Freshmen parents cramming Bloomington's streets for fun-filled weekend

The sixth annual Freshmen Family Weekend, designed for students and their families to enjoy a weekend filled with numerous events, begins today and continues through Sunday.\nThe weekend is sponsored by the IUB Parents Association, the IU Athletic Department and the Monroe County Convention and Visitors Bureau. \nSuzanne Phillips, director of the IUB Parents Association, said the weekend offers parents a choice of activity during their visit to IU. \n"These events are geared and scheduled for this weekend so parents can have a bigger selection of activities to attend," she said.\nThis weekend was added as a result of the annual "Parent Weekend" (scheduled for Nov. 8 to 10) always filling up local hotel space. The University created this event just for freshmen families. \n"Freshman Family Weekend's main purpose is to give parents an opportunity to attend some organized events, to recognize parents for a particular weekend, and for some of the schools recruiting students to really showcase their school," Phillips said.\nThe weekend kicks off with Shabbat services at the Helene G. Simon Hillel Center at 5:30 p.m. \nDaily events include informal tours of the Student Recreational Sports Center (SRSC). The tours of the facility will run from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. \nFreshmen parents will have access to the SRSC this weekend at no cost. Students must bring their student ID.\nThe comedy "Born Yesterday" by Garson Kanin will be performed at the John Waldron Center starting at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. \nTickets are $12 for adults and $11 for senior citizens and students.\nSaturday's events begin with the Farmer's Market at the Showers Commons, located at 7th and Morton Streets. \nFresh flowers, produce and other goods will showcase the event along with entertainment from 7 a.m. to noon. \nThe Kelley School of Business will host an open house from 9 to 11 a.m., along with the School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation (HPER) from 10 a.m. to noon. The College of Arts and Sciences will hold a breakfast reception for "direct admit" freshmen from 9 to 11 a.m. at the University Club in the Indiana Memorial Union (IMU).\nThe IU Art Museum will also have an open house from 2 to 4 p.m. \nIU Arts Alive!, an information session about on-campus art offerings, will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. at Showalter Fountain in front of the IU Auditorium. Representatives from the School of Music, the IU Auditorium and the Department of Theater and Drama will be present to answer questions. \nFamilies are invited to attend the Indiana vs. Central Michigan football game at 4 p.m. Single game tickets are $32 per ticket. Call the IU Ticket Office today at 1-800-447-4648 to order tickets.\n"The event I'm looking forward to the most is the football game because it will be an exciting way to show my family IU sports," said freshman Frank Viviano.\nFreshmen Lauren Ready said she's looking forward to having her parents share her IU experience.\n"We're here to experience different things, so having our family come helps them see what kind of things we experience everyday," she said\nJunior Jenna Kirchgessner said she felt the weekend offered parents a different perspective into college life. \n"Freshman Family Weekend gives families a chance to see what college life is really like," she said.