As Family Weekend approaches, students and their loved ones are planning out their weekends when visiting the WSU Pullman campus.

James Cox, junior management information systems major, is planning on having both of his parents, WSU alumni Willard and Yvonne Cox, visit him this weekend. 

Friday night, the family plans to attend the Wrestling Crimson and Gray Dual, Willard said. On Saturday, they plan on walking around campus while shopping for Cougar gear at the Compton Union Building and cheese before attending the football game. 

In preparation for his parents visiting, James said he will go to Walmart to get some food for the weekend. 

“[I will] get some hot dogs and ramen,” he said. “Then [they] have something to eat.” 

Yvonne said she is happy the weekend was switched from Dad’s Weekend to Family Weekend; she missed Mom’s Weekend because of COVID-19.

James said he is happy to have both of his parents visiting him this weekend. The last time he saw his parents was when he moved back to Pullman in August, and he is looking forward to spending time with them. 

“It’s going to be a nice weekend,” Willard said. “We’re going to watch some wrestling and some football, and we’re eager to see the campus again.”

The family did not register for any of the events planned for this weekend but still plans on doing things as a family, James said. 

“We didn’t sign up for concerts or anything … that’s not really our thing,” he said. “We just prefer family time and taking things as they go, walking around, and we’ll find something to do. I mean, we’re adventurers.”

Even though the Cox family did not sign up for events, there are still multiple activities for families to attend this weekend. While some events have already closed their registration, others allow families to show up during certain times throughout the weekend. 

The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art recently opened its exhibit showing Alison Saar’s work, as well as its exhibition of the 20 Black Lives Matter grant winners. 

Debby Stinson, marketing and relations manager, said the museum loves to offer free exhibitions to visitors. 

“It’s something really wonderful to do,” Stinson said. “You go into a gallery, and it’s quiet, it’s beautiful, it’s thoughtful, it’s reflective. It’s just a wonderful environment to be in.”

The exhibitions open an opportunity for families to look at racial inequality and social justice from the eyes of people who have witnessed it firsthand, she said. 

Families can walk through the museum whenever they choose, Stinson said. The museum will be open 1-4 p.m. Friday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Along with the museum, the WSU International Student Center is hosting a Taste the World event.

Rahaf Albateni, International Student Center events planner, said the center will bring in food from different places around the world and teach people the history behind every recipe. 

Volunteers will help make the food and bring it to the event for families to enjoy, said Mia Tran, International Student Center events planner. 

The event will be a fun way for international students and their families to get into the center and learn more about what they do, Albateni said. 

“Everyone likes food,” Albateni said. “So we thought the best way to do that was to get some iconic food from different places of the world and teach them about [it].”

Tran said international students usually do not have the option to sit down for dinner with their families, so Taste the World gives families a chance to eat together and connect with other people who are similar to them. 

Albateni said Taste the World also opens the opportunity for students who are not international to show up and learn about other cultures. 

“It’s fun to share a part of us with people who might not know about us in the sense of our culture and where we’re from,” she said. “I’m just looking forward to meeting some people and educating them somehow.”

The event is 2-5 p.m. Friday at the International Center in CUB L46, she said.  

Families can find other events to participate in on the Family Weekend website.