Student Engagement

Parents Council * Invitation Only
12 – 4 p.m. | Blue Ridge Room, Highsmith Student Union
Members are invited to the first official Parents Council meeting of the year. Hear from Leadership about Asheville 2030, the University’s strategic plan, and what it means for your student and the future of UNC Asheville. Share your valuable perspective and help guide parent involvement.
Interested in joining the Parents Council? Let us know! Email gwray@unca.edu. 

Check-In: Bulldog Welcome
2 – 5 p.m. | Silver Bulldog Statue, Intersection of University Heights and Campus Drive
Check in with our Welcome Team! Pick up your name tag, grab your full schedule, and get answers to any questions you have before we officially kick off the weekend! 

Meet Your Student’s Success Team
3:30 – 4:45 p.m. | Alumni Hall, Highsmith Student Union
Staff from Financial Aid and the Academic Success Center will walk you through how you can support your student throughout their academic journey. Learn about important deadlines, holds, and early warning signs—and leave knowing exactly where to turn if your student needs a little extra support.

Family Social
4:30 – 6 p.m. | Blue Ridge Room, Highsmith Student Union
Meet and mingle with university staff and leadership. Engage with other families and supporters and enjoy some wine, cheese, and hors d’oeuvres before heading out to the Bulldog Block Party.  

Bulldog Block Party
5 – 8 p.m. | Reed Plaza
Bring the Bulldog spirit! Join us for a campus-wide pep rally packed with live music, games, giveaways, and plenty of Bulldog pride. Cheer on our Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams as they gear up for the season—let’s get loud and send them off in style!

Haunted Trolley Tour
8 – 10 p.m. | Pick-up Location: Silver Bulldog Statue, Intersection of University Heights and Campus Drive
OFF CAMPUS – REGISTRATION REQUIRED HERE
Hop on a nostalgic red trolley and enjoy a tour of all the haunts of Asheville! Your driver and tour guide will take you all over the city sharing local lore, fascinating facts, and stories from Asheville’s historic past.

Check-In: Bulldog Welcome
8:30 – 10 a.m. | Reed Plaza
Arriving Saturday? No problem! Check in with our Welcome Team and get all your materials for the day. 

Donuts with the Deans
9 – 10 a.m. | Reed Plaza
Start your day with coffee, donuts, and a little quality time with our Dean of Students and Academic Affairs Leadership team before heading out to spend the day with your student.

Back to Class Sessions
10:15 – 11 a.m. AND 11:15 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Karpen Hall and Rhodes Robinson Hall (RRO)
Two Sessions: Select one of the following classes to check out. All classes are offered during both sessions, except for Crisis Comunications, which is only offered 11:15 a.m. – 12 p.m.  

• You Have 10 Minutes to Respond: Welcome to Crisis Communication
  Sonya DiPalma, Ph.D., A.P.R. Chair and Professor, Department of Mass Communication
  What happens when something goes wrong, social media is buzzing, and everyone expects an answer? Step into the role of a crisis communication professional and make real-time decisions as an organizational crisis unfolds. See how your choices can impact public trust and the course of the crisis!

• Introduction to Law
  Mark Gibney, J.D., Ph.D. Belk Distinguished Professor of Humanities and Professor of Political Science
  Explore three fascinating legal cases centered around the question of responsibility under the law. From cannibalism on the high seas to a deadly car accident involving a drunk driver, discover who is held responsible and why.

• Why Study Birds?
  Andrew Laughlin, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Environmental Science
  Birds have fascinated humans for centuries, but they can also teach us a lot about our world. Discover how studying birds helps us understand evolution, animal behavior, and conservation in this introduction to Avian Ecology & Conservation.
• Getting to The Good Place
  Angel Kaur, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Neuroscience
  What does it mean to be human? What makes a good life? Explore these big questions through the NBC series The Good Place and the philosophical texts that inspired it. Along the way, learn skills that can help you throughout college and beyond.

Family Weekend Picnic
11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. | The Quad
Experience fall on the Quad! Enjoy live bluegrass on the lawn, a delicious picnic, and time together in one of the most beautiful spots on campus—the Quad that first made you fall in love with UNC Asheville.

Your Afternoon, Your Way
This time is yours to explore! We’ve left the afternoon open so families can choose what works best for them, with a few optional on- and off-campus activities planned throughout the day. Pick and choose what interests your family, spend time with your student, or explore Asheville together.

River Arts District (RAD) Tour
2-4 p.m. | 346 Depot Street, Asheville, NC.
OFF CAMPUS – REGISTRATION REQUIRED HERE
Explore Asheville’s thriving arts scene! Take a walking tour through one of the city’s most dynamic and ever-evolving creative neighborhoods, with an inside look at the artists, galleries, and culture shaping Asheville today.

Lazoom Comedy Tour
4 – 6 p.m. | Reed Plaza
OFF CAMPUS – REGISTRATION REQUIRED HERE
Historical and hysterical, the Lazoom City tour features outrageously entertaining tour guides, giving a raucous, irreverent tour bus through downtown Asheville. Not for the easily embarrassed.    Recommended for ages 16 and up. Tickets are $40 per person.  

Well Played Board Game Cafe
4-7 p.m. | 162 Coxe Ave Suite 101, Asheville, NC
OFF CAMPUS – NO REGISTRATION
Well Played is an alumni-owned board game cafe located in the lively downtown area of Asheville. We’re picking up the tab for all game passes this evening! Your name tag will be your key to FREE passes.

E-Sports Open House
5 – 8 p.m.  | Esports Center, Student Rec Center
Our E-sports center throws its doors open, with PC’s, PlayStations, Xbox, and racing rigs all live and ready to go.  Free to play, and worth grabbing a controller for yourself instead of watching from behind your student’s chair.  

Stargazing, Overlook Bonfire, and S’mores
 8 – 10 p.m. | Pick-up Location: Parking Lot P8
Hop on our shuttles and head up to Lookout Observatory! Enjoy s’mores around the fire!

Decades Silent Disco
8 – 10 p.m. | Blue Ridge Room, Highsmith Student Union
End the day with some family fun at our silent disco! Bring the whole family, pick your decade, put on your headphones, and dance along to your favorite hits from over the years. 

Baking Club Teaching Kitchen
12-2 p.m. Sherrill Center 346
Get a taste of student life with a student organization! Join the Baking Club as they whip up delicious treats to take home. See the creativity and community that make campus life special.

We have identified a few non-university events to check out throughout the weekend to make sure you have a well-rounded Asheville experience. 

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16

Pack Square Artisan Market
3 – 9 p.m. | Pack Square Park, Downtown (80 Court Plaza, Asheville, NC)
The Pack Square Artisan Market offers handmade goods from independent artists that call the Asheville area home. The market is free to attend and welcomes pets, friends, and families of all ages. 

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17

North Asheville Tailgate Market
8 a.m.-12 p.m. | Parking Lot: P28 (Edgewood Rd.)
This market is open every Saturday morning to students and community members. There are always lots of local vendors, great food, and usually a performance or two!

Ooh La La Curiosity Market
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. | Pritchard Park (67 Patton Ave, Asheville, NC)
Dozens of local artists beautify the park on select Saturdays throughout the season with musicians performing throughout.   

Irene Worthan Fall Festival
11 a.m. – 3 p.m. | 916 W. Chapel Road, Asheville, NC

A fun-filled day of family-friendly activities and community connection! Enjoy bouncy houses, food trucks, pumpkin decorating, face painting, cotton candy, popcorn, prizes, a live DJ, and so much more. This is a free community event. 

SUNDAY, OCTBOBER 18

Junebug Creek Lounge Sundays
12-5 p.m. | 355 Clarks Chapel Rd, Weaverville, NC
The Creek Lounge is a unique outdoor bar and music venue just north of Asheville in Weaverville, NC.  It’s essentially a “listening room” surrounded by nature, with options for lounging abound, either under ample walnut trees or in the beautiful Flat Creek that runs through the venue. Bring a lounge chair or blanket, or use one of the hammocks provided. Food and drinks are available for purchase.