Amanda Fennell, Staff Writer
Imagine enjoying hay rides, pumpkin painting, and axe throwing in the comfort of your own campus with your family by your side. Immaculata’s 2023 Family Weekend, which took place on September 30th and October 1st, offered all of the above and more! Though the festivities planned for Friday were canceled due to an unfavorable weather forecast, families could still partake in the many happenings that were scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. In addition to doing the aforementioned activities, students and their family members could play bingo, board games, and Immaculata trivia on Saturday. A showing of the Mighty Macs film was also in store for interested families, as was the chance to enjoy video games, smoothies, and lawn games.
Though the day came with the opportunity to participate in many fun activities, the best aspect was simply that of students spending time with their families. Tara Moore ‘27 concurs, saying, “My favorite part about family weekend was the opportunity to see my family and to get to show them campus on a beautiful fall day. I loved the hay ride around campus because it was a chance to see campus from a new perspective and to spend time chatting with my parents and sister. Also, getting to see other students walk around with their families and see how much love families have for one another was a happiness booster.”
Family Weekend continued into Sunday, when Mass was held at 11:00 am in Villa Maria Chapel. Family members stood beside students in the pews, and the liturgical music ensemble sang. The Great Hall hosted brunch following Mass, and materials were provided so that attendees could make paint-splatter artwork outside.
Mary Steinbicker ‘26 enjoyed Family Weekend and the Sunday events in particular, sharing, “Since my family lives in Virginia, Family Weekend was the first time I’d seen my parents basically since the start of the school year. The structure of the weekend allowed us to take part in the activities we liked while still getting time together. Mass and Brunch on Sunday was especially lovely!”
Overall, the activities of Family Weekend enhanced the greater gift, which was the time students got to spend at IU with their families.
