CAB and the NIU Parents’ Association will host this year’s annual Family Weekend, tonight through Sunday.

Students and their families will be welcomed to fun-filled and family-oriented activities across the campus.

The weekend allows students to show their parents how their life operates while at school.

“Family Weekend is to let parents experience NIU’s campus and get to know their son or daughter’s everyday life here,” said Janelle Warrick, CAB special events coordinator. “For one weekend out of the year, students can focus their energy on keeping strong family ties and letting [their parents] get to know their campus life.”

At 8 p.m. tonight in the Huskie Den, students and their families can participate in cosmic bowling. Also scheduled is casino night, which will be held from 8 p.m. to midnight in the Holmes Student Center’s Duke Ellington Ballroom. Last year, casino night drew more than 700 attendees.

“Cosmic bowling is so much fun,” freshman business major Shalin Patel said. “I had the best time and can’t wait to go on Family Weekend.”

Saturday’s festivities will be kicked off by a university breakfast from 9 a.m. to noon in the HSC’s Regency Room. The cost is $11 per person, and reservations can be made by calling 753-3001.

Beginning at 9:30 a.m., students and parents can attend various campus open houses. They also can take part in a Huskie football tradition and participate in tailgating activities in the Huskie Stadium West Lot.

The Huskies kickoff at 1:05 p.m. Saturday against Marshall University. Tickets are $13, and students are admitted free with their student ID. Following the game, families can feast at the Pork Chop Chowdown from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Newman Catholic Student Center. Reservations are required.

Also offered is a Papa John’s pizza dinner, held from 5 to 7 p.m. in the HSC’s Capital Room. Large pizzas are $11 and cans of pop cost $.70. Families must make reservations for the dinner.

Comedy Sportz Showcase, an evening of comedy improvisations, will take place at 8 p.m. in the Duke Ellington Ballroom. Also at 8 p.m., CAB will showcase the animation feature “Shrek,” starring Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz, in the HSC’s Carl Sandburg Auditorium.

“I think it’s a good experience for my family to come see how NIU is,” said Michelle Pak, a freshman undecided liberal arts and sciences major. “I don’t get to spend much time with my family, so this is a good opportunity for me to spend time with them.”

Concluding Family Weekend festivities will be a breakfast buffet from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Regency Room. Reservations are required, and the cost is $11 per person.

Warrick said that Family Weekend shows parents what their child has been doing here at NIU and who they hang around with.

“Sometimes parents are unaware of their students’ everyday life, and while they are here they can find out what their child is doing all day, what they are learning, what they are experiencing and how much fun they are having,” Warrick said. “During family weekend, everybody’s goal is to focus on family for one entire weekend while other weekends are dedicated to friends or school.”