15-17, 2023


Friday, September 15 Events and Activities

Event / Activity

Date/Time

Location

Hispanic Heritage Celebration: ¡Presente y Adelante! A Time to Celebrate, Remember and Amplify Our Latinx Voices

Keynote speaker Martha Villegas Miranda (ella/she/her) will be honoring the life and legacies of Latinx civil right leaders, discuss the rich history and vibrant culture of our comunidad, and close with an engaging call to action, un grito to start off the Hispanic Heritage Celebration at Grand Valley State University.

Click Here for Additional Information

Sept. 15

12 p.m. - 1 p.m. 

Allendale Campus - Grand River Room in Kirkhof Center

Kickoff Party!

Join us for a kickoff party to Family Weekend 2023! Come to the lawn outside of Kirkhof Center to watch live music from local band Jesse Ray and the Carolina Catfish, yard games and enjoy some food trucks that include: Righteous Cuisine, Bonhomie Catering, and Bumblebee Ice Cream!

Sept. 15
5 p.m. -  8 p.m.

 

 

Allendale Campus - Kirkhof Lawn or Rain Location is Grand River Room in Kirkhof Center

Beach Night and Free Cookout with Campus Ministry (CM)

Join us for a Beach Night at Holland State Park! Campus Ministry will be grilling burgers & hot dogs, playing spike ball, hanging out, and then watching the sunset. NO COST, just bring yourself and we will see you there!

If you need a ride, carpool will be leaving Java City (the coffee shop in Kirkhof Center) at 4:30pm. Whether you drive yourself, or carpool, look for the big CM flag to find us when you get there!

Sept. 15

5 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Holland State Park - 2398 Ottawa Beach Rd, Holland, MI 49424

Carpool meet up at Java City in Kirkhof Center - Allendale campus

GVSU Diagnostic Medical Sonography Network Alumni Gala

Join us as we launch Grand Valley State University’s Diagnostic Medical Sonography Alumni Association with a party! The association’s goal is to unite you, our sonographer alumni, through periodic events to socialize, network, learn, and serve our community, in order to stay connected with each other and the university. The organization will provide opportunities for you to flourish through connection, bolstering your resilience and guarding against burnout.

Our first event is a gala in celebration of all you, our alumni, have accomplished in your careers so far, inside and out of the sonography world. Our theme is a gold gala, so plan to dress in formal wear with as much or little gold as you’d like.

We’ll have cocktails and dinner, an improv performance for entertainment, and lots of time to reconnect with your old classmates. Come and bring a guest, we’d love to see you!

6:30 Cocktails/Mingling/Music
7:15 Welcome/remarks 
7:30 Plated Dinner
8:00 Improv Performance
8:30 Distinguished Alumni Award/Closing remarks

RSVP's Due by September 1, 2023

Sept. 15

6:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Pew Campus - L.V. Eberhard Center

Grand Valley State University Women's Soccer vs Ferris State

Cheer on our Lakers during this exciting game. FREE for GVSU students with valid GVSU student ID, $10 general public, $5 youth 3-17 years. Anchor up!

Sept. 15
7 p.m.

Allendale Campus - GVSU Soccer Field

Biking and Walking Routes

Take advantage of a variety of biking and walking routes and tour our campuses! Visit the RecWell website for more information and route maps.

Dawn - dusk

Allendale and Pew Campus

ArtPrize 

ArtPrize® is an independent international art competition in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It celebrates artists working in all mediums from anywhere in the world. Learn more by visiting the ArtPrize website.

September 14 - October 1

Grand Rapids – various locations


Saturday, September 16 Events and Activities

Event/Activity

Date/Time

Location

Philly's Phlipping Phlapjacks! Laker Meet and Greet Pancake Breakfast

President Philly will be flipping flapjacks (say that three times fast!) at 9:30 a.m. along with members of GV's Senior Leadership Team on Saturday morning inside the Kirkhof Center. Start off with the most important meal to fuel up for a day of family fun. Pancakes will be served starting at 8:30 a.m.

Sept. 16
8:30 a.m. - 11  a.m.
while supplies last

Allendale Campus - Kirkhof Center Lobby

2023 Family Weekend FUN(D) Run

Join GVSU Recreation & Wellness for the revamped GVSU Family Weekend FUN(D) Run (formerly known as the 5K). Participants will start adjacent to the Mary Idema Pew Library entrance and finish at the Cook Carillon Tower with views of our spectacular campus throughout our 2-mile course. Participants will have the option to participate at their own pace or compete for a chance to place in our Top 10 and win a medal and prize pack. Proceeds for this event will be considered a gift to the university and donated to either the Recreation Leadership Scholarship Fund or Dean of Students Emergency Fund. We thank you for supporting our students! 

Registration opens on August 1 until Saturday, September 16 @ 8:30am prior to the event starting.

Sept. 16
9 a.m.

Allendale Campus - start near the Mary Idema Pew Library

Replenish - Fill a Fire Truck Event

GVSU's Gayle R. Davis Center for Women & Gender Equity (CWGE) and the Allendale Fire Department (AFD) are teaming up to host a food drive in honor of September's Hunger Action Month. Join in a variety of activities taking place near the start/finish line of the Family Weekend FUN(D) Run that includes face painting, photo opportunities with a fire truck and firefighters, games, popcorn, cotton candy, and more! Donations of non-perishable food and basic needs items are welcome and encouraged.

Sept. 16
9 a.m.

Allendale Campus - near the Mary Idema Pew Library

Introduction to Programs on the Health Campus and Tours of Health Campus Facilities

Join us on the Health Campus in downtown Grand Rapids on the Medical Mile for a brief overview of the 20+ programs provided by the College of Health Professions and Kirkhof College of Nursing followed by tours of lab spaces of the three buildings that comprise the health campus:  Cook DeVos Center for Health Science (CHS), Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall (RFH), and DeVos Center for Interprofessional Health (DCIH).  Our state-of-the art simulation center is included in this tour which houses an operating room, anatomage table, plastinated specimens, virtual reality simulation rooms, high fidelity mannequins and much more.  Parking will be available in guest parking under the DCIH building.

 

9:00 am                                Welcome and outline of morning and overview of programs

9:15 am                                Tours begin

11:00 am                              Event concludes

Once registered for event, parking instructions and map will be provided.

Registration for this event is full! Please contact [email protected] with any questions.

Sept. 16

9 a.m. -11 a.m.

Health Campus - Downtown Grand Rapids

Special Extended Open Hours at the Art Gallery

Stephen Duren: A Life of Painting Exhibition - Sixty years have passed since Duren first took up a paintbrush. During this time, his work has experienced a push and pull between realism and abstraction, resulting in an evolving stylistic approach. Some of his works are direct renderings of nature from his experience painting plein-air (outdoors), while others are reductions of natural and artificial spaces into forms, lines, and colors.

Sept. 16

9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Allendale Campus -Thomas J and Marcia J Haas Center for Performing Arts Gallery

Student Small Business Market

Support student small business owners by checking out some of their remarkable and creative shops! Get ready to buy hand-made crafts such as paintings, photographs, jewelry and more from over 20 student led small businesses. There are even possible opportunities to get a reading done or learn how to crochet!

Sept. 16
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Allendale Campus - Kindschi Colonnade 

General Tailgating

Lot C, F, G opens for general tailgating.

Sept. 16
10 a.m.

Allendale Campus - Lot C, F, G

Barbara Kindschi Greenhouse Open House

Come experience the joy of the Barbara Kindschi Greenhouse!  Located on the second floor of the Kindschi Hall of Science, we are looking forward to sharing our beautiful space with you!  We will have free plants for the first 150 visitors!

Sept. 16

10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Allendale Campus - 2241 Kindschi Hall of Science

Family Day Tailgate

Enjoy a GVSU Athletics tailgate with a slider buffet provided by Peppino's, including a variety of breakfast slider sandwich options with sides and Pepsi products. 

*Students will need to purchase the tailgate, meal plans do not work at this event.*

Sept. 16

10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Allendale Campus - Fieldhouse Arena

Campus to Campus Grand River Family Weekend Clean-Up

Come join on a clean-up/hike down to the Grand River! Trash bags and garbage pickers will be provided. Volunteers will meet at the entrance of Niemeyer Living Center. Click here for more information and a map of the land area for the clean-up.

Sept. 16

11:45 a.m.

Allendale Campus - Entrance of Niemeyer Living Center

GVSU Lakers vs. Assumption Football Game

Students get into the game with their student ID, no purchase of ticket necessary!

Sept. 16
1 p.m.

Allendale Campus - Lubbers Stadium

Huddle Up Hoodies Sale at Laker Store

Save $10 off pictured hoods in-store only at our Allendale location on Saturday, September 16th, 2023 from 1 - 5 PM. *Offer cannot be combined with any other offer or promotion. Offer valid while supplies last.

 

Sept. 16
1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Allendale Campus - GVSU Laker Store

Dinner Around Town

Looking for a bite to eat after the game? Check out these local restaurants, bars, and cafes near our Allendale campus.

Local Restaurant Guide 

Want to support GV alumni? Check out this alumni owned bar & restaurant guide for options in Allendale, Hudsonville, and Grand Rapids!

GVSU Alumni Owned Bar & Restaurant Guide

Sept. 16

All Day

Various Locations

Extended Family Weekend Store Hours - Laker Store

Allendale Location: 9 AM - 5 PM

DeVos Location: 9 AM - 1 PM

*Please note, the hours listed above are the operating hours of each location for the day. As a reminder, the Huddle Up For Hoods Sale is at our Allendale location only between the hours of 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM. 

Sept. 16

All Day

Both Allendale and DeVos Laker Store Locations

Family Day Rewards Basket - Laker Store

Sign up for Laker Store Rewards before Family Day, 9/16! Be entered to win a Family Weekend Prize Pack. Plus, shorten the lines and your wait time. 

Why Sign Up?

  • Free to Sign Up
  • Receive a $2 Discount for Every $100 Spent to Use on Your Next Purchase
  • Earn & Redeem Points In-Store or Online on Apparel, Gifts, & Supply Purchases.

Click here to sign up. 

Sept. 16

All Day

Allendale Campus - GVSU Laker Store

Family Day Small Basket Giveaway - Laker Store

See the GVSU Laker Store's latest Instagram giveaway post for a chance to enter our second giveaway

Click here to enter (must be logged into Instagram).

Sept. 16

All Day

Allendale Campus - GVSU Laker Store

Biking and Walking Routes

Take advantage of a variety of biking and walking routes and tour our campuses! Visit the RecWell website for more information and route maps.

Dawn - dusk

Allendale and Pew Campuses

ArtPrize 

ArtPrize® is an independent international art competition in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It celebrates artists working in all mediums from anywhere in the world. Learn more by visiting the ArtPrize website.

September 14 - October 1

Grand Rapids - various locations


Sunday, September 17 Events and Activities

Event/Activity

Date/Time

Location

Recipes with Foodies

Have a fun, relaxing morning making your own recipe book with Pre-Dietetics Club members! Learn about some fun nutrition facts, ask club members any questions you may have, and take a personalized recipe book home with you. All materials will be provided. If you have any questions regarding this event or would like additional details, please reach out to the club president Amber Gunneson at [email protected]

Sept. 17

11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Allendale Campus - Kirkhof Center Room 2266

GVSU Women's Soccer vs. Saginaw Valley State University

 

Cheer on the Lakers as they take on Saginaw Valley State University. FREE for GVSU students with valid GVSU student ID, $10 general public, $5 youth 3-17 years. Anchor up!

Sept. 17

1 p.m.

Allendale Campus - GVSU Soccer Field

100 Kids vs. the Team

Reserve your child's spot in 100 kids vs. the GVSU Women's Soccer team Sunday, September 17 at 1pm!
- The first 100 kids to register will receive a complimentary t-shirt.
- All kids who register will receive a complimentary game ticket that can be picked up at the stadium upon arrival.
- Additional tickets for family/friends can be purchased HERE.

Sept. 17

1 p.m.

Allendale Campus - GVSU Soccer Field

Biking and Walking Routes

Take advantage of a variety of biking and walking routes and tour our campuses! Visit the RecWell website for more information and route maps.

Dawn - dusk

Allendale and Pew Campuses

ArtPrize® 

ArtPrize® is an independent international art competition in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It celebrates artists working in all mediums from anywhere in the world. Learn more by visiting the ArtPrize website.

September 14 - October 1

Grand Rapids - various locations



Page last modified September 18, 2023